Side Old Town
Side, Turkey
Side Harbour
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Photo: Dosseman, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia CommonsFit in nearby today
The essentials in 10 seconds
- Entry
- Free
- Hours
- 24/7, every day
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Time on site
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A typical visit without queueing. In high season add 15–30 minutes. - 45 min
- With kids
- Fine with kids
- Time needed
- 30–45 min; 1.5–2 h with dinner
- Boat trips
- Each boat sets its own price — compare 2–3 kiosks on the quay
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Departures
- Usually in the morning, back in the afternoon; sunset trips in the evening
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Getting there
- Walk down Liman Caddesi, ≈ 10 min from the Vespasian Gate
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Cars
- Not allowed in the old town — park by the Vespasian Gate
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Address
- End of Liman Caddesi, Side, Manavgat, Antalya province
Key facts
2 halvesmade up the ancient harbour: the south for the gods and temples, the north for trade
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Hürriyet, interview with Side excavation director Feriştah Alanyalı, 2026Küre Ansiklopedisi, Side Antik Kentic. AD 150the Temple of Apollo was built at the harbour mouth — its columns are visible from the quay
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English Wikipedia, Temple of Apollo (Side)Russian Wikipedia, Side1st century BCCilician pirates made Side their base and a slave market
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English and Russian Wikipedia, Side7th century BCGreeks from Cyme in Aeolis founded the city (new excavations suggest a settlement by the 9th century BC)
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English and Russian Wikipedia, SideHürriyet, 2026170 mof ancient harbour street excavated right in front of the Harbour Baths
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HabertürkEkonomist — reports by the excavation director2nd century ADdate of the harbour agora, about 6 dönüm (≈ 0.6 ha) — the port's trading centre
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HabertürkEkonomistHürriyet, 2026“Pomegranate”is what the name Side meant in the old local language
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English and Russian Wikipedia, SideSmall-craft harbournatural, with artificial basins for larger ships
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Britannica, SideEnglish Wikipedia, Side, Turkey1895Muslim refugees from Crete settled the empty peninsula, founding the village of Selimiye
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Russian Wikipedia, SideEnglish Wikipedia, Side, Turkey1947systematic excavations of Side began
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Hürriyet, 2026English Wikipedia, Side, TurkeyWhat is Side Harbour?
It's a small working harbour on the site of the ancient port that the city grew up around. Today you'll find a quay lined with wooden boats, a short breakwater with a lighthouse and a promenade of cafés. There's no gate and no ticket. The harbour is where Side's main pedestrian street ends and where the boat trips start.
In antiquity the harbour had two halves: temples stood on the southern side — the columns of the Temple of Apollo are still there — while the northern side handled trade. In the 1st century BC Cilician pirates took over Side and ran a slave market here until Rome cleared the coast.
Right by the quay, archaeologists have uncovered the Harbour Baths, a harbour street about 170 metres long and a 2nd-century trading agora. Digging is still going on and parts are fenced off — you see them from the street. For the full ancient city, start in the old town and finish at the harbour.
Boat trips from Side Harbour
Three kinds of boat leave from the quay. Pirate boats are loud: music, entertainers, a foam party, swim stops and lunch on board — great for families and groups, tiring if you want peace. Gulets are calmer: swimming in coves along the coast and lunch, no show. Sunset cruises are short evening trips of about two hours.
Some trips head to the mouth of the Manavgat river and up it; others are deep-sea fishing. Each boat sets its own price, and it changes with the season. Walk the quay, compare two or three kiosks and ask exactly what's included — lunch, drinks, hotel pick-up, any entry fees at the stops.
If you'd rather not haggle, book a guided tour with a fixed programme and price. Want quiet? Choose a gulet or a sunset trip, not a pirate boat.
What to see at the harbour
- The quay of wooden boats — liveliest in the morning, when crews prepare and call out to passers-by.
- The breakwater and lighthouse, with the whole peninsula and the Taurus Mountains in view.
- The Harbour Baths and the excavated harbour street, from the edge of the promenade.
- The columns of the Temple of Apollo, a few minutes along the water.
- Fishing boats landing the morning catch — the same fish ends up on the promenade's grills.
- The sunset straight out over the harbour mouth.
Harbour restaurants: worth it for dinner?
Yes, if you're paying for the view: tables sit right on the water and the sun sets over the harbour. Fish and seafood lead the menus, with Turkish and international dishes too. Prices on the waterfront are clearly higher than in Manavgat or the back streets of the peninsula.
Before ordering fish, ask the price per kilo and the weight of your portion — that's how it's charged along this coast. Menus are often shown in euros as well as lira. To save money, eat a street or two inland and come back to the water for tea or ice cream at sunset.
Best time to visit
Ideally twice. In the early morning, until about ten, the harbour is at its most authentic: boats loading, fishermen coming in, few people and soft light. In the summer midday heat the promenade has little shade — spend those hours at the beach or in the Side Museum.
