It is believed Side was founded in the 7th<\/sup> century BC by Greek settlers from western Anatolia; evidence suggests that the Neo-Hittites also had a presence in the area. Side was occupied by Alexander the Great during the 4th<\/sup> century BC and later came under the dominion of the Ptolemaic dynasty and the Seleucid, Roman and Byzantine Empires. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The Ancient City is most definitely worth a visit. Highlights of the numerous preserved ancient structures include the Historical Gate, the Agora, the Agora Bath, the Ancient Theater and the Temple of Apollo. And yet, there\u2019s even more to see in this remarkable Ancient City, with structures dating from nearly every civilization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Temple of Apollo is a stunner. Erected at the height of the Roman Empire – the Pax Romana \u2013 the Temple was dedicated to Apollo, the Roman god of light, art and beauty. During the advent of Christianity, parts of the Temple were dismantled, and those materials used for basilicas. However, the Temple of Apollo was restored in the 1990s. Set close to the coastline, it features a magnificent view worthy of its namesake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Museum of Side was established in 1960. Although it is on the smaller side, the Museum features a number of impressive sculptures and artifacts. Entry is free of charge with a Turkish museum card.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Side\u2019s location offers plenty of activities in nature. Swimming, rafting, diving\u2026even 4-wheel drive safaris! As well, the sheer area of Side ensures that you\u2019ll never feel overwhelmed by crowds of people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Side offers splendid options for summer holiday enjoyment, with beautiful sandy beaches set along the Mediterranean Sea. These include Big Beach, Side’s public beach, Sorgun beach and Kumk\u00f6y beach. Group and private boat tours are also available.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Located 8 km from Side, Manavgat Waterfall is visited by almost a million people each year. But don\u2019t let the crowds discourage you; the site is expansive, with tea houses overlooking the falls. Rafting in the Manavgat River is also quite popular.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Carved over millennia by the waters of the K\u00f6pr\u00fc\u00e7ay River, the K\u00f6pr\u00fcl\u00fc Canyon is a highlight of natural Side. In addition to its sheer beauty, the 14-km-long canyon offers opportunities for rafting and other water sports.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Though not as well-known as some of the area\u2019s other natural beauties, Titreyeng\u00f6l Lake (Shivering Lake) is a lovely place to spend several hours. The Lake is usually quite calm, but it appears to \u2018shake\u2019 in even the lightest breeze \u2013 thus the name! <\/p>\n\n\n\n Set in Alt\u0131nbe\u015fik National Park, Alt\u0131nbe\u015fik Cave \u2013 also known as D\u00fcdensuyu Cave \u2013was opened to tourism in 1994. The Cave\u2019s exceptionally large size is complemented by its location near the Manavgat River. With numerous walking and hiking routes, it\u2019s an ideal day trip for experiencing virgin nature and fresh air.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Side is 78 km from the Antalya city center and easily accessible via road or air. Public transportation is available from the Antalya Airport, as are rental cars. As well, there are regular minibus services between Manavgat and Side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Side offers a range of accommodations, from modest pensions to all-inclusive 5-star hotels. Campsites are also available. It is advisable to book in advance during high season months such as July and August. Enjoy your holiday!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A trip through time: Historical places in Side It is believed Side was founded in the 7th century BC by Greek settlers from western Anatolia; evidence suggests that the Neo-Hittites also had a presence in the area. Side was occupied by Alexander the Great during the 4th century BC and later came under the dominion […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":53,"featured_media":18128,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[307,991,1026,317,147,240,1030],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-17642","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-antalya-travel-guide","8":"category-cities-of-turkey","9":"category-serene-bays","10":"category-summer-holiday-ideas","11":"category-trip-ideas","12":"category-turkey","13":"category-summer-holiday-destinations"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.turkishairlines.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17642","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.turkishairlines.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.turkishairlines.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.turkishairlines.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/53"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.turkishairlines.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17642"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blog.turkishairlines.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17642\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.turkishairlines.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18128"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.turkishairlines.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17642"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.turkishairlines.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17642"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.turkishairlines.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17642"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}The Ancient City of Side<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"Ruins](\"https:\/\/blog.turkishairlines.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Side-ancient-city-1024x684.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nThe Temple of Apollo<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"Ruins](\"https:\/\/blog.turkishairlines.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Side-apollo-temple-1024x681.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nSide Museum<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"Side](\"https:\/\/blog.turkishairlines.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Side-museum-1024x683.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nNature discovery: Side’s natural beauties.<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The beaches of Side<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"Beaches](\"https:\/\/blog.turkishairlines.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Side-beach-1024x682.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nManavgat Waterfall<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"General](\"https:\/\/blog.turkishairlines.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Manavgat-waterfalls-1024x684.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nK\u00f6pr\u00fcl\u00fc Canyon National Park<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Titreyeng\u00f6l<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Alt\u0131nbe\u015fik Cave<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nFor first-time visitors to Side: Transport and accommodation<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"Campers](\"https:\/\/blog.turkishairlines.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Camping-tent-1024x672.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n