Things to Do in Side, Turkey (2026): A Local’s Guide to Ruins, Beaches & Tours

Most beach resorts give you sand and a pool. Side gives you a 2,000-year-old Roman city you can walk through on your way to dinner. This little town on Turkey’s Mediterranean coast is genuinely unusual — a working holiday resort built right around the ruins of an ancient harbour city, where you can watch the sunset behind marble temple columns and then eat fresh grilled fish fifty metres away. If you’re staying in Side (or nearby Sorgun, Kumköy or Çolaklı), here’s an honest local rundown of what’s actually worth your time — the ruins, the best beaches, the Manavgat waterfall, and the day tours that are easy to reach from town.

Side is small and easy to figure out once you know the layout:

• Old Town & harbour — the walled peninsula where all the ruins, the bazaar and the best harbour restaurants are. Pedestrian-friendly and walkable.
• Side Big Beach (East Beach) — the long main beach stretching east from the old town, over 3 km of golden sand.
• Sorgun — a few kilometres east, backed by pine forest, quieter and more upmarket. Several of the better hotels sit here.
• Kumköy — further east again, sandy and family-friendly with calm shallow water.
• Çolaklı — about 9–12 km out, very shallow and safe for small children, lined with big all-inclusive resorts.
• Manavgat — the town about 7 km inland, home to the waterfall, the river boat trips and the famous weekly market.

Getting around is cheap and simple. The old town is walkable; for nearby spots the dolmuş (shared minibus) runs constantly and costs very little. Taxis and car rentals are easy to find if you want to roam.

This is what sets Side apart from every other Turkish beach resort. The temples and the bazaar are completely free; the museum and the excavated site charge a small fee, and the ancient theatre is currently closed for restoration.

Temple of Apollo — The postcard image of Side. A row of white marble columns standing right at the edge of the old harbour, alongside the neighbouring Temple of Athena. It’s free, open 24/7, and the single best sunset spot in town — get there 30–40 minutes before sundown for the golden light (and to beat the crowd jostling for the same photo). Note that part of the temple area is fenced off for ongoing restoration work, but you can still get the classic shot.

Side Ancient Theatre — A huge Roman theatre in the heart of the old town that once seated around 15,000 people. As of 2026 it is closed to visitors for restoration, so you can’t go inside — but it towers over the surrounding streets and is still impressive from the outside while you wander the old town.

Side Museum — Housed inside a beautifully converted 2nd-century Roman bath complex beside the agora. Compact but excellent — Roman statues, sarcophagi and everyday artefacts pulled from the city itself. Entry is €5 for foreign visitors, and it’s a great air-conditioned 45-minute escape from the midday heat. The excavated ancient-site area (agora and surrounds) is a separate €7 ticket, or you can buy a combined museum + site ticket for €10, which is the best value. (Turkish residents enter free with a MüzeKart.)

The free street ruins — Don’t rush through the rest. As you walk in from the main gate you’ll pass the Vespasian Gate and Nymphaeum (a monumental fountain), the old colonnaded street and the ancient city walls that once protected Side from pirates. Half the fun is simply that a 2,000-year-old arch sits casually next to an ice-cream shop.

Local tip: visit early morning or in the last two hours before sunset. Midday in summer is brutally hot and the stone reflects the heat.

Site in Side	Entry (foreign visitors)	Good to know
Temple of Apollo & bazaar	Free	Open 24/7; part fenced for restoration
Side Museum	€5	Converted Roman bathhouse
Ancient site (agora area)	€7	Excavated city sections
Combined ticket (museum + site)	€10	Best value
Ancient Theatre	Closed	Under restoration in 2026 — view from outside

Summer hours (1 Apr–1 Oct) are roughly 08:30–19:30; winter 08:30–17:30. Turkish residents enter free with a MüzeKart.

Side has over 10 km of fine golden sand, and unlike most resorts the backdrop is genuinely spectacular — where else do you sunbathe with Roman ruins behind you? All the public beaches have free showers and toilets, with sunbeds for hire and plenty of beach bars.

