Side is a small peninsula on the Antalya coast, 75 kilometres from the city, where a fishing village grew up during the 20th century inside the ruins of a Roman city. The result is unique: the village streets run between ancient columns, the 15,000-seat theatre rises in the middle of the old town, and out at the tip, at the water's edge, five columns of the Temple of Apollo stand out against the sunset.
It is also a holiday resort, with beaches on both sides, restaurants around the harbour and plenty of visitors. Choose your timing well and the mix works.
A little history
Greek settlers founded Side in the 7th century BC. In antiquity it was known for its harbour, for its slave market, which the Cilician pirates kept supplied, and for its prosperity in Roman times, when the theatre, the baths and the temples were built. In the Byzantine period it was the seat of a bishop, and Arab raids and earthquakes had emptied it by the 10th century.
At the end of the 19th century, Turkish refugees from Crete settled among the ruins and founded the village of Selimiye, which is today's Side. Archaeologists from Istanbul University began excavating in 1947, and the Temple of Apollo was partly re-erected in the 1980s.
What to see in Side
The theatre
The largest in the region, with some 15,000 seats, built in the 2nd century AD on vaults rather than against a hillside, because the ground here is flat. From the top rows you can see the whole town, the sea on both sides and the stage building with its reliefs of Dionysus, as well as the remains of the wall that closed the theatre off in Byzantine times.
The colonnaded street and the agora
From the city gate, a partly restored avenue lined with columns and shops leads to the agora, the old market square, and to the baths that now house the museum. Beside the agora are the public latrines, semicircular and well preserved.
The museum
It occupies the Roman baths and displays the sculpture found on the site: statues of gods, a Hermes, sarcophagi and the Three Graces. It is small, and the rooms of the baths make a fine setting for it.
The temples of Apollo and Athena
At the tip of the peninsula, next to the harbour, stand twin temples from the 2nd century AD. Five Corinthian columns of the Temple of Apollo have been re-erected, with part of the entablature on top and the sea behind them. At sunset this is the most photographed spot on the coast. Next to them are the remains of a Byzantine basilica.
The town and the harbour
Pedestrian streets full of shops and restaurants, the little harbour with its excursion boats, and two beaches: the eastern one, long and sandy, and the western one, smaller and more sheltered. A fish dinner at the harbour, with the temple lit up in front of you, is the way to end the day.
Tips for your visit
Allow two hours for the ruins and the museum, and the whole afternoon if you add the town and the sunset. It is all flat and done on foot, although reaching the top rows of the theatre means a climb.
- Arrive mid-afternoon, see the theatre and the museum, and save the temple for sunset.
- In July and August the town is packed; spring and autumn are ideal.
- Pack a swimsuit: a beach is only a few minutes' walk from the temple.
- The car park is outside the town; inside, the only vehicle is a small tourist train.
Tickets and prices
At the time of writing (2026), the archaeological site with the theatre costs €8 under the official 2027 tariff, and the museum another €6. The Temple of Apollo, the colonnaded street and the town are free to enter. On my tours, entrance tickets are either included or handled by your guide.
Where it is and how to get there
Side is 75 kilometres east of Antalya, next to Manavgat, on the road to Alanya: about an hour and a quarter by car. There are buses from Antalya to Manavgat, and minibuses (dolmuş) from there to Side.
Adding Side to your trip
Side is the natural end to a day of archaeology from Antalya, after Perge and the theatre of Aspendos, the two sites my Turquoise Coast tour visits from Antalya. For the beaches and the rest of the coast, read what to see on the Antalya coast.
If you would like to end that day in Side for the sunset, or combine ruins and a swim on the same day, tell me when you plan your tailor-made trip.