Put together by Genki with the Türkiye Nomad Fest team for everyone joining us in Alanya from 18 to 25 October.
Welcome to Alanya! For one week, this Mediterranean town is home to Türkiye Nomad Fest, and we want you to enjoy every day. This guide is for the moments nobody plans for: a stomach that won't settle, a sunburn after the first beach day, a cut on the rocks. It tells you where to go, what to say, and what to bring. You'll also find what keeps you feeling good all week, from healthy cafés and local markets to the best routes for a morning run.
Save this page to your phone now, so it's there when you need it.
Summary
🗺️ Your health map
Save this map to your phone before you arrive. It shows the festival venue, the nearest pharmacies, both hospitals, healthy places to eat, and the markets.
🏥 Where to go
- Something minor (a blister, an upset stomach, a mild sunburn): start at a pharmacy. Turkish pharmacists are well trained and can advise on most small problems.
- You need a doctor today: go to Alanya Anadolu Hospital, about 1 km from the venue.
- It's serious: call 112.
Alanya Anadolu Hospital (private) Kadıpaşa, Stad Caddesi No. 28/A
Call: +90 242 522 62 62.
Emergency department open 24/7, with intensive care. About 1 km from the venue. Open in Google Maps
Alanya Training and Research Hospital (state)Oba Mahallesi, Fidanlık Caddesi.
Call: +90 242 513 48 41. Emergency department open 24/7. About 6 km east of the venue, in Oba. Open in Google Maps
💊 Pharmacies
Pharmacies are called eczane, and you'll recognize them by the red "E" above the door. Three are a short walk from the Anjeliq:
Damlatas Pharmacy, Atatürk Blvd. No. 164, practically next door. Mon to Sat, 9:00 to 18:30. Open in Google Maps
Aslı Eczanesi, Hoca Ahmet Yesevi Cd. No. 27/A, about a 5-minute walk. Mon to Sat until 22:30. Open in Google Maps
Sevim Eczanesi, Sipahioğlu Sok. No. 29, about a 7-minute walk. Mon to Sat until 21:30. Open in Google Maps
All three are closed on Sundays, and the festival covers two Sundays. At night, on Sundays and on holidays, a duty pharmacy (nöbetçi eczane) is always open somewhere in town, and every pharmacy window shows which one it is tonight. Antibiotics need a prescription.
☀️ Sun and heat
October in Alanya feels like summer somewhere else. Days usually reach the mid-twenties, and the midday UV index sits in the high range.
🧴 Sun cream: use SPF 30 or higher and reapply every two hours and after every swim. The sea breeze hides how strong the sun is.
🕶️ Sunglasses: choose a pair marked UV400 or 100% UV protection. Cheap fashion lenses can do more harm than wearing none, because your pupils widen behind the dark glass.
👒 Hat and shade: between 11:00 and 15:00, keep beach time short and plan hikes for the morning or late afternoon.
💧 Water: carry a bottle to every session. Drink before you're thirsty, and more if you were drinking the night before.
Know the signs. Headache, dizziness, nausea, or cramps can mean heat exhaustion. Get into the shade, drink water, and cool your skin down. If someone becomes confused, stops sweating or collapses, call 112. That can be heatstroke, and it's an emergency.
Evenings cool down quickly, so pack a light layer for the beach gatherings.
🌊 Sea and beach
At this time of year, the sea is warm enough to swim every day.
- Check the beach flags and swim where others are swimming.
- Don't swim after drinking or alone at night.
- Water shoes help on rocky stretches, where sea urchins like to sit. If you step on one, a pharmacy can help you get the spines out.
🥾 Sessions, hikes and getting around
The program is full of yoga, fitness, beach gatherings and hikes. Wear proper shoes on the trails, since the path up to Alanya Castle is steep and exposed. If you get hurt, tell the organizers the same day, even if it seems minor.
E-scooters and scooters are everywhere in Alanya, and scooter crashes are among the most common injuries. Wear a helmet, avoid riding after drinking, and remember that traffic doesn't always stop at crossings.
🏃 Morning runs
Alanya is made for early runs. It's cool before 9:00, the light over the castle is beautiful, and the promenades are almost empty. The sun rises around 7:00 in late October, so an early start still gets you back for breakfast.
