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Roman Theatre of Side

The Roman theatre of Side from the upper seats: a stone semicircle of rows, grassy orchestra, ruined stage building and mountains on the horizon
Photo: Maksym Kozlenko, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

The essentials in 10 seconds

Entry
Closed for restoration
Hours
Closed for restoration since 29 November 2024, no reopening date; the outside can be seen at any time
Time on site
A typical visit without queueing. In high season add 15–30 minutes.
45 min
With kids
Fine with kids
Right now
Closed for restoration since 29.11.2024
officialConfirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Reopening
No date announced
officialConfirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
From outside
Arched façade visible from the street, free
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Side Örenyeri (paid site area)
€7 for foreign visitors, under-8s free
officialConfirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
What the ticket covers while the theatre is shut
Ask at the ticket office
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Combined with the museum
€10
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Müzekart
Turkish citizens only
officialConfirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Museum Pass Türkiye
Not confirmed — ask at the ticket office
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Paid area hours
From 8:00; closing time varies by season and source
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Getting there
Dolmuş from Manavgat to the stop by the Vespasian Gate, then a 5–10 minute walk
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Address
Side Mahallesi, Liman Caddesi, Manavgat, Antalya
officialConfirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Coordinates
36.76790, 31.39060YesGo MapGoogleApple

Key facts

29.11.2024closed for restoration from this date until the works are finished
2 sourcesTurkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism (museums portal)Sputnik8 on works starting in autumn 2024
2nd century ADwhen the theatre was built
3 sourcesTurkish Ministry of Culture and TourismEnglish WikipediaTurkish Archaeological News
15,000–20,000spectators — estimates differ
3 sourcesEnglish Wikipedia (15,000–20,000)Turkish Archaeological News (up to 15,000)Russian Wikipedia (over 20,000)
Vaultsthe lower rows rest on a slope, the upper ones on stone vaults
2 sourcesTurkish Ministry of Culture and TourismTurkish Archaeological News
3 storeysin the stage building
2 sourcesTurkish Ministry of Culture and TourismTurkish Archaeological News
3rd centurya high wall turned the orchestra into an arena
2 sourcesTurkish Ministry of Culture and TourismTurkish Archaeological News
Gladiatorsbesides plays, it hosted gladiator fights and animal hunts
2 sourcesRussian WikipediaTurkish Archaeological News
5th centuryit became an open-air church with two chapels
3 sourcesTurkish Ministry of Culture and TourismEnglish WikipediaTurkish Archaeological News
The neckit stands at the narrowest point of the peninsula, the heart of the ancient city
2 sourcesTurkish Ministry of Culture and TourismTurkish Archaeological News
7th century BCSide was founded by Greek settlers from Cyme in Aeolis
SourceEnglish and Russian Wikipedia

Side theatre tickets and entrance fee

There is no way in at the moment, so there is nothing to pay for the theatre itself. Seeing it from outside is free — the road into the old town runs right along its façade. The paid Side Örenyeri site area is listed by the ministry at €7 for foreign visitors, with children under 8 free.

The official pages don’t say what that ticket includes while the theatre is fenced off, so ask before you pay. Local press also quotes a €10 ticket for the site plus the museum, which the ministry’s own price list tags “theatre closed”. The Side Museum alone is €5.

Müzekart is for Turkish citizens only. We could not confirm whether the Museum Pass Türkiye is accepted.

Is the Side ancient theatre worth visiting now?

Only as a stop on your way into the old town. While the restoration lasts, you get the outside: two tiers of arches, the thickness of the walls and the sheer size of the building. That takes 15–20 minutes and costs nothing.

Don’t make a special trip for it. If a Roman theatre is the reason you came, go to Aspendos near Antalya instead — it is open and almost complete, stage wall and all. In Side, spend the time on the Temple of Apollo at sunset and the Side Museum.

Theatre or amphitheatre? A short history

It is a theatre, not an amphitheatre. A Roman amphitheatre is a full oval for fights, like the Colosseum; a theatre is a fan of seats facing a stage. Side’s seating spreads a little more than a semicircle, facing a three-storey stage building decorated in the Antonine style — the ministry describes a frieze of Dionysus, god of wine and theatre.

