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Voykit pocket guide · 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.
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.
- Country
- Türkiye (Turkey)
- Best months
- May–Jun, Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (40 °C (104 °F)-plus heat, crowded beaches)Jul–Aug (104 °F (40 °C)-plus heat, crowded beaches)
- Stay
- 2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- TRY
- Money
- Currency is the Turkish lira (₺, TRY). About ₺56 to €1 in late September 2026 — check; inflation was still in the double digits, so prices rise several times a year.
- Daily spend
- Budget ₺1,500–2,500 excl. bed · Mid ₺2,500–4,500 excl. bed · High ₺4,500+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Turkcell, Vodafone and Türk Telekom sell tourist SIMs at airports (passport needed); they are dearer than in town shops — check.
- Emergency
- All emergencies 112
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 230 V · 50 Hz · Standard European two-pin; UK and US plugs need an adapter.
- Tipping
- Lokanta / simple café: Leave the coins or round up.; Sit-down restaurant: 5–10% in cash, even if the card machine does not offer a tip; check for a 'servis' charge first.; Taxi: Round up to the next ₺10–50.; Hamam: 10–15% to the attendant (tellak/natır).; Guide / driver day: €10–20 for a guide, €5–10 for a driver per day.; Hotel porter / housekeeping: ₺50–100.
- Water
- Tap water is treated and chlorinated but tastes of it; locals buy bottled or 19-litre dispenser water. Restaurants charge for bottled water.
- Toilets
- Western toilets in hotels, malls and restaurants; squat toilets (alaturka) in older mosques and bus stops. Public toilets (WC) cost ₺10–30 — carry coins or small notes. Most toilets have a bidet spray; paper goes in the bin in older buildings.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Turkish coffee or tea | ₺40–80 |
| Pide or kebab plate | ₺200–400 |
| Beer, restaurant / supermarket can | ₺120–200 / ₺60–100 |
| Amphitheatre entry | ₺300 adult |
| Dolmuş ride | ₺25–40 |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | ₺300–600 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- AYT · Antalya Airport
- About 70 km (43 mi) west; transfer 1–1.5 h by car or shuttleAbout 43 mi (70 km) west; transfer 1–1.5 h by car or shuttle
- GZP · Gazipaşa-Alanya Airport
- About 100 km (62 mi) east; fewer flights, mostly seasonalAbout 62 mi (100 km) east; fewer flights, mostly seasonal
Typical fares
- Antalya Airport → Side, shuttle or taxi
- about 1–1.5 h; taxi ₺2,500–4,000
- Dolmuş Side centre → beach strip
- ₺25–40, 10–30 min
- Amphitheatre entry
- ₺300 adult
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
The old town and ruins are walkable: bus station to the antiquities is about 2 km (1.2 mi). 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.The old town and ruins are walkable: bus station to the antiquities is about 1.2 mi (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 and do
Known for
- Temple of Apollo at sunset
- Roman amphitheatre
- Side Museum in a Roman bathhouse
- Beach strip all-inclusive hotels
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Manavgat | Dolmuş or bus from Side Otogarı, about 15–20 min | About 45 min |
| Antalya | Bus from Manavgat Dolmuş Otogar, about 1.5–2 h | 2–2.5 h |
| Alanya | Bus along D400 east, about 1.5 h | About 2 h |
| Belek | Car or taxi west along D400, about 45 min | About 1 h |
Sleep
- 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 (3.1–9.3 mi) from the ruins; you need a dolmuş or taxi to reach town.Resort hotels on the sand, 3.1–9.3 mi (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 (3.1–12 mi) from the old town.Family resorts and water parks; dolmuş along the coast road, 3.1–12 mi (5–20 km) from the old town.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Merhabamer-hah-BAH |
| Thank you | Teşekkürlerteh-shek-kewr-LER |
| How much is it? | Ne kadar?neh kah-DAR |
| The bill, please | Hesap, lütfenheh-SAP lewt-FEN |
| Where is the beach? | Plaj nerede?plahzh NEH-reh-deh |
| Can I pay by card? | Kartla ödeyebilir miyim?kart-LAH ur-deh-yeh-bee-LEER mee-yim |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake; 'Merhaba' (hello) or 'Selamün aleyküm' in conservative areas; cheek kisses between friends of the same sex; avoid: Offering a hand to a conservative woman first — wait for hers
- Mosques: Covered clothing, headscarf for women, shoes in hand, quiet voice; avoid: Walking in front of people praying; visiting during Friday midday prayer
- Hospitality: Accept tea or at least a sip; bring sweets or pastries to a home; avoid: Refusing food repeatedly; showing the soles of your feet
- Politics and history: Listen; let hosts raise it; avoid: Opinions on Atatürk, the Kurdish issue, Armenia or Cyprus with people you just met
- Ramadan: Eat discreetly in conservative towns during the day; avoid: Eating, drinking or smoking in front of fasting people in small towns
- Gestures: A slight upward head nod with a tut means 'no'; avoid: The OK hand sign (can be read as rude) and a thumb between fingers
- Dress in town: Shorts are fine in Istanbul and resorts; longer clothes in the interior and east; avoid: Swimwear away from the beach
- Names: First name plus Bey (men) or Hanım (women): 'Ahmet Bey'; avoid: Using the surname alone
Scams and watch-outs
- 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.
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.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Side yet. Suggested stay: 2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Temple of Apollo at sunset
- Roman amphitheatre
- Side Museum in a Roman bathhouse
- Beach strip all-inclusive hotels
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Go Türkiye — Side: goturkiye.com/
- Side Museum (Antalya Directorate of Culture and Tourism): antalya.ktb.gov.tr/TR-67567/side-muzesi.html
- Side Amphitheatre (Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism): muze.gov.tr/muze-detay?sectionId=SDO01&distId=SDO
- Wikivoyage: Side, revision 5323911 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5323911
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Side
Bu adrese, lütfen
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- All emergencies112
No embassies in Side; consulates-general are in Antalya and embassies in Ankara.
112 works without a SIM on any phone.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/side). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.