Things to do in Side: top sights and where to go
Side packs a Roman theatre, the agora and the seafront Temple of Apollo onto one small peninsula, all within a ten-minute walk, with a harbour of cafés and boat trips at its tip. Walk the old town on day one; keep Manavgat Waterfall and a Green Canyon boat trip or Köprülü rafting for day two.
Sights
Side itineraries
Side travel guide
Before you go: the old town and resort villages, beaches, getting there, weather and sea by month, trips nearby.
Side on your own: the essentials
- How many days
- A week by the sea; the old town takes half a day
- When to go
- May–June and September–October
- Airport
- Antalya (AYT), ≈ 65 km — about an hour
- Where to stay
- The old town for evenings; Çolaklı and Kumköy for the beach
- Beaches
- Sand and a gentle slope — easy with kids
- Transport
- Dolmuş minibuses to Manavgat and the villages
- Visa
- Visa-free or e-Visa, depending on your passport
verifyingi
From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Money
- Turkish lira; tours are often priced in euros
- Time zone
- UTC+3 all year
officiali
Confirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator. - Mobile data
- eSIM before you fly or a local SIM at the airport
Key facts
Sourcei
Wikipedia, “Side, Turkey”Sourcei
Wikipedia, “Side, Turkey”Sourcei
Wikipedia, “Side, Turkey”Sourcei
Wikipedia, “Theatre of Side”Sourcei
Wikipedia, “Side, Turkey”Things to do in Side
The heart of Side is the old town on its headland: a Roman theatre, the agora, a museum in Roman baths and the Temple of Apollo by the water. Around it are Manavgat Waterfall, the Green Canyon and Köprülü Canyon with ancient Selge. Every place with its YesGo score is in the list above; the “Map” button shows them on a map.
| Old town | Old town, Theatre, Agora | ½ day |
|---|---|---|
| Seafront | Temple of Apollo, Harbour | sunset |
| Museum | Side Museum | 1 h |
| Manavgat | Manavgat Waterfall | 1–2 h |
| Canyons | Green Canyon, Köprülü, Selge | 1 day |
Rather not plan it yourself? The list above has ready itineraries, with places in a sensible order, lunch and time for each stop.
Where to stay in Side
Side is an old town on a headland plus resort villages along a sandy coast: Kumköy and Çolaklı to the west, Evrenseki and Titreyengöl to the east. The old town is for walks and restaurants; the villages have big beachfront hotels.
| Old town | Couples, walks, restaurants by the ruins | Small beaches, busy by day |
|---|---|---|
| Kumköy | Walk to the old town, cafés | Livelier in summer |
| Çolaklı | Beachfront resorts, families | Dolmuş to the old town |
| Evrenseki, Titreyengöl | Sand, big resorts, quiet | ≈ 15–20 min to the centre |
Antalya airport to Side
The nearest airport is Antalya (AYT), ≈ 65 km from Side along the coast road. A transfer or taxi is easiest, about an hour. The cheaper way is a bus to Manavgat and a dolmuş to Side.
| Side, Kumköy | Transfer, taxi | ≈ 1 h |
|---|---|---|
| Çolaklı, Evrenseki | Transfer | ≈ 50–70 min |
| Via Manavgat | Bus + dolmuş | ≈ 1.5–2 h |
Dolmuş minibuses link Manavgat, the old town and the villages; pay the driver.
Side weather by month
The best time to visit Side for the beach is late May to October, most comfortable in June and September–October. Summer days reach about 34 °C with the sea around 28 °C. In October the sea is about 24 °C, in November about 21 °C. Winters are mild but rainy.
°CiLong-term averages, °C: day and night air, sea water near the shore, rain — rainy days a month. Any given year can be warmer or cooler. Tap a month for details below. | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day | 15° | 16° | 18° | 22° | 26° | 31° | 34° | 34° | 31° | 27° | 21° | 17° |
| Night | 6° | 7° | 9° | 12° | 16° | 20° | 23° | 23° | 19° | 15° | 10° | 7° |
| Sea | 17° | 17° | 17° | 18° | 21° | 24° | 27° | 28° | 27° | 24° | 21° | 18° |
| Rain | 10 | 9 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 10 |
Warm — 20 °C and above by dayBest time to go: May–June and September–October
- day ≈ 15°
- night ≈ 6°
- sea ≈ 17°
- rain 10 days
Mild winter, frequent rain. The old town and museum without crowds. Too cold to swim, water — about 17°.
- day ≈ 16°
- night ≈ 7°
- sea ≈ 17°
- rain 9 days
Cool and damp. Quiet season: ruins, the harbour and walks. Too cold to swim, water — about 17°.
- day ≈ 18°
- night ≈ 9°
- sea ≈ 17°
- rain 7 days
First warm days. Good for the Green Canyon and Manavgat Waterfall. Too cold to swim, water — about 17°.
- day ≈ 22°
- night ≈ 12°
- sea ≈ 18°
- rain 5 days
About 22° by day, the sea still cool. A month for walks and tours. Too cold to swim, water — about 18°.
- day ≈ 26°
- night ≈ 16°
- sea ≈ 21°
- rain 3 days
The beach season starts without the heat. One of the best months. Swimmable, the water is fresh — about 21°.
