The best attractions of Side: photos and descriptions. Where to go on an excursion from Side and how much they actually cost Old Side
2.5. Museum of Ancient Art
The museum is open from 9.00 to 19.00 from April to October and from 8.00 to 17.00 from November to March every day except Mondays. Entrance costs 10 liras.
2.6. Temples of Apollo and Athena
Another attraction of Side is the ancient temples of Apollo and Athena. The Temple of Apollo, with six rows of columns made in the Corinthian style, delighted and amazed everyone who saw it. People said that he was a symbol of the love of the commander Anthony for Queen Cleopatra.
Now the temple of Apollo looks like this:
3. Beaches of Side
There are two beaches near Ancient Side: eastern and western. West Beach is good for families with children. There is a gentle entrance to the water, attractions, and the hotels located on the first line have excellent bars.
There are fewer people on the eastern beach, but the entrance to the water is not as shallow. The place is ideal for windsurfing, diving, and you can simply meditate while looking at the waves.
Almost all Side beaches have soft and pleasant sand, but the water is not as clean as on pebble beaches.
4. Side surroundings
4.1. Resorts
There are several resorts around Side: Kumkoy, Colakly, Sorgun, Titreyengal, Kizilagach.
Closest to the city is the Kumkoy resort, which, with its sandy beaches, gentle entrance to the water and comfortable hotel areas, attracts tourists with children. 14 km from the city is the modern resort of Colakli with sandy beaches and four to five star hotels.
To the east of Side is another popular resort, Sorgun, with spacious sand and pebble beaches, club hotels and a pine forest. A little further is the democratic resort of Titreyengal with sandy beaches and hotels to suit every taste and budget. The farthest is the Kizilagach resort with some of the most environmentally friendly beaches on the coast.
How to get there from Side: There are regular buses and dolmus to all resorts. You can walk to Kumkoe if you like walking. The resort is 3 km from Side.
4.2. Manavgat Waterfall
To see how beautiful the nature is in Turkey, you need to go to. Located in the delta of the river of the same name, the waterfall is a popular holiday destination. Along the banks there are numerous restaurants where you can try trout dishes, classic teahouses and souvenir shops.
How to get to the waterfall from Side: There are buses and dolmushi services from Side bus station. In the city you need to change to a dolmus with a sign Şelale - Sarılar, which will take you directly to the entrance to the waterfall. The entrance fee to the waterfall is 5 liras.
You can also go to the waterfall on a guided tour. For example, a full-day trip including a cruise along the Manavgat River, a visit to a waterfall, swimming, lunch and a visit to the bazaar will cost only $20. You can find such a tour either on the spot or in advance. Be sure to check the availability of a Russian-speaking guide if you require it!
5. What else to do in Side
In addition to visiting historical monuments in Side, you can stroll along the embankment, sit in one of the cozy restaurants, and return to the city in the evening to look for ancient artifacts and come across the Temple of Apollo and meet the most memorable sunset.
The city of Side in Turkey is one big attraction. Locals and tourists walk along the streets paved two thousand years ago, between ancient columns, arches and aqueducts... And everything is free! After all, modern Side fits perfectly into ancient Side, and they don’t charge money to enter the city. But even in this museum city there are special places. Let's highlight the main attractions of Side.
Sights of Side: photos, map, how to get there yourself
The main attractions of Side: contents of the article
The city of Side in Turkey: a brief historical background
Before describing the sights of Side, let's briefly talk about the rich history of this amazing place. The city on this narrow peninsula in the Mediterranean was founded by Greek settlers in the 7th century BC. True, before them there was a small village called Side, which means “pomegranate” in the Aboriginal dialect. Over time, Side became the most important port in the area, which did not prevent it from surrendering to Alexander the Great without a fight in 334 BC. e. Two hundred years later, Side became part of the Roman Empire and, as part of it, became a major center of entertainment and trade. Here was the largest slave market. Side later became part of Byzantium, but in the 7th century, due to devastating earthquakes and Arab raids, people left the city.
Only at the end of the 19th century did residents return to the streets of the city - it was settled by Turkish immigrants from Crete. Gradually, Side again became a center of entertainment - but in the modern sense of the word. I am sure many of you, dear readers, had the opportunity to relax in this wonderful open-air museum!
We also spent several days here and stayed in an excellent and inexpensive hotel Sayanora Park. But the generous gifts of the all-inclusive system did not prevent us from seeing and appreciating the main attractions of Side! Which we will tell you about now.