The amphitheatre label has some logic. In the 3rd century a high wall was built around the orchestra to turn it into an arena, and Russian Wikipedia records gladiator fights and animal hunts here. In the 5th century the theatre became an open-air church, with two small chapels at the ends of the seating.

Side had no suitable hill, so the builders laid the lower rows on a gentle slope and raised the upper ones on stone vaults — which is why the outside looks so much like the Colosseum. The city itself is far older: Greek settlers from Cyme founded it in the 7th century BC.

What you can see while it is closed

  • The arched façade — two tiers of vaults along the street; best from the main road and the car-park side.
  • The archway by the theatre — the road into the old town passes through it, and you get a sense of how thick the walls are.
  • The commercial agora right behind the theatre, once linked to the stage building by passages.
  • The Side Museum in the old Roman baths — sculpture and reliefs from the excavations.
  • Further on: the old town, the harbour and the Temple of Apollo by the sea.

How to get to the Roman Theatre of Side

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Where are you starting from?

We’ll draw it on the map on foot and by taxi; metro and buses open in your maps app. Your location isn’t stored.

On foot

  • Agora of Side is about 1 min away on foot.
  • Side Museum is about 4 min away on foot.
  • Side Old Town is about 5 min away on foot.

More tips

  1. From Manavgat or the coastal hotels, take a dolmuş (shared minibus) signed Side — about 15 minutes from Manavgat.
  2. Get off at the last stop, by the car park and the Vespasian Gate at the entrance to the old town.
  3. Walk 5–10 minutes down the main street towards the sea, or ride the little shuttle train from the car park.
  4. The theatre is the huge wall of arches on your left — the road runs right past it.
  5. Carry on on foot: the agora, the museum and the street to the harbour all start here.

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Theatre, Temple of Apollo, museum or agora?

Theatreyou are here2nd-century Roman theatreNo, restorationFree from outside15–20 min outsideMorning, before the heat
Temple of ApolloTemple columns by the seaYes, open-air ruinsFree20–30 minSunset
Side MuseumExcavation finds in Roman bathsYes€5≈ 1 hMidday heat
AgoraMarket square by the theatreSee its pageVerifying20–30 minMorning

While the theatre is shut, Side’s highlights are the Temple of Apollo at sunset and the museum. Walk past the theatre on the way; don’t come for it alone.

Ancient Side compared

Every historic site in Side rated by YesGo. Tap a column heading to sort.

Side Old Town542 hFree4 min walk
Agora of Side4530 minFree3 min walk
Side Harbour4445 minFree9 min walk
Temple of Apollo4430 minFree10 min walk
Roman Theatre of Sideyou are here3945 minClosed for restoration—
Side Museum3945 min€5, under 8 free3 min walk
Selge291 hFree, no ticket office56.4 km
Köprülü Canyon164 hFree50.7 km

Ancient Side in half a day

From the theatre at the old-town entrance to the agora and museum, down the street to the harbour and on to the Temple of Apollo for sunset. Add them to your route — YesGo fits in the timing and transfers.

  1. Roman Theatre of Sideyou are here45 min · Closed for restoration
  2. 3 min walk from the previous stopAgora of Side30 min · Free — view through the fence
  3. 3 min walk from the previous stopSide Museum45 min · €5, under 8 free
  4. 10 min walk from the previous stopSide Harbour45 min · Free
  5. 6 min walk from the previous stopTemple of Apollo30 min · Free

5 places · about 3 h 37 min with walks · 22 min on foot in total

Go · my route

Nearby — add to your day

Agora of Side

Side, Turkey

30 min · Free — view through the fence · 3 min walk

Side Museum

Side, Turkey

45 min · €5, under 8 free · 3 min walk

Side Old Town

Side, Turkey

2 h · Free; theatre and museum extra · 4 min walk

Side Harbour

Side, Turkey

45 min · Free · 9 min walk

How to do it right

  • Don’t build a day around the theatre: during the restoration it is a 15–20 minute look from outside on your way into the old town.
  • The façade photographs best in the morning, when the sun is on the street side of the arches.
  • Save the evening for the Temple of Apollo — columns against the sea at sunset.
  • On a hot afternoon, duck into the Side Museum to see sculpture from the excavations in the cool.
  • If a tour promises entry to the amphitheatre, ask again — nobody is allowed inside right now.
  • For a complete Roman theatre, take a trip to Aspendos.