- day ≈ 31°
- night ≈ 20°
- sea ≈ 24°
- rain 1 days
Warm sea and long days. Sand and a gentle slope — great with kids. Warm for swimming, water — about 24°.
- day ≈ 34°
- night ≈ 23°
- sea ≈ 27°
- rain 0 days
Hot, about 34°. The old town in the morning or at sunset, the sea by day. Warm for swimming, water — about 27°.
- day ≈ 34°
- night ≈ 23°
- sea ≈ 28°
- rain 0 days
The hottest month and the warmest sea. On tours, take water and a hat. Warm for swimming, water — about 28°.
- day ≈ 31°
- night ≈ 19°
- sea ≈ 27°
- rain 1 days
The heat eases while the sea stays warm. Good for beach and canyons. Warm for swimming, water — about 27°.
- day ≈ 27°
- night ≈ 15°
- sea ≈ 24°
- rain 4 days
About 27° by day, the sea about 24°. Comfortable on the beach and at the ruins. Warm for swimming, water — about 24°.
- day ≈ 21°
- night ≈ 10°
- sea ≈ 21°
- rain 6 days
Rain begins, about 21° by day. A month for tours. Swimmable, the water is fresh — about 21°.
- day ≈ 17°
- night ≈ 7°
- sea ≈ 18°
- rain 10 days
Cool and rainy. An empty old town and sunsets at the Temple of Apollo. Too cold to swim, water — about 18°.
The climate matches Antalya and Alanya. The sea is warm from June to October.
Side beaches
Side is known for its sand: long beaches with a gentle slope into the sea, easy with kids. The West and East beaches flank the headland; beyond them are the hotel beaches of Kumköy, Çolaklı and Evrenseki.
- West Beach — a long sandy stretch from the old town towards Kumköy; sunsets over the sea.
- East Beach — by the old town near the Temple of Apollo; calmer in the morning.
- The villages — sand in front of the hotels in Çolaklı, Evrenseki and Titreyengöl.
- In summer — the sand gets hot: bring beach shoes.
Side attraction ticket prices
The old-town streets, the harbour and the Temple of Apollo are free. You pay for the theatre, the museum, Manavgat Waterfall and the canyons. The theatre and museum are covered by the Museum Pass Mediterranean.
| Roman Theatre of Side | 39 | 45 min | Closed for restoration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Side Museum | 39 | 45 min | €5, under 8 free |
| Manavgat Waterfall | 30 | 45 min | 50 TL, students 10 TL |
| Selge | 29 | 1 h | Free, no ticket office |
| Green Canyon | 16 | 4 h | Tour from Side from €27 |
Free — 5 places: Side Old Town, Agora of Side, Side Harbour, Temple of Apollo, Köprülü Canyon.
The Museum Pass Mediterranean is valid in state museums and archaeological sites in the region. Boats and canyons are private and need their own ticket.
Day trips and boat trips from Side
From Side it’s easy to visit ancient Aspendos and Perge, the canyons and Antalya, or take a boat up the Manavgat River to the waterfall. Pamukkale and Cappadocia are far — better on an organised tour.
- Aspendos — a theatre for about 7,000, the best preserved in Turkey; ≈ 40 min.
- Manavgat River boat — to the waterfall and the market; half a day.
- Green Canyon — a turquoise reservoir, a boat between cliffs; half a day.
- Köprülü — rafting and ancient Selge; a full day.
- Antalya — Kaleiçi and the waterfalls; ≈ 1 h.
- Alanya — the castle and Cleopatra Beach; ≈ 1 h.
Tips
- The Temple of Apollo is Side’s sunset spot: arrive half an hour early, it gets crowded.
- In summer, see the old town in the morning — the ruins heat up and there’s little shade.
- Aspendos and Perge combine well into one half-day trip.
- Take the Manavgat boat in the first half of the day — many stop running towards evening.
FAQ
Is Side worth visiting?
Yes, especially for families and couples: sandy beaches with a gentle slope, and a Roman theatre and Temple of Apollo you can walk to from the beach. It is calmer than Alanya and closer to the big ancient sites.
What to do in Side with kids?
The sandy West and East beaches, a boat trip on the Manavgat River to the waterfall, the Green Canyon, and an evening walk in the old town. Water parks are a short drive away.
What to do in Side when it rains?
Visit the Side Museum in the Roman baths, take a day trip to Antalya’s museum and Kaleiçi, or visit Manavgat’s market and waterfall between showers.
What is the weather like in Side in November?
About 21 °C by day and 10 °C at night, with the sea around 21 °C. Rain becomes more frequent; some people still swim on sunny days.
Is Side lively at night?
The old town has restaurants and a few bars, lively in summer but relaxed. For clubs, Alanya — about an hour away — is busier.
How far is Side from Antalya Airport?
About 65 km — roughly an hour by transfer or taxi. By bus to Manavgat and a dolmuş to Side, 1.5–2 hours.
Is Side safe?
It is a relaxed resort town and generally safe; take the usual precautions with valuables and use metered taxis.
Sources and fact-check
- Wikipedia, “Side, Turkey”; “Theatre of Side”; “Aspendos”
- Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Türkiye, muze.gov.tr — Side Museum, theatre, Museum Pass Mediterranean
- Antalya Airport — official website