Side Amphitheater
Perhaps, The main attraction of Side is the ancient amphitheater. It is considered the largest surviving amphitheater in Turkey: at one time it could accommodate up to 20 thousand spectators. Built in the 2nd century AD. By the way, on the stage of the theater there were not only comedies and tragedies, but also gladiator fights, and also battles between people and animals. In Byzantine times, the theater building was also used as a city quarry.
Ticket price: 20 liras.
In ancient Rome, the theater began not with a hanger, but with a room under the stands. And only then the real hanging began!
Sights of Side: The local ancient theater is the largest surviving one in Turkey.
20 thousand spectators were placed on all tiers of the theater, including the top (entrance to it is now closed).
Since ancient times, a photo shoot at the ruins has been a favorite pastime for the residents of Side.
Ancient theater in Side: after several centuries of raids and earthquakes, the stage was poorly preserved.
However, some images, carvings and other details are clearly visible.
Fountain Nymphaeum
The Nymphaeum Fountain is located just on the way from the bus station or from many hotels to the Old Town of Side. Built in the 2nd century AD. It used to be three-story and very beautiful: marble, elegant statues, frescoes... Now there are only two floors left. Or rather, one and a half. But the building was still preserved relatively well.
By the way, the fragments with rather interesting carvings, piled up in front of the fountain, are its parts that broke off due to earthquakes.
Entry price: free.
Nymphaeum Fountain in Side: what it looks like now and what it was like almost two millennia ago.
Side attractions: the Nymphaeum fountain is the first thing that will greet you on the way from the hotel to the Old Town.
Gate of Vespasian
This triumphal arch impressed us even more than other attractions in Side. The tall (about 6 meters!) gate was built in the 1st century AD in honor of the Roman Emperor Vespasian. According to legend, the emperor gave the architects the task of creating the Arc de Triomphe with the expectation that in 2000 years a double-decker tourist bus would pass freely under it. So now tourists and cars scurry under it, seeming like ants against the backdrop of the gate. In the niches of the wall next to the gate there used to be statues of noble citizens and, in fact, the emperor (now the monument to Vespasian is kept in Berlin).
Entry price: free.
Sights of Side, Türkiye. Vespasian's Gate: front view...
...and the rear view.
Temple of Apollo
You will see photos of this particular Side attraction on most tourist brochures and advertising posters. However, all that remains of the majestic building of the Temple of Apollo in Side are five columns. Moreover, it seems that they appeared here not without the participation of modern technical means))) And in the 2nd century, when this temple was built, it was a large rectangular building surrounded by 34 columns nine meters high. The Temple of Apollo in Side was destroyed by an earthquake in the 10th century.
Entry price: free.
Sights of Side, Türkiye. The canonical photo of the Temple of Apollo, which is in the album of any tourist who has visited this city.
Take the time to return to the Temple of Apollo at sunset, like we did. You'll have to go through a gauntlet of annoying waiters, but you'll get this as a reward!
Side Ancient Art Museum
Not all Side attractions are open-air. Many interesting exhibits found during excavations in the city of Side are located in the local historical museum.
The Side Museum is located near the Vespasian Gate in a perfectly preserved 5th-century Roman bathhouse. The museum has several rooms divided by theme. And of course, a cozy courtyard with peacocks and the inevitable Turkish cats. By the way, you can take pictures in the museum freely.
Ticket price: 10 liras.
The entrance to the Side Museum is located at the very Vespasian Gate.
Side attractions on the city map
Popular hotels in Side
Many of Side's attractions are located close to the hotels. Therefore, the location of the hotel is not so important - the main thing is to pay attention that the reservation system shows you the hotel in Side, and not somewhere on the outskirts or in neighboring Manavgat, located far from the sea. Food in restaurants in Side is expensive, so we recommend staying in either all-inclusive hotels or self-catering apartments. You can book a hotel in Side using many booking systems:
Friends, what sights of Side do you remember? We are waiting for your feedback! And don’t forget: we send our readers only the most interesting things!
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Side is a popular resort 75 km from Antalya. This is a good resort, everything for tourists - hotels, bars, clubs, and beaches. The beaches here extend 10 km to the west, and this is the most popular area, but to the east of Side the beaches are much less crowded. Side, like many Turkish cities, can boast of a long history. 
People settled in this place already in the 7th century BC. And all because the weather conditions for life are excellent, the soils are fertile, the sea is nearby. By the way, even the name of the resort is translated from Turkish as “pomegranate”. There are also legends: every guide will tell you that Cleopatra and Mark Antony once came to Side for a date. Actually, there are a lot of fairy tales about these two, and they want to christen every island or sand spit as the place of their secret meetings. Side and the surrounding area are also rich in historical monuments. 