• Side Big Beach / East Beach — the most popular and central, easy to reach from the old town, with water sports and lots of facilities.
• Sorgun Beach — calmer and more peaceful, fringed with pine forest. The pick if you want a quieter, more natural feel.
• Kumköy Beach — long, sandy and shallow, the favourite for families with young kids. More relaxed, local atmosphere.
• Çolaklı Beach — very shallow, lifeguard-protected and ideal for toddlers; further out and dominated by big resorts.

If your hotel is all-inclusive you’ll likely have your own beach section, but the public stretches are free to use and just as nice.

A short trip inland (about 7 km) takes you to Manavgat, and it’s worth half a day.

Manavgat Waterfall (Manavgat Şelalesi) — Not tall, but very wide and powerful, with the Taurus mountain water thundering over a low ledge. There are shady tea gardens and cafés right beside it where you can sit with a Turkish tea and watch the rush. Small entrance fee.

Manavgat River boat trips — Easy, relaxed cruises along the river, usually combined with the waterfall and a riverside lunch. A gentle option for a hot day.

Manavgat weekly market — One of the biggest open-air markets on the coast, packed with textiles, spices, local cheese and “genuine fake” goods. Go in the morning, haggle, and bring cash.

A day on the water is almost compulsory here. Most boats leave from Kumköy harbour and cruise the coast with swim stops, music, and lunch on board — the classic relaxed Mediterranean beach day. Family boats are calmer; party boats are louder, so pick to match your mood.

See Side Boat Trips — from $25 →

Side is a brilliant base because the big-ticket Turkey experiences are all within reach. A few highlights:

• Green Canyon (Oymapınar) — emerald-green reservoir water between pine cliffs; jeep safari and boat combos are the most popular tour out of Side.
• Köprülü Canyon rafting — easy, fun whitewater on the Köprüçay, often bundled with quad biking and zipline.
• Aspendos & Perge — two of the best-preserved Roman sites in Turkey, an easy half-day of serious history.
• Pamukkale & Cappadocia — the bucket-list day (or overnight) trips, very doable from Side.
• Land of Legends (Belek) — the big theme park and nightly light-and-water show, popular with families.

Check Green Canyon Tours — from $29 →

I’ve put together a full, honest breakdown of every one of these — with real prices, ratings and what’s actually worth booking — in our complete guide below.

When the sun goes down, the old town comes alive. The bazaar streets are great for evening browsing (leather, jewellery, spices, lokum), the harbour restaurants serve fresh fish with a view, and a proper Turkish bath (hammam) is the perfect end to a sun-tired day — scrub, foam massage, the works. Side has a lively but not overwhelming nightlife: beach bars and clubs if you want them, quiet seafront cafés if you don’t.

For Side itself you want 2–3 full days to enjoy the ruins, beaches and Manavgat without rushing — but most people stay a week and use the spare days for tours to Pamukkale, Aspendos or Green Canyon. The season runs roughly May to October; July and August are hot and busy, while late May, June, September and early October give you warm sea with smaller crowds.

Is Side worth visiting?
Yes — it’s one of the few places in the world where you can combine a proper beach holiday with walking through a genuine ancient Roman city. The free ruins alone make it stand out from other resorts.

How many days do you need in Side?
Two to three days covers Side’s own sights and beaches comfortably. A full week lets you add day tours like Pamukkale, Cappadocia or Green Canyon.

Is Side good for families?
Very. The shallow beaches at Kumköy and Çolaklı are safe for small children, and the boat trips and nearby Land of Legends keep all ages happy.

Can you visit the Side ancient theatre?
Not in 2026 — the theatre is closed for restoration. You can still see it from the surrounding streets, and the Temple of Apollo, museum and agora are all open.

Do you need a car in Side?
No. The old town is walkable and dolmuş minibuses are cheap. A car (or guided tours) only helps for day trips further afield.