If you relax in the resorts of Cholakly, Kumkoy, Sorgun, Kyzylagach or Kizilot, then you are not far from ancient Side. This city was known already in the seventh century before the birth of Christ, and not to be in it, being near, is simply a crime (mainly against oneself). But tours in Turkey have their own characteristics. The prices for them, especially if you book a trip directly from the performers, and not through intermediaries in the hotel, are very affordable. But otherwise, organized tours in Turkey have many shortcomings. Firstly, the language problem. Finding a Russian-speaking guide is easy, but will the group be typed? It’s quite difficult for some tourists to move their body away from the beach and All Inclusive and set off to inspect the Turkish coast. And if the group is recruited, then half the time everyone is waiting for someone. And then the guide takes everyone to the towels factory, jewelry store, etc. In short, unless it is a boat trip, it is best to travel around Turkey yourself. It will be cheaper. From this article you will learn how to see the sights of Side on your own. We will also give reviews and recommendations of tourists.
Interesting facts about the city
The word Side has ancient Hellenistic roots. It means pomegranate. And this fruit in ancient Greece was considered a symbol of fertility. And this is not surprising. The ancient city occupied a green peninsula, outstanding in the sea. The abundance of fresh water, protection from the north winds - nature itself wanted to create a garden of paradise from Side . And the Greeks, followed by the Romans, supplemented this beauty with historical and cultural attractions. Anyone who rests on the Anatolian Riviera can see on their own side. The distance to the main city with the airport is approximately seventy kilometers, and public transport in Turkey runs perfectly. The roads in this country are wonderful, not to say perfect. The road from Antalya to Side will take a little more than an hour. The modern city is “imprisoned” for a beach holiday. In this regard, it has grown along the sea in a narrow twenty-kilometer strip. But we are interested in the Old City, the one located on the cape. It was there, according to legends, that Marc Anthony and Cleopatra met. By dolmush or by taxi, but you need to go to the "Antique Side".
City walls
What is a city without fortifications? Especially in a turbulent medieval era! And in ancient times they were needed even more. To explore this Side attraction on your own, take bus number 639 to the Side Otogari stop. An entry ticket is not needed here. You also do not depend on hours of work - you can inspect city walls at least at night, fortunately, lighting helps. The foundation of these fortifications was built in the second century before Christ. During the Hellenistic era, around the fourth century AD, they were monumental fortified. It was a three-story structure, with each of its upper tiers hanging over the other. This configuration allowed archers to irrigate the besieging arrows, without risking injuring their own. From the sea side, the fortifications were not preserved, but on them you can wander freely from land.
Agora
It is from this main square, where all the most important affairs of the city were traded and solved, that you need to start an independent journey around Side. The attraction was poorly preserved, and even after archaeological reconstruction is called the "field of ruins." But the foundations of retail shops and utility rooms are clearly visible. They used to trade everything here, from food to slaves. In the middle of Agora stood a temple dedicated to Tyche, the goddess of fortune. How zealously the residents patronized Fortune zealously testified to the fact that this altar was depicted on the coin minted in Side. The roof of this building had 12 sides and carried images of zodiac signs. Ironically, all these majestic and spiritualized buildings are little preserved. But the public toilet for 24 places came to us intact. It can be used to judge how personal hygiene issues were solved in the ancient era.
Theater
The public toilet served to meet the needs of not only the merchants and other visitors to the Agora, but also the audience. And from the main square of the city we go on our own to the sights of Side, which is considered to be outstanding. The theater here was built in the second century AD, that is, in the Roman era. Therefore, it does not look like Greek buildings, in which a natural relief (hillside) was used for a better view from the back rows. The theater in Side was erected on a flat platform, like the Colosseum in Rome. The back rows lift up stone arches. Spectators walked through the covered galleries and took seats, climbing the stairs. In the amphitheater, gladiators fought with each other and with predatory animals. Therefore, in order to avoid excesses, the arena was fenced off from the first row by a 1.5-meter barrier. Nautical “battles” were arranged here. Then the scene was filled with water. In the early Middle Ages, the amphitheater served as a Christian temple.
Temple of Apollo
A tour of the medieval European city is impossible without a visit to the cathedral. And antique Side was under the auspices of Apollo and his sister Artemis. The first god personified the sun. Apollo patronized the people of art and science, travelers, sailors, doctors. This "multifunctional god" also foreshadowed future events and could, among other things, cleanse the person who committed the murder. His sister Artemis (in Roman mythology - Diana) was the patroness of hunting and virgins. She personified the moon. Without visiting the more or less preserved temple of Apollo, a walk in Side will be incomplete. Reviews recommend inspecting (and photographing) it at sunset, when the evening sun caresses the surviving columns with soft pink rays. Legend connects this temple, built in the second century BC, with the love of the Roman commander Marc Anthony to the Egyptian princess Cleopatra. And there are reasons for this.
Temple of Artemis
In the ancient city there were two “cathedrals” at once. Having examined the sanctuary of Apollo, we move on to another attraction of Side (Turkey). It is easy to find the temple of Artemis yourself. It rises not far from the first, at the southern end of the peninsula. The goddess of the moon and hunting, like her brother, was forever young. Among the Hellenes, it was associated with birth and death, since it made childbirth easy and alleviated the suffering of the dying. The archaeologist found that the temple of Artemis was larger and more solid than the altar of her brother. As a building material, only marble was used. Both temples were built at about the same time - II century BC. Only five Corinthian columns remained from the sanctuary of Artemis. But it is the temple of Diana that is the symbol of ancient Side. Reviews recommend bringing a magnet or a postcard with the image of five columns as a souvenir.
Aqueduct
There are no sources or tanks in the city. Where did the inhabitants come from? - the meticulous tourist will ask, exploring the sights of Side on his own. Reviews recommend that to clarify this issue go to the northwestern tip of the ancient city. An aqueduct has been preserved there - only one fragment from a complex water supply system. But in general, 22 aqueducts and 16 tunnels supplied life-giving moisture to the city from the Melos River (modern Manavgat). Some of these structures reached a length of 2260 meters. And all this water supply extended for thirty kilometers. And this bold engineering solution was implemented in the second century. It is clear that the water supply needed to be repaired. And that was undertaken by the merchants. The aqueduct that has been preserved has been erected at the expense of Lollianos Brionianos and his wife Quirinia Patra.
Nymphaeum
The ancient Greeks respected water and springs. They decorated the last with small "chapels" dedicated to nymphs. These were semicircular buildings or superstructures above the pools, sometimes artificial grottoes. In the Roman era they began to be called "nymphaeum." Reviews of tourists about holidays in Side (Turkey) often mention the monumental fountain in the ancient city. A network of aqueducts provided water for him. Nymphaeum in Side was built during the reign of Vespasian. It was not just a pool from which the townspeople drew water. Considerable attention during its construction was given to the aesthetic component. The fountain was three-story and reached a height of five meters. Now only two levels have been preserved, but it also makes an indelible impression. The fountain is located in the northeast of ancient Side, right behind the main gate. It was Nymphaeum who first saw the traveler entering the city.
Side tour around Side (Turkey)
Three kilometers from the modern resort is Manavgat Waterfall. This is a man-made cascade, only two meters high. Why, then, in 2010, this attraction in the vicinity of Side was visited by a million tourists? But because the length of this dam-waterfall is more than forty meters. The spectacle is truly mesmerizing. Streams of crystal clear mountain water, gaily and peacefully murmuring, rush down. A hungry traveler will find a mass of taverns near the waterfall, serving delicious fish and seafood dishes. You can immediately hire a boat to travel to the zero kilometer of Manavgat, to the point where the river flows into the Mediterranean Sea.