Questions

Is the Side ancient theatre open?

No. It has been closed for restoration since 29 November 2024 until the works are completed; the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism has not announced a reopening date. You can see the outside for free.

How much is the entrance fee for Side theatre?

You can’t go inside right now. The paid Side Örenyeri site area is €7 for foreign visitors, under-8s free; ask at the ticket office what it covers while the theatre is shut.

What are the opening hours?

The theatre itself is closed. The paid site area opens at 8:00; the ministry’s pages give different closing times by season, so check on the day.

Is it a theatre or an amphitheatre?

A theatre — a fan of seats facing a stage. In the 3rd century the orchestra was walled in as an arena for fights, which is why many people call it an amphitheatre.

How old is the theatre in Side?

It dates from the 2nd century AD. It became an arena in the 3rd century and an open-air church with two chapels in the 5th.

How do I get to Side theatre?

Take a dolmuş from Manavgat or the coastal hotels to the car park by the Vespasian Gate, then walk 5–10 minutes along the main street or take the shuttle train.

Is Side worth visiting while the theatre is closed?

Yes, for the old town, the Temple of Apollo at sunset and the museum. For a complete Roman theatre, go to Aspendos near Antalya.

How long do I need at the theatre?

Fifteen to twenty minutes from outside. With the agora, museum and the walk to the Temple of Apollo, allow half a day.

Side theatre or Aspendos — which is better?

Aspendos, by a long way: it is open and nearly complete. Side’s theatre is bigger in footprint but ruined and closed for restoration.

Have you been? Was it worth your time?

1 — no, 5 — absolutely

Your vote counts towards the YesGo score.

Sources and fact-check

  • Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism, museums portal: Antalya Side Örenyeri — theatre closure, fares, address, history, 30.10.2026
  • Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism, muze.gov.tr: Side Theatre listing — hours, Müzekart, description of the building
  • Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism: Antalya Side Archaeological Site leaflet — seasonal hours
  • English Wikipedia: Side, Turkey; Russian Wikipedia: Сиде; Wikidata Q19368273
  • Turkish Archaeological News: Roman theatre in Side
  • Antalya Körfez Gazetesi, 2026 — site, museum and combined ticket prices
  • Sputnik8 — on the restoration starting in autumn 2024
YesGo editorial team · facts checked 30.10.2026 ·
How we checkedThe closure from 29.11.2024 “until the works are completed” and the site-area fare (€7 for foreign visitors, under-8s free) come from the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism’s museums portal. Where sources disagree: the Side Theatre listing on muze.gov.tr still says “open” — we treat it as out of date and follow the newer closure notice; we found no reopening news by 30.10.2026. Three ministry pages give different hours for the paid area (8:00–19:00 with tickets to 18:30; 8:00–19:00 in summer and 8:00–17:00 in winter; 8:00–19:30 in October), so the closing time is marked “verifying”. The €10 site-plus-museum ticket and the €5 museum fare come from local press and an older ministry price list. What the ticket covers while the theatre is closed, and whether the Museum Pass is valid, are unconfirmed. Capacity is 15,000–20,000 in English Wikipedia, up to 15,000 at Turkish Archaeological News and over 20,000 in Russian Wikipedia; we show 15,000–20,000. Neither Wikipedia has an article on the theatre itself, so the markup links Wikidata only. The dolmuş route and journey times come from maps and local descriptions and are marked “verifying”.

Top YesGo picks: Side

Temple of Apollo

Side, Turkey

30 min · Free

Manavgat Waterfall

Side, Turkey

45 min · 50 TL, students 10 TL

Selge

Side, Turkey

1 h · Free, no ticket office

Green Canyon

Side, Turkey

4 h · Tour from Side from €27

Köprülü Canyon

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4 h · Free entry; rafting via tours

All places: Side →