Agora 
Agora is a market square in ancient Greek city-states. City meetings were held there and artisans exhibited their goods. Usually this area was framed by galleries with workshops, temples or statues.
The Side Agora can be found next to the Side Museum. Today, only the columns and foundation of the temple remain from its former beauty. Once upon a time, in prosperous Side there were as many as two agoras, because at that time the city was a large trading center, in particular, it was famous for its slave market. The agora almost merges with the theater stage. The columns stand along the perimeter, not all of them, and already quite destroyed. Some columns retain remains of decorations at the top. In the four corners of the agora you can see pedestals for statues (exedras). An interesting thing is located behind one of these exedras - there is a semicircular structure under the remains of the roof - this is a toilet (latrium), and, perhaps, the only one well preserved in all of Anatolia. Toilet with marble walls and mosaic floor - with 24 seats. 
Under the toilet there is something like a sewer, and next to it there is an open water supply with fresh water. Once upon a time you could enter this agora through two gates (now you can approach it from almost any direction). This wonderful square was probably built in the second century AD. Near one of the sides lies a road that once led to the second agora. There used to be shops along the edges of the street. 
In the center of the square agora are the ruins of the temple of Tyche, the goddess of fortune. It seems that this goddess ruled the fate of the city and was generally extremely respected. In general, this place is simply fascinating. Standing where everyone lived and breathed 19 centuries ago is an indescribable feeling. 
Arched gate 
Ancient Side welcomed its guests with high city gates - they were built in 71 BC, in honor of Emperor Vespasian, who ruled Side for about 70 years. The gate is about 6 meters high. Of course, today they are just ruins, but still, you can imagine how majestic they looked many years ago. On the sides of the gate there were towers and niches with arches where statues of the emperor and important people were placed. Behind the gate is an ancient square and the Nymphaeum fountain. Look for this gate in the north of Side, in the historical part of the city.
Side fortress walls 
The city of Side was attacked by enemies more than once, so the city had to be defended. That is why it was surrounded by fortress walls. On the landward side, the towers and walls have survived to this day in good condition, despite earthquakes - they are about 10 meters high. But the walls on the sea side turned into ruins over time. These walls were built sometime in the 2nd century BC. Since the walls deteriorated after various attacks, they were constantly being built and repaired. So, archaeologists discovered that they were made from stones from many different periods. The walls with loopholes and 13 semicircular and square turrets stretched for six kilometers. The walls were quite thick, up to three meters in some places.
Bishop's Palace and Basilica 
These buildings are located at the intersection of Column Street (which stretches from the Main City Gate) and the street from the East Gate of Side. The basilica was built sometime in the 6th century BC and is one of the oldest buildings in the country. The basilica is in the Byzantine style with three naves and columns in two rows. The entire basilica consists of several rooms. In one of them you can see a large marble baptismal pool, in other neighboring rooms there are two smaller semicircular pools. 
Unfortunately, the basilica is in terrible condition, but it still looks impressive. The palace is located south of the basilica. It consists of two rooms of different shapes, between which there is a martrion (tomb). The corridors of the structure and the roof vaults of the palace are impressive. Near the palace you can see a small chapel. Once these buildings and the garden between them were surrounded by tall walls. By the way, the entire complex occupies an area of about 9,700 square meters. m.
Side Ancient Art Museum 
The city museum houses archaeological finds from different periods of history that were found in this area. Absolutely amazing place. There are reliefs, statues, and sarcophagi. By the way, most of the statues are without heads. There is, however, a separate head of Apollo made of white marble. An interesting collection - children's sarcophagi, decorated with drawings: dogs, crying parents, butterflies, birds. And there is also an amazing bronze statue of Artemis, with an arrow in her right hand and a bow in her left. True, the back of the beauty’s head broke off and was lost. 
One of the halls of the museum houses weapon bas-reliefs from the Hellenistic period, an altar and a sundial. 
In the other there are torsos from the Roman period. Well, and much more. The amphitheater is also part of the museum, as well as the agora, the Roman baths, the necropolis, and other buildings.
Temple of Apollo 
Located in the south of Side, near the seashore. Once upon a time there were two temples here - one in honor of Apollo, the other in honor of Artemis. The rectangular temple of Apollo with a base measuring 30 by 17 meters and columns of 9 meters looked, apparently, impressive in past centuries, but today there are only a few columns (previously there were six rows of columns, eleven in each row). A white marble temple was built here in the 2nd century BC. Naturally, there is another legend about this temple, that it was built in honor of the love of the commander Anthony for Cleopatra.
A beautiful city, containing echoes of Roman history, located on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. Tourists love this resort for its beaches and historical attractions. Near the harbor is the Temple of Athena, at the other end of the city is the Roman Theater. Side is famous for its magnificent views of the majestic Taurus Mountains.
