Facts and information about Side
Facts and information about Side
When learning about Side in Turkey, the first thing to know is that it is a cheerful beach resort within easy reach of Antalya International Airport. Side is suitable for year-round living and makes a great holiday home destination, thanks to its family-friendly atmosphere, lovely sandy beaches, and perfect Mediterranean climate. In Side’s long history, Alexander the Great, the Greeks and the Romans occupied it, ensuring its status as one of the region’s most important trading centres.
Today locals enjoy relics of its ancient past outside the main centre and around the town. These are internationally recognised as some of the most important ruins in Asia Minor. Side is very popular with families because of its calm, sandy beach, and wealth of things to do. Property in Side, Turkey, is affordable and also within walking distance of the beach, and general costs are low. Overall, Side is an all rounder with lots to offer anyone who ventures to see her, but let’s look at the basic things to know.
Take a Tour to Ormana
The village of Ormana is located in the foothills of the Taurus Mountains, about 95 kilometers from Manavgat and is famous for its button houses, built only of stone and boards without nails or cement.
Would like to go mushroom picking in the mountains? Here, you might find the morel mushroom. It’s the second most expensive edible mushroom in the world after the truffle.
From here, you can go to Altınbeşik Cave. It translates to “Golden Cradle” and is 5.5 kilometers long, the largest underground sea cave in Turkey and the third largest in Europe. You can go inside the cave in rubber dinghies.
We recommend renting a car to get to Ormana. If you don’t want to do that, you can join one of the organized tours that leave from Manavgat or Side.
Shopping in Alanya
It is possible to find any item you might need during your stay in Alanya. Even if you just want to check out the local brands and escape from the heatwave, you can visit a shopping mall in Alanya.
Alanyum Shopping Mall is located in the Cumhuriyet district on Keykuybad Boulevard and has many local and international brands. Another big mall is the Time Center in Konaklı.
You can also check out the shopping streets close to the harbor in the center of Alanya to find different souvenirs.
Kaleiçi
The gateway to Antalya’s Old Town
Without a doubt one of Antalya’s biggest attractions, the city’s Old Town (Kaleiçi) is fascinatingly historic and unfalteringly charming. Allow yourself to get lost in the narrow, cobbled streets and take in the unique Ottoman houses as you go. You’ll find an array of shops, galleries, restaurants and boutique hotels among the sea of white-washed buildings and distinctive terracotta roofs.
Pirate Boat Tour
Alanya was once a famous pirate harbor in antiquity. Pompeius, the enemy of Julius Ceasar, in the Roman Civil war defeated the pirates. Nowadays, pirate themed boats in Alanya’s harbor are a reminder of these times long gone.
There is non-stop entertainment on the cruises with music and animations, as well as many swimming breaks in the blue waters of the Turkish Riviera.
