Side

Ancient City of Side and Temple of Apollo

Side Antik Kenti

Side

The remains of this Roman-era port city blend directly into the modern town — you'll walk past the colonnaded main street, the baths and the agora on your way to the beach. At the very tip of the peninsula stand five re-erected columns of the 2nd-century Temple of Apollo, right above the sea.

Tip: Arrive at the columns half an hour before sunset — it's the only time the sun sets exactly between them, though it's also when the crowds are thickest.

Admission:

site free

Time needed:

2–3 h

Side Theatre

Side

The largest theatre in ancient Pamphylia, seating fifteen thousand spectators, built on vaulted substructures rather than into a hillside, since the peninsula is flat. That's exactly why it has survived in better shape than most ancient theatres, and from the top rows you can see across the whole ancient city and out to sea.

Tip: Your theatre ticket also covers the museum housed in the Roman baths right across from it — buy the combined ticket.

Admission:

from 400 TRY

Time needed:

1 h

Manavgat Waterfall

Manavgat Şelalesi

8 km northeast

A wide, low waterfall on the Manavgat River about four kilometres upstream from the town, where the water spills across the full width of the riverbed. Teahouses on terraces overlook the water, and it's the easiest day trip to reach from Side.

Tip: The waterfall is low, and in summer, when the river is regulated by the dam upstream, it carries less water — don't expect a dramatic spectacle, but it's a pleasantly cool spot.

Admission:

from 100 TRY

Time needed:

2 h

Aspendos

35 km west

The best-preserved Roman theatre in the Mediterranean, dating to the 2nd century, with an intact stage wall and acoustics so precise that a coin dropped on stage can be heard in the back row. The wider site also holds the remains of an aqueduct, an agora and a basilica.

Tip: Climb to the top row and have someone speak from the stage below — the acoustics are the single most impressive thing about Aspendos.

Admission:

from 400 TRY

Time needed:

2 h

Perge

60 km west

A vast ancient city with a colonnaded main street, Roman baths, a stadium that held twelve thousand spectators, and a Hellenistic gate flanked by two towers. Statues excavated here are now the star attraction of the Antalya Museum.

Tip: There's almost no shade here — come right when it opens or after four in the afternoon, and bring plenty of water.

Admission:

from 400 TRY

Time needed:

1.5–2 h

Seleucia

Seleukeia Sidera

15 km north

A forgotten ancient city in a pine forest above Side that almost no one visits. The agora, baths and a building with surviving mosaics are still standing. It's more a walk through the woods among ruins than an organized attraction, but you'll have the place entirely to yourself.

Tip: Signage is minimal and the access road is unpaved — without a car or an organized tour, you're unlikely to make it here.

Admission:

from 100 TRY

Time needed:

1.5 h

Kurşunlu Waterfall

Kurşunlu Şelalesi

65 km west

A waterfall inside a nature park with seven pools, cascades, and a shaded trail winding between pines and plane trees. Unlike Manavgat, it's taller and carries more water, and the surrounding park makes for a pleasant hour-long walk away from the heat.

Tip: There's a cave behind the waterfall reachable by a footpath — most visitors miss it and turn back at the viewpoint.

Admission:

from 150 TRY

Time needed:

2 h

Manavgat and river cruise

8 km northeast

A district town eight kilometres from Side with a market, a mosque and a harbour, from where boats sail down the Manavgat River to its mouth at the sea. It's the cheapest way to see a slice of Turkish countryside outside the hotel zone.

Tip: Monday's market in Manavgat is the biggest in the area, with prices a fraction of what you'd pay at the bazaar in Side.

Admission:

cruise from 400 TRY

Time needed:

half a day

Green Canyon and Oymapınar Dam

Green Canyon

25 km northeast

A reservoir lake in a narrow limestone canyon, its turquoise water framed by steep, forested slopes. Boat trips last several hours and include a stop for a swim in the ice-cold water, which stays around 20°C even in summer.

Tip: The water in the reservoir is noticeably colder than the sea — a welcome shock after the coastal heat, though maybe not ideal with small children.

Admission:

boat trip from 900 TRY

Time needed:

half a day