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Side packs two thousand years of Roman history onto a small peninsula and pairs it with long sandy beaches and easy day trips into the Taurus Mountains. Most sights are walkable from the old town, and the headline attraction, the Temple of Apollo, is free and open all day. This is the complete list of things to do, part of our Side travel guide.
Things to Do in Side: Ancient Ruins and Archaeology
Temple of Apollo
The five columns of the Temple of Apollo at the tip of the peninsula are the symbol of Side, photographed at sunset against the Mediterranean. Built in the 2nd century AD and partly reconstructed in the 1980s, the temple is open air, free to enter, and accessible 24 hours a day. The neighbouring Temple of Athena sits beside it and is viewed from outside while under restoration. Go at sunrise or sunset for the best light and the fewest people.
Side Ancient Theatre
The 2nd-century Roman theatre held around 15,000 to 18,000 spectators and is the largest surviving structure in Side, built into the slope so the top rows look straight out to sea. Entry costs about 340 TL and it is open daily from roughly 8:30 am to 6 pm (later in summer). Climb to the upper rows for the view over the town and coast. The theatre also hosts open-air concerts during the Side events and festivals season.
Side Museum
The Side Museum occupies the restored Roman baths beside the agora. Its small collection includes statues, sarcophagi, and coins excavated from the ancient city, with labels in Turkish and English. Entry is about 200 TL and visits take 30 to 45 minutes. The baths themselves, with their vaulted rooms, are worth the entry fee alone.
Side Agora and Roman Streets
Walk the colonnaded main street that runs from the theatre to the harbour, past the remains of the agora, the nymphaeum fountain, and the monumental Vespasian Gate. It is all free to wander and takes under an hour. Plaques mark each monument, and the whole peninsula is a protected archaeological site, so ruins pop up between restaurants and souvenir shops.
Things to Do in Side: Beaches and Water
East Beach (Golden Sand Beach)
East Beach runs for about 3 km along the east side of the peninsula with fine golden sand and a shallow, gently sloping seabed that suits families with children. Sunbeds and umbrellas rent for around 150 to 250 TL a set in summer, and beach bars and water sports stations are dotted along the shore. It faces the open sea, so expect a bit more breeze than the western side. Check the Side weather by month page for sea temperatures by month before you plan beach days.
West Beach
West Beach is the resort side, lined with hotels and beach clubs and stretching toward Kumkoy. It has the same soft sand and calm water as East Beach and is where most of the jet-ski, parasailing, and banana-boat operators set up. Prices for water sports start around 400 TL for a short ride. If you want to wake up on this sand, the where to stay in Side guide covers the beachfront hotels.
Manavgat River Boat Trip
Boat trips leave Side harbour and cruise up the Manavgat River toward the waterfall, stopping at the river delta where turtles and kingfishers are common. Half-day trips cost around 600 to 900 TL (roughly US$20 to 30) and usually include a stop at Manavgat market. For currency and tipping advice before you book, see the Side travel tips page.
Green Canyon Boat Trip
The Green Canyon (Yesil Kanyon) is a flooded gorge behind the Oymapinar Dam, about 30 km northeast of Side, where turquoise water fills a valley of pine-covered cliffs. Boat tours last around 4 to 5 hours, cost roughly US$25 to 40 with lunch and hotel pickup, and include a swim in the reservoir. It is a cooler escape from the July-August heat.
Things to Do in Side: Nature and Day Trips
Manavgat Waterfall
The Manavgat Waterfall is a wide, low curtain of water on the Manavgat River, about 10 km north of Side near Manavgat town. It is a popular picnic spot with a small entry fee (around 50 TL) and riverside tea gardens. The falls are open from 9 am, closing around 6 pm in winter and 9 pm in summer. Manavgat is the closest of the Side neighborhoods to Side and worth combining with the Saturday market.
Koprulu Canyon National Park
Koprulu Canyon, about 70 km north of Side, is the region’s main rafting destination, with a 12 to 14 km route down the Koprucay river through Grade 2 to 3 rapids. Full-day rafting trips with lunch and hotel pickup cost around US$25 to 35 and run daily from April to October, matching the best time to visit Side months for outdoor days. The park also has a Roman stone bridge and hiking trails.
Aspendos Ancient Theatre
Aspendos, about 40 km east of Side, holds the best-preserved Roman theatre in the world, built in the 2nd century AD and still used for concerts today. Its acoustics are famously clear even in the top rows. Entry is about 340 TL, and it pairs well with a stop at the nearby aqueduct. It is the venue for the September opera festival.
Perge Ancient City
Perge lies about 50 km west of Side toward Antalya and is one of the largest archaeological sites in Pamphylia, with a Roman stadium, baths, a colonnaded street, and city gates. Allow two hours and bring water and a hat, as there is little shade. Entry is around 340 TL. A combined day trip to Perge, Aspendos, and Side’s own ruins covers the region’s three headline sites in one outing.