Of course, this is the place where people come for an even bronze tan. If you find yourself here in the middle of summer, when all the beaches are crowded, you can sometimes change the scenery and go sightseeing.
1. Temples of Apollo and Athena
According to historical data, the first settlement on the site of modern Side appeared in 1000 BC. In the 7th-6th centuries. BC. Greek settlers founded a colony here and built a harbor. During the Roman Empire, Side was an important trading center. At the very edge of the peninsula are the main temples of the ancient city, erected in honor of the god Apollo and the goddess. It is especially beautiful here in the evening, at sunset.
2. Theater
The Side Theater is the largest in ancient Pamphylia. It once accommodated 15,000 people in 49 rows of seats. Some of the supporting arches have collapsed and parts of the hall have collapsed, but even the ruins are impressive, demonstrating an outstanding example of architectural skill.
On some walls, reliefs have been preserved almost untouched by time. Behind the Theater is the Agora, which was once surrounded by a colonnade. Next to it are the ruins of the temple of Tich (goddess of luck).
3. Side Museum
The museum is not very large in size, but it houses interesting exhibits from Hellenistic and Roman cultures.
4. East Beach
Side has a lot of sun and gentle waves washing the clean soft sands. Many tourists come here every year for a beach holiday. The most popular is East Beach. Umbrella and sun lounger rentals, restaurants, water sports facilities - everything for a great holiday is here!
5. State agora
This is a small Roman square. On its eastern side there was originally a two-story building that served as a library. In the niche of the columns you can see the figure of Nemesis.
6. Byzantine churches
Between the State Agora and the eastern walls of the old city are the ruins of the bishop's palace, the baptistery and the main palace. These early Christian buildings were erected in the 5th-10th centuries. AD
7. Seleukea
The ruins of the Seleucid city in Seleukei are located above the village of Bukak Zeylera, which can be reached from through the Manavgat waterfall. Little is known about the history of this settlement. Archaeological excavations carried out here during the 1970s revealed a large bath complex, an agora with storage areas, a colonnade, a Byzantine church and an Odeon with a mosaic depicting Orpheus.
8. Manavgat Waterfall
The waterfall is located on the river of the same name, which flows to the ridge of the Taurus Mountains. Picnics are often held in the gardens near the waterfalls. There are special passages from which it is convenient to admire this noisy miracle of nature.
9. Selge
High in the Taurus Mountains, about 60 km north of Aspendos, lie the ruins of Selge. According to legend, the blind prophet Kalchas founded this city along with the remnants of his army during the Trojan War.
Before the Roman period of history, Selge flourished thanks to established trade with the cities of Pamphylia. The main attractions here are the 10,000-seat Roman theater and stadium, the ruins of the Temple of Zeus and the Temple of Zeus. A little further, to the east, are the ruins of the agora.
10. Cevizle
Near the town of Cevizle is the Damlatas Cave. This is Turkey's deepest cave, going 330 meters into the ground.
11. Köprülü Canyon
7 km east of Aspendos, behind the village of Alabalık, begins the impressive national park with the Köprülü Canyon. There are hiking and rafting routes here.
12. Akseki
The cave complex Düdensuyu Magarası is located near the village of Akseki. We recommend that you take a tour of the underground lakes with a guide.
This sunny Turkish city is located near Side and is considered the third largest, second only to Antalya and Alanya. The city is divided by the Manavgat River, which is considered one of its important attractions. Manavgat was not always called that way; during the Seljuk times, in 1329, it was given the name “Molasses”.
Modern Manavgat is famous for its ancient city, waterfall, Köprülü Canyon National Park, Titreyengol Lake, Oymapinar Reservoir and Seleukeia ruins. The city was famous for its shopping arcades, which are still preserved today. There is a huge bazaar here where you can find anything you want.
About 80 thousand people live in Manavgat.
Manavgat Waterfall
Manavgat Waterfall is a waterfall on the river of the same name in the province of Antalya. It is located near the resort town of Side. The word "Manavgat" is translated as "Mother Goddess". Manavgat Falls was featured on Turkish 5 lira banknotes issued from 1968 to 1983.
This small picturesque waterfall is surrounded by cafeterias, restaurants, and souvenir shops. At the market near the waterfall you can buy various souvenirs, gifts and oriental sweets. 12 km. From the waterfall there is the Oymapinar dam.
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Antique Side
The many ancient monuments preserved here have turned Side into a museum city. The ruins of the ancient city are located on the Selimiye Peninsula. It is separated from the mainland by a wall and a ditch. You can enter the territory of the ancient city by passing through the well-preserved gates of the Hellenic period.