Easy and flat: Cleopatra Beach. Head west from the hotel onto the Cleopatra Beach promenade. The beach stretches about 2 km, so keep going as far as you like before turning around. 👉 Open the route in Google Maps
Longer and flat: the eastern seafront. Cross the old town to the Red Tower (Kızılkule), about 2 km from the hotel. From there, a palm-lined promenade runs east for up to 6.7 km, almost all of it a dedicated path. Run as far as you like, and stay on the path rather than the sand. 👉 Open the route in Google Maps
The challenge: up to the castle. From the Red Tower, climb the road up to the castle walls at Ehmedek. It's steep and steady, with a view that's worth every step. Go early, because there's little shade once the sun is up, and bring water. 👉 Open the route in Google Maps
Before you go
- Carry water, even for a short run. The humidity makes you sweat more than you'd expect.
- Put sun cream on before you leave, not after.
- Later in the morning, the promenades fill with walkers, cyclists and e-scooters, so keep to one side.
- Running with someone? Ask in the festival group chat. There's usually someone up for it.
🥗 Eating well
Turkish food makes healthy eating easy. Meze, grilled vegetables, lentil soup (mercimek çorbası) and fresh salads are on almost every menu, and most kitchens are happy to make a dish without meat. If you're after a bowl, a smoothie or a vegan menu, these are all within walking distance of the Anjeliq:
Surf Coffee, Türkmenbaşı Cd. 12A, just up the street from the hotel. Good coffee and granola bowls. Daily 8:00 to 23:00.
GO HEALTHY, Macaroğlu Sk. No. 40, about a 10-minute walk. Bowls, wraps and oil-free dishes, with gluten-free and lactose-free options. Mon to Sat.
SMAK Cafe & Eatery, İsmet Hilmi Balcı Cd. 1/1, about a 12-minute walk. Smoothie bowls, matcha and brunch. Daily.
Mezza Gurme, Yunus Emre Cd. No. 26, about a 12-minute walk. A restaurant with its own organic market and a vegan breakfast. Closed Monday.
Cozy Alanya, Damlataş Cd. No. 51, about a 15-minute walk. A wide choice of vegan and gluten-free dishes. Open late every day.
🍊 Fruit and markets
October is harvest season on the Turkish Riviera. Pomegranates, figs, persimmons and the first local citrus fill the stalls, and a bag of fruit for the week costs less than one smoothie in town.
Ucuz Halk Pazarı in Kızlar Pınarı is about a 10-minute walk from the hotel. This market is open every day, with fruit and vegetable stalls and fresh bread around it.
Alanya also has big weekly markets, usually on Fridays in Şekerhane and on Sundays in Hacet, where farmers sell their own produce. Ask the festival team or hotel reception for this week's days before you go.
Wash fruit with bottled water before eating it. Market prices aren't always fixed, so a little friendly bargaining is normal.
🍽️ Food and water
Stick to bottled water for drinking. The food is one of the best parts of Türkiye, so enjoy it. If your stomach does protest, rest, drink plenty, and pick up oral rehydration salts at any pharmacy.
🐾 Animals
Alanya's street cats and dogs are mostly friendly, but keep your distance. Any bite or scratch needs medical care the same day, because rabies is present in Türkiye.
😴 Festival week
A week of talks, late nights, and new people is wonderful and exhausting. Protect your sleep where you can. Skipping one session to rest is better than running on empty by Thursday.
And if something feels heavier than tiredness, you're not alone, and you don't have to push through. Talk to someone on the festival team. They'd much rather hear from you than not.
🗣️ Words that help
- Yardım edin! Help!
- Acil Emergency
- Hastane Hospital
- Eczane Pharmacy
- Ambulans Ambulance
- İngilizce bilen var mı? Does anyone speak English?
🧾 Before you need it
Private hospitals often ask for payment or a deposit up front and may charge visitors more. Check what you'll pay before treatment starts.
Save this now:
- Your passport, or a photo of it
- Your insurance policy number and emergency assistance line
- Any regular medication, in its original packaging, with a copy of your prescription
Genki, health insurance for digital nomads, put together this guide with support from the Türkiye Nomad Fest team. It's general information, not medical advice. In an emergency, always call 112 first.