Travel Highlights

Side

Located approximately 60 miles east of Antalya, Side is a once-important ancient port town. Side itself has become a popular holiday destination. The village boasts picturesque narrow streets and beautiful gardens, while the long white beach is perfect for swimming. Magnificent ancient monuments, such as Roman baths and the columns of the Temple of Apollo by the sea, perfectly combine modern holiday fun with historical treasures. Strangely, this place only accepts euros.

Side (SEE-deh) was once idyllic, a traditional Turkish Mediterranean village nestled among marble Roman ruins on an unspoiled beach east of Antalya. However, tourism took off in the 1980s, and while Side remains pleasant, it is now crowded in warm weather. Turks and foreigners alike come for the beautiful white sandy beaches, seaside restaurants and bars, a wide range of accommodations (from inexpensive pensions to luxury hotels), and impressive Greek and Roman ruins.

Today's itinerary is a 4 hour and 50 minute drive from Konya to Antalya. We'll stop at Side, a seaport famous for its Greek and Roman ruins, featuring museums, archaeological sites, and theaters. Along with these ruins, there are also high-end designer shops along the coast. I'm puzzled by the fact that they only accept Euros. Why?

Along the way, we passed through mountains, canyons, rocks, rainy days, sunny days, and all kinds of conditions.

Wildflowers by the roadside

When we arrived at the Side parking lot, they had a shuttle bus to the beach, but we chose to walk so that we could see some of the historical sites and ruins along the way.

The monumental fountain Nymphaeum is a striking structure located at the entrance to the city and is considered the largest fountain in ancient Anatolia.

Side Archaeological Museum

Bathrooms were essential features of any ancient Roman city or town. The 2,000-year-old Agora Bath now houses the Side Archaeological Museum, showcasing artifacts found in and around the town. Its origins date back to the 2nd century AD, and the building appears to have been renovated in the 5th or 6th century. The bathhouse's five rooms were restored in the early 1960s to form the museum you see today.

The ancient ruins take you back to life in antiquity through statues, friezes, everyday objects, jewelry, coins, sarcophagi and inscriptions, displayed in the hot, warm, cold and sauna rooms where Roman nobles and high society once enjoyed their leisure time.

It was almost noon when we finished visiting the Archaeological Museum. The weather was scorching and we were hungry, so we found a restaurant to rest. In our experience, in tourist areas, avoid restaurants that advertise outside to attract customers. There are two reasons for this: First, tourist areas often offer inferior food due to their prime location; second, they tend to take advantage of you, especially in Turkey, where they're so poor. You can't blame them!

This time, we were ripped off at this restaurant because restaurants here all pay in euros. We ordered a burger, pasta, and two drinks, and the bill was shocking. We didn't argue with them at the time, just complaining about the high price. We originally wanted to pay with a credit card, but they refused, claiming they had a connection problem. When you ask for cash in lira, they'll add up the euros and convert them into lira. However, the waiters are often unlucky and deliberately add the wrong amount (it's best to calculate your own bill when dining in Turkey). Most customers don't add their own items anyway.

This is a lesson learned from a loss. It's important to learn from this and avoid repeating the same mistakes. I'm sharing this experience so others can avoid being scammed.

Photos taken from the Internet

The Roman Theatre is a unique part of the ancient city. It is located on the narrow part of the peninsula. It has Roman architectural style with references to Hellenistic traditions.

The Temples of Apollo and Athena

The Temples of Apollo and Athena are among Side's most popular landmarks. Dating back to the 2nd century, they are dedicated to the Greek gods of light and the sun. Standing on the west coast, the two temples captivate visitors with their magnificent columns. They are located just a few meters apart. The largest and most well-preserved structure is the Temple of Apollo, with its marble columns. Remains of the Temple of Apollo are few and far between. These structures aren't particularly impressive in Greece, but being near the sea makes them special.

We didn't see them when we reached the beach, but we had planned our itinerary for the visit, so we didn't take any photos. Sometimes, we don't bother checking a map and just leave without seeing something, leaving us with nothing but regrets.

Taken from the Internet

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