The old street with the remains of columns on the sides will lead you directly to the Roman baths. They now house the exposition of the archaeological museum. Everything that was found during the excavations of Side can be seen here: marble sarcophagi, frescoes, steles and fragments of wall friezes. Immediately behind the baths there was a city market square (agora), where the round foundation of the temple of the goddess Tyche, the goddess of fate and chance, is clearly visible. Next you will see the ruins of an ancient theater that could accommodate more than seventeen thousand spectators. Gladiator fights were held in its arena. From the temple of Apollo and the temple of Athena, only small fragments of the platforms in front of the entrance to the temple and fragments of columns remained.
The ancient Temple of Apollo fits perfectly into the picturesque nature of the Side Peninsula. For the city, Apollo was considered the main god, personifying the sun. In Ancient Greece, the god Apollo was considered the patron saint of teachers and muses, travelers and sailors, art and science.
The temple is a rectangle with equal length and width (30 and 17 meters, respectively). The six rows with columns looked especially grandiose, each containing 11 columns that previously decorated the temple. The columns rose high into the sky, as their height reached 8.9 meters. As for the parapets, they were built in the Corinthian style. Currently, only a few columns remain, but they have been carefully restored and display their original appearance.
The Temple of Apollo was built of white marble, dating back to the second century BC. It served as a place of worship. For lovers of beautiful photos, it is recommended to take pictures of the temple at sunset, because the glare of the setting sun looks good on the old marble columns. Next to the Temple of Apollo is the Temple of Artemis, the goddess of the Moon.
Green Canyon
Green Canyon is the largest canyon reservoir in Turkey. It is located 10 km. from Manavgat.
The reservoir is located in the Taurus mountains, at an altitude of 350 meters above sea level, so it is always quite cool here. This place was formed as a result of the creation of a hydroelectric power station. The depth of the reservoir is about 100 meters. 27 natural springs flow here and constantly replenish it.
Green Canyon is a beautiful place for tourists to relax. Turquoise water, lush vegetation and magnificent mountains create a stunning landscape. Here you can take a boat ride, swim, go fishing, or just admire the fabulous beauty of the canyon.
Beaches of Side
The Side resort is located on a green peninsula in one of the most attractive parts of our planet. The modern resort organically fits into the historical landscape here. Two beautiful beaches are located on the eastern and western sides of the cape. Each of them has its own advantages and features. Both beaches are shallow and therefore safe. The beach area is equipped with umbrellas and sun loungers.
But West Beach is more crowded and fun. Lots of entertainment for every taste and age: water rides, parasailing, water skiing, windsurfing, yachting. In the evening, numerous discos and bars open their doors to vacationers, where music will be played until dawn. And in the Oxyde disco you will be happy to combine dancing with swimming in the pool.
The beaches in the eastern part are less crowded. It's much quieter and calmer here. Beautiful sandy beaches and modern tourist complexes with vast green areas coexist with the ruins of one of the oldest and most impressive settlements in Turkey. Cotton fields and orange groves are close to the beach. You can calmly wander through the sand dunes and see ancient ruins.
Roman theater
The Roman Theater, approximately 100 meters in size, is the oldest ancient theater in Side, dating back to the 2nd century AD. The theater was built on the site of an even more ancient Hellenistic theater.
Entrance to the theater was via staircases and covered galleries. The theater was built to accommodate up to 18 thousand spectators on its territory. Such indicators make it possible to safely say that the theater was the largest in the entire province of Pamphylia. The rows of the theater are formed in the form of a semicircle with a diameter of 120 meters, and they are divided into even parts by a horizontal passage. The stage was previously decorated with friezes about Dionysus.
The Antique Museum is located next to the theater and baths. Today, from the theater props, the remains of the heads of Medusa and masks of Tragedy and Comedy, which were used in ancient times for theatrical performances, have been preserved.
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Manavgat River
From the peaks of the Western Taurus flows the cold and mighty Managwat River. The river flows through canyons and plains, after which it enters the warm and salty Mediterranean Sea. Cold and warm waters mix with each other, creating a “layer cake” effect. Since ancient times, people have used this confluence of waters for rejuvenating and tonic purposes.
You can go on a short yacht cruise along the Managwat River. There are several types of excursions: some will offer to visit a small waterfall, others will go fishing (spotted trout are found in the river). The Managwat River is also popular among water sports enthusiasts.
One of the most interesting places on the Managwat River is the Altinbesik cave, rich in picturesque lakes and stalactites and stalagmites of extraordinary beauty.
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