An hour before sunset the waterfront fills up as people head for the Temple of Apollo and the waterside tables. Evenings are bright and busy, with cafés open late. In winter it's calmer: fewer boats run, but the breakwater walk is just as good.
How to get to Side Harbour
Tap a route to highlight it on the map.
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
- Side Old Town is about 5 min away on foot.
- Temple of Apollo is about 4 min away on foot.
- Roman Theatre of Side is about 9 min away on foot.
More tips
- Get to Side: take a dolmuş (minibus) from Manavgat or from the coastal hotels to the Side stop and car park by the Vespasian Gate. From Antalya, take a bus to Manavgat, then a dolmuş.
- Walk through the Vespasian Gate into the car-free old town — 5–10 minutes to the theatre on foot, or ride the little tourist train.
- From the Roman theatre, follow the main street, Liman Caddesi, past the shops and cafés.
- The street runs straight down to the water — about 10 minutes and you're at the harbour.
- Walk south along the waterfront for 5 minutes to the Temple of Apollo; return to the gate the same way or through the side lanes.
Before you go: checklist
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Side Harbour vs the Temple of Apollo and the theatre
| Harbouryou are here | Boat quay and promenade | Free | 30–45 min | Morning and evening | Little |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temple of Apollo | Columns by the sea | Free | 15–30 min | Sunset | None |
| Roman theatre | Roman theatre | Ticket | 30–60 min | Morning | Some in the passages |
The harbour and the temple make one evening walk; see the theatre in the morning before the heat.
Side by the water: compare and choose
Places in and around Side by the sea, rivers and waterfalls, rated by YesGo. Tap a column heading to sort.
| Side Harbouryou are here | 44 | 45 min | Free | — |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manavgat Waterfall | 30 | 45 min | 50 TL, students 10 TL | 8.0 km |
| Green Canyon | 16 | 4 h | Tour from Side from €27 | 21.0 km |
| Köprülü Canyon | 16 | 4 h | Free | 50.6 km |
Side in an evening: theatre, main street, harbour, sunset
From the theatre through the old town to the boats, then the temple columns at sunset. YesGo fits in the timing and walks.
- Roman Theatre of Side45 min · Closed for restoration
- 4 min walk from the previous stopSide Old Town2 h · Free; theatre and museum extra
- 5 min walk from the previous stopSide Harbouryou are here45 min · Free
- 6 min walk from the previous stopTemple of Apollo30 min · Free
4 places · about 4 h 15 min with walks · 15 min on foot in total
Nearby — add to your day
How to do it right
- Reach the harbour an hour before sunset, then walk on to the Temple of Apollo.
- Don't take the first boat at the start of the quay — compare at least two kiosks.
- Looking for calm? A gulet or sunset trip beats a pirate boat.
- Only order fish once you know the price per kilo.
- Midday in summer is hot here — that's the time for the beach or the Side Museum.
- More water nearby: the Manavgat Waterfall and the Green Canyon.
Questions
Where is Side Harbour?
On the north-west tip of the Side peninsula, at the end of Liman Caddesi, the old town's main pedestrian street — about 10 minutes on foot from the Vespasian Gate.
Is Side Harbour free?
Yes. The quay, promenade and breakwater are open to everyone at any time. You only pay for a boat trip or a meal.
What boat trips leave from Side Harbour?
Pirate boats with music, swimming and lunch; quieter gulet cruises to coves; short sunset cruises; trips to the Manavgat river; and deep-sea fishing.
How much is a boat trip from Side?
Each boat sets its own price, which varies by season. Compare two or three kiosks on the quay and check whether lunch, drinks and pick-up are included.
How do I get to Side Harbour?
Dolmuş from Manavgat or your hotel to the Vespasian Gate, then walk past the theatre down Liman Caddesi — about 10 minutes.
Do cruise ships stop at Side?
No. Side Harbour is a small port for excursion and fishing boats only; there are no ferries or cruise ships. Fly into Antalya.
How long do you need at Side Harbour?
30–45 minutes for the quay and breakwater, 1.5–2 hours with dinner, plus 15–30 minutes for the Temple of Apollo.
Is Side Harbour worth visiting?
Yes, as part of an evening in the old town with sunset at the Temple of Apollo. On its own, in the midday heat, it's just a quay with boats.
Where is the best sunset in Side?
At the Temple of Apollo columns, five minutes from the harbour, or at a waterside table — the sun sets straight over the sea.
Have you been? Was it worth your time?
1 — no, 5 — absolutely
Your vote counts towards the YesGo score.
Sources and fact-check
- English Wikipedia: Side, Turkey; Temple of Apollo (Side)
- Russian Wikipedia: Side
- Encyclopaedia Britannica: Side
- Hürriyet, 04.05.2026: interview with Side excavation director Feriştah Alanyalı
- Habertürk and Ekonomist: the excavated harbour street and agora
- Küre Ansiklopedisi: Side Antik Kenti
- Wikivoyage and Manavgat travel guides: Manavgat–Side dolmuş
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