Side Holidays

The vibrant resort of Side is a popular destination which attracts a large cross-section of people to its beautiful beaches set amongst a beautiful backdrop.

Shopping

The local shops in Side sell quite a good range of goods, in particular jewellery, clothing, handbags, Turkish delight, shoes and sunglasses and of course the ubiquitous genuine fake designer labels. Unfortunately, more and more traders are no longer willing to haggle/pazarlik, so the price you see is the price you pay. If the shops in Side don’t satisfy your shopping urges then head off to Antalya where there is a bigger choice of shops and malls selling a wider range of goods.

Family Entertainment & Trips

Side Turkey has a lot to offer families. Many of the hotels target families and have a range of facilities which will keep all ages happy which may well mean you base your entire holiday in the hotel complex. If you want to venture onto the beach then head for the West Beach which has the usual facilities and activities you’d expect of a Mediterranean resort, banana boats, jets skis, pedalos and safe swimming areas.

Beyond the beach, if you are interested in the history of Side and like visiting ancient ruins then Side has them in spades. Top of your list should be the 15,000 seater Roman Amphitheatre built in second century. Around the amphitheatre area there are quite a lot of interesting places to see such as the nymphaeum (water fountain) the temples of Apollo, and Athena and the bath house which is now a museum.

Further afield, near to Antalya there is white water rafting and a superb water park, (Troy Aqua Park). There are many local activities which give you the chance of seeing the outstanding countryside from a different perspective, such as trekking, horse riding, jeep safaris and paragliding.

The Resort

The Turkish resort of Side is situated on its Mediterranean south coast, 30 miles east of Antalya. Side Turkey has always been a popular holiday resort through the ages - Cleopatra and Mark Anthony enjoyed the beaches here; the Romans built an amphitheatre to entertain the holidaymakers and pirates spent their booty. Side has managed to maintain its allure through the ages and today it attracts just as wide a cross-section of people now as it has always done, with no hint of pirates, well apart from the ones trying to selling you counterfeit goods.

The Romans were perhaps responsible for developing Side into its modern day incarnation as a holiday resort destination. Everywhere you turn in Side you can see Roman ruins which just adds character to this resort, which you wouldn't experience in popular Spanish Mediterranean destinations! The old part of Side is worth exploring with its cobbled stone streets and plenty of shops and stalls. Or why not take a stroll down to the harbour which is now a very cosmopolitan area, with bars and restaurants.

Side has two main beaches either side of the peninsula, one to the east and one to the west. Both beaches are long and big enough you won’t feel crowded even at the height of season. The west beach is the more popular one and has hotels along its length. This beach is also very safe as it slopes gently into the shallow warm waters.

Side is considered as a party destination and as such it has many bars and nightclubs which are mainly located in the old part of the town. Side does get very busy in the high season with a mixture of families, couples and groups of party goers so it may be worth considering going out of season if you have young children who may feel overwhelmed by the hordes.

Click Side Map To View Location Of Hotels