Thus, Strabo* once described the inhabitants of Side in his work 'Geographica'. The reason for this claim was the origin of this city's wealth, which was the slave trade. In the 1st century BC, Side was one of the most important ports for the slave trade in the Mediterranean.
But thankfully, that was a very long time ago. Over the centuries, Side has developed into a fascinating Mediterranean city closely intertwined with its varied history.  

Oh, by the way, Side means "pomegranate" in Luwian. Luwian is one of the oldest languages of Anatolia. You can read more details about the history of Side below.

* Around 63 BC in Amaseia in Pontus; † after 23 AD) was an ancient Greek historian and geographer.

Thus, Strabo* once described the inhabitants of Side in his work 'Geographica'. The reason for this claim was the origin of this city's wealth, which was the slave trade. In the 1st century BC, Side was one of the most important ports for the slave trade in the Mediterranean.
But thankfully, that was a very long time ago. Over the centuries, Side has developed into a fascinating Mediterranean city closely intertwined with its varied history.  

Oh, by the way, Side means "pomegranate" in Luwian. Luwian is one of the oldest languages of Anatolia. You can read more details about the history of Side below.

Sights around Side:

MANAVGAT RIVER:

It is one of the few rivers whose water volume is fed from one of the longest underground streams in the world, but also from a single source (smoky spring; Oymapınar remained in the reservoir). It has two dams. Oymapınar and Manavgat dams. Its turquoise green water is clean and clear and rich in minerals. If you wish, you can swim in these green and cool waters or make small discoveries with a canoe. The river is home to many species of fish and birds. (With fish such as trout, carp, mullet, sea bass, blackfish; birds such as waterfowl, ducks, geese, kingfishers, various types of herons, seagulls, and freshwater turtles). There is a rich variety of plants along the river. Trees such as willow, sycamore, poplar, mulberry, elm, small maquis shrubs, and herbaceous plants such as blackberries, currants, oleander can be seen, as well as freshwater turtles sunbathing on dry tree trunks. Along the rich riverbed, there are citrus groves and greenhouses filling the fertile soil. The Manavgat River, thanks to the rapidly developing tourism in recent years, also hosts daily boat trips and domestic and foreign tourists. Although it is not a large river in terms of length, it is one of the rare rivers with a high flow rate on which transport can take place in Turkey. In addition, the water of the city of Side was fed from the Manavgat River in ancient times. For this reason, 30 km from today's Sevinç Village to Side. A long aqueduct was built. This waterway is 25 m high over the arches. Part of it was carved into the rocks. Some parts are still standing today. (Source: Emin Öz - www.side-manavgat.com)

MANAVGAT WATERFALL:

3 km from the town of Manavgat. The waterfall located to the west of it bears the same name as the district. Although it pours from an astonishing height, its roaring flow over a wide area creates a sight worth seeing. Right next to the waterfall, you can have a picnic in nature and eat fresh fish in the surrounding restaurants. It is an ideal place to integrate with nature in a corner away from the noise of the city. Transportation can be done by minibuses from Manavgat.

MANAVGAT RIVER MOUTH:

The place where the Manavgat River flows into the sea... As you know, Istanbul is not like the Dardanelles Strait. It tastes like the Red Sea. A line in the middle... Arms open to both sides, a river flows on one side and the sea on the other. Even the glitters are different. The sun paints all around with its redness. Being away from tourism is another beauty. It poses well. It has a hidden square in every corner.
You can also find fishermen at the river mouth, which is the beauty of the Sorgun district of Manavgat. The beauty of the sunset is only comparable to another day.

Since it is a wetland, you can encounter the harmonious dance of dragonflies. At the edges of the reeds, boats waiting for the next arrival of their owner remind of the beauty of the past.
Directions: If you do not have your own vehicle, you can easily reach it by "Sorgun-Bogaz" minibus from Manavgat city center. With your own vehicle, turn onto the bus station side from the bus station junction on the bypass road. Turn left straight ahead at the "Titreyengöl" sign. This road takes you directly to the strait where the Manavgat River meets the sea.

TITREYENGÖL:

Titreyengöl has an area of 3000 m2. Titreyengöl, which has over 22 facilities and a bed capacity of 18,000, is home to many birds, from cormorants to Pekin ducks. Titreyengöl, on the other hand, has an interesting story. According to legend, an old fisherman lives by the lake and feeds the birds.

When the birds saw the old fisherman by the lake, they flapped their wings and came towards him. One day, hunters hunting in this lake shoot ducks on the water. The old fisherman confronts the hunters and tries to stop them from hunting. The hunters push the old man and try to get the hit ducks out of the water. Meanwhile, the other ducks take off together, form a whirlwind with their wings, and chase away the predators. After this incident, the lake starts to tremble again and again. Locals interpret this trembling as the birds crying for the old fisherman.

OYMAPINAR DAM:

The Oymapınar Dam, the third-largest dam in Turkey, was built on the Manavgat River and put into operation in 1984.

It is of the concrete arch type. It consists of 4 turbines, each generating 135 megawatts of energy per hour. Its total capacity is 540 megawatts per hour. Its height from the foundation is 185 m. With a lake area of 470 ha, the dam has a storage volume of 300 million m³. 1.2 billion kWh of energy are produced annually in the dam.

BRIDGE CANYON (Köprülü Canyon):

Köprülü Canyon National Park is located 60 km from Manavgat and 40 km from Antalya. It can be reached via the 40 km long road leading to Taşağıl and Beşkonak, departing from the northeast, and is located at the foot of the Taurus Mountains. The area of the national park is 37,000 hectares. Mount Dipoyraz located in the east of the park is 2980 m high and its slopes are covered with forests. Köprü Stream, Bolayan village and Beşkonak

between 120km long and 100 m deep. It lies between valleys and gorges covered with deep cedar forests. The river valley in the park is 14 km long, in places 400 m high. It has the shape of a gorge with steep walls in height.

