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Draft data. Times, fares and step counts are desk estimates awaiting field checks. Unknown times stay unknown. How we verify

Major city · Türkiye (Turkey)

Side

Give Side two nights: one for the Roman ruins and harbour at dusk, one for the beach. Skip it as a base if you want nightlife or a car-free day-trip list.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
TRY
Best months
May–Jun, Sep–Oct
avoid Jul–Aug (40 °C-plus heat, crowded beaches)
Airports
AYT · GZP
Nights
2
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 5
  • Türkiye (Turkey) ↗Check whether your passport is visa-exempt; if it is not, apply only at evisa.gov.tr — lookalike sites charge extra and some sell nothing.
  • Türkiye (Turkey) ↗At mosques cover shoulders and knees, take shoes off at the door, and women carry a headscarf; stay out during prayer times.
  • Türkiye (Turkey) ↗Taxis must run the taximeter; refuse flat quotes, or book through BiTaksi or Uber so the ride is logged.
  • Türkiye (Turkey) ↗Carry lira in small notes for tea, markets, tips and toilets; prices move with inflation, so treat every printed price as dated.
  • Türkiye (Turkey) ↗Do not take stones, coins or tiles from ancient sites, and export no antiques without a museum certificate; travellers have been detained at airport customs.

Side is a small Pamphylian resort where a Roman city sits between the harbour and the modern streets, so you can walk the ruins in an afternoon and swim the same day. Most visitors stay on the 20 km beach strip outside town in all-inclusive hotels and come in for the antiquities. Two nights covers both; three if you add Manavgat or a boat day.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Side, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • CoffeeTurkish coffee or tea₺40–80 (≈ US$1–2)
  • Street or quick mealPide or kebab plate₺200–400 (≈ US$5–10)
  • Beerrestaurant / supermarket can₺120–200 (≈ US$3–5)₺60–100 (≈ US$2–3)
  • SIM or eSIM, a weekeSIM or data SIM, about a week₺300–600 (≈ US$8–15)
  • Museum or sight ticketAmphitheatre entryOfficial muze.gov.tr listing; recheck before you go.₺300 (≈ US$8) adult
  • Budget bedOld-town guesthouse double, a night, per room₺1,200 (≈ US$30)
  • Mid-range bedOld-town guesthouse double, a night, per room₺2,500 (≈ US$65)
  • High-end bedOld-town guesthouse double, a night, per room₺5,000 (≈ US$130)

A day, not counting the bed: Budget ₺1,500 (≈ US$40) · Mid ₺3,000 (≈ US$75) · High ₺6,000 (≈ US$150)

Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Temple of Apollo at sunsetRoman amphitheatreSide Museum in a Roman bathhouseBeach strip all-inclusive hotels
Airports
AYT Antalya Airport (About 70 km west; transfer 1–1.5 h by car or shuttle) · GZP Gazipaşa-Alanya Airport (About 100 km east; fewer flights, mostly seasonal)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Side: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

15°C

6°C

12 rd

Feb

16°C

6°C

10 rd

Mar

18°C

8°C

8 rd

Apr

22°C

11°C

6 rd

May

26°C

15°C

4 rd

Jun

31°C

19°C

2 rd

Jul

34°C

22°C

1 rd

Aug

34°C

22°C

1 rd

Sep

31°C

19°C

2 rd

Oct

27°C

15°C

5 rd

Nov

21°C

11°C

8 rd

Dec

17°C

8°C

12 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

The old town and ruins are walkable: bus station to the antiquities is about 2 km. Dolmuşes run along both beach strips to the centre; taxis are best booked through your hotel. If you drive, park near the bus station and walk in — the alleys are too narrow.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Manavgat

go

Door to door: About 45 min

Dolmuş or bus from Side Otogarı, about 15–20 min

Waterfalls and a Saturday market; half a day is enough.

Antalyaovernight

Door to door: 2–2.5 h

Bus from Manavgat Dolmuş Otogar, about 1.5–2 h

Old town, museum and Perge; too far for a relaxed return day.

Alanya

go

Door to door: About 2 h

Bus along D400 east, about 1.5 h

Citadel on the crag and a harbour; a long but doable day.

Belek

caution

Door to door: About 1 h

Car or taxi west along D400, about 45 min

Golf and resort hotels; only worth it if you are playing.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Old town (south of the amphitheatre)

Walk to the ruins, harbour and restaurants; small guesthouses and mid-range hotels, some street noise at night.

Central Side (Özal Cd and Süleyman Demirel Blv)

Modern hotels 10–20 min walk from the old town; quieter, better parking, still walkable to the ruins.

West beach strip (Kumköy, Ilıca, Çolaklı)

Resort hotels on the sand, 5–15 km from the ruins; you need a dolmuş or taxi to reach town.

East beach strip (Sorgun, Titreyengöl, Kızılağaç)

Family resorts and water parks; dolmuş along the coast road, 5–20 km from the old town.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
₺1,500–2,500 (≈ US$40–65) excl. bed
Mid
₺2,500–4,500 (≈ US$65–110) excl. bed
High
₺4,500 (≈ US$110)+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Mid-range hotel double1 × 2 nights × ₺4,000₺8,000
Food, local transport, entries2 × 2 days × ₺3,000₺12,000
Amphitheatre entry2 × ₺300₺600
Dolmuş ride along the beach strip2 × ₺30₺60
eSIM, about a week of data2 × ₺400₺800
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurge₺2,150
Trip total≈ ₺5,900 per person per day, bed included₺23,610≈ US$600

2026 estimate in lira; flights excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Turkish coffee or tea₺40–80 (≈ US$1–2)
Pide or kebab plate₺200–400 (≈ US$5–10)
Beer, restaurant / supermarket can₺120–200 (≈ US$3–5) / ₺60–100 (≈ US$2–3)
Amphitheatre entryOfficial muze.gov.tr listing; recheck before you go.₺300 (≈ US$8) adult
Dolmuş ride₺25–40 (≈ under US$1)
eSIM or data SIM, about a week₺300–600 (≈ US$8–15)

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Side is a calm resort town and the usual beach rules apply: sunburn and heatstroke are the real risks, and haggle-free prices are rare near the bus station. Swim where others swim, and keep valuables out of sight on the beach.
  • Summer heat: plan ruins for early morning or after 17:00, carry water.
  • Some shops and stalls near the bus station quote tourist prices; compare before buying.
  • The agora area is fenced off at times for works: check locally.
  • Sea urchins and rocky entry points on parts of the beach; use the sandy sections.
  • All-inclusive resorts sit 5–20 km out: check the distance before booking if you want to walk to the ruins.

Emergency numbers

All emergencies (police, fire, ambulance)
112

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

SideSide

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

Bu adrese, lütfenTo this address, please

Emergency

  • All emergencies112

Embassy

No embassies in Side; consulates-general are in Antalya and embassies in Ankara.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Antalya Airport → Side, shuttle or taxi: about 1–1.5 h; taxi ₺2,500–4,000 (≈ US$65–100)
  • Dolmuş Side centre → beach strip: ₺25–40 (≈ under US$1), 10–30 min
  • Amphitheatre entry: ₺300 (≈ US$8) adult

Say or show

  • Merhaba — Hello (mer-hah-BAH)
  • Teşekkürler — Thank you (teh-shek-kewr-LER)
  • Ne kadar? — How much is it? (neh kah-DAR)
  • Hesap, lütfen — The bill, please (heh-SAP lewt-FEN)
  • Plaj nerede? — Where is the beach? (plahzh NEH-reh-deh)
  • Kartla ödeyebilir miyim? — Can I pay by card? (kart-LAH ur-deh-yeh-bee-LEER mee-yim)

112 works without a SIM on any phone.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Side. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: May–Jun, Sep–Oct · avoid Jul–Aug (40 °C-plus heat, crowded beaches) · month by month →
  2. 2 airports and 4 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 4 day-trips, door to door
  6. 5 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for AYT: transfer times by hour, shuttle vs taxi costs, late-arrival fallback.
  2. Four walking clusters with anchors: bus station and aqueduct, Liman Cd and museum, amphitheatre and agoras, harbour and Temple of Apollo.
  3. Place pages with verified hours and ticket prices (amphitheatre, museum, Temple of Apollo) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Beach-strip distance table so readers can see how far each resort is from the ruins.

Meanwhile

Back to Türkiye (Turkey)

Sources