After the end of the gorge, the stream flows from a wide bed surrounded by greenery. The Köprüçay River is one of the most beautiful natural recreation areas in Turkey. In addition, many archaeological resources such as the historical city of Selge in the mountainous land west of the river, the castles and aqueducts on the river, bridges from the Roman period, and historical roads make KÖPRÜLÜ CANYON NATIONAL PARK one of the most valuable places to see.

SELEUKEIA:

12 km from Manavgat towards Taurus Mountains in a north-westerly direction. Subsequently, the ruins of the ancient city of Seleukeia are reached in the village of Şıhlar. 4 km from Sihlar village. This ancient city is located in the northeast and an hour's walk away and was founded by the Seleucids.

The city, founded in 300 BC as an Acropolis city for protection on a hill, reveals the whole plain and the sea with its steep slopes and deep valleys. The fact that there is arable land in the urban area, the surrounding area is well supported by water, and the history of a trade route from which it runs confirm this thesis. The two-story Agora, the basilica, the cistern, and the sewerage system can be counted as indicators of the development of the city. The mosaics uncovered during the excavations of the city are now exhibited in the Antalya Museum.

SELGE:

It is located on the southern slope of the Taurus Mountains, near Köprüçay, 950 m from the sea. Founded at a high altitude, Selge is an ancient Pisidian mountain city. Selge can be reached via a steep and winding 4 km long road after the Köprülü Canyon. The road to Selge leads through the Köprülü Canyon, which is very rich in natural beauty. On the way; In Ürgüp and Göreme there are carved rocks that look like fairy chimneys and cover the entire mountainside.

Selge is said to have been founded by Calchas. The city, which was connected to Pisidia, was later included in the borders of Pamphylia and remained under the rule of Lydia, Persia, Alexander, and Rome. Its theater with 5 doors and 45 steps in the north is the most important and best-preserved monument. The stadium and the gymnasium are located south of the theater carved into the rock, and in the west, the Ionic temple stands out, whose ceiling is decorated with eagle motifs. To the south of the stadium, there is a fountain and an agora, to the north of the walls extending southwest of the city, stand side by side the temples of Artemis and Zeus. West of these temples are water cisterns, to the north sarcophagi and richly decorated tomb monuments as well as a necropolis.

ALARAHAN:

If you drive west to Manavgat, you will reach Alarahan after 9 km. 13th century It was built by the Seljuks to create a trade link between Konya and Alanya, the capital of the south coast. In this caravanserai, travelers and merchants find safe and comfortable accommodation and rest. Traders can safely store their products, feed their animals, use the kitchen, take a bath with hot water, and fulfill their religious needs in the small mosque. The beautiful and preserved valley of Alarahan was also built next to an old bridge. At the beautifully designed entrance, there is a small mosque. The main courtyard is surrounded by many multifunctional rooms.

North of Alarahan, Alara Castle dominates the valley. This building, which you can enter through the kitchen garden, dates back to the 13th century. It is also not easy to build. The climb is worth it to enjoy the wonderful valley view. This section takes you to the top of the castle inside.

ASPENDOS:

The Aspendos Theater, built in the 2nd century at a distance of 44 km from Manavgat, has a capacity of 17,000 people and is today the best-preserved and best-maintained amphitheater. The secret of the perfect acoustics, created by a young man named Xenon living in the region, is still not solved. In the 13th century, the Seljuks used the building as a caravanserai and reinforced the north side of the building with an arch in the typical Seljuk architectural style.

After passing Serik on the Antalya-Alanya highway, turn north and take the 4 km long Aspendos road. History It dates back to the 5th century. WORK. The Aspendos Theater built in the 2nd century was used as a caravanserai during the Seljuk period and repaired from time to time. Together with its stage, it is one of the rare theaters that is best preserved to this day. Today it is used for various concerts, celebrations, festivals, and oil wrestling. Agora, basilica, nymphaeum, and 15 km long arched waterways are structures worth seeing.

SIDE:

75 km from Antalya. 7 km from Manavgat. away from Side, approx. 400 m wide and 1 km long. It is shaped like a peninsula. The name "Side" means "pomegranate" in the Anatolian language. This feature and the information obtained from some inscriptions show that the history of Side dates back to the Hittites. But it is one of the oldest settlements in Anatolia.

It is also said that Side, one of them, was founded before the 7th century BC. Throughout Anatolian history, Side went through the same stages as the other cities of Pamphylia. Greeks came to Side during the migrations in the 7th century BC. According to the available inscriptions BC. Until the third century, they spoke a city-specific language. This language, not yet fully deciphered, is an Indo-European language.

When Side was appointed Pamphylia Metropolis (Bishop's Center) in the 5th century, it experienced its heyday in the 5th and 6th centuries. This development ended with the Arab raids between the 7th and 9th centuries. During the excavations, traces of a large fire and many earthquakes were found. Arab invasion, natural disasters led to the city being abandoned. In the 12th century, the Arab geographer Idrisi shows this place as a dead city and defines it as "burnt Antalya". According to Idrisi, the people of the city migrated from Side around 1150, and Side was completely evacuated in the 12th century. In the 13th century, the Seljuks came under the rule of the Hamitoğulları and in the 14th century Tekelioğulları, and there was no settlement during these times. In the 15th century, it definitely joined the Turkish lands. However, since neither the Ottomans nor the Seljuks lived in Side, there are no artifacts from the Seljuk and Ottoman periods on the peninsula. In 1895, a village was founded at the tip of the peninsula and immigrants from Crete were settled here. The small village, which forms the core of the present village, has covered the entire peninsula over time. The coexistence of the village houses with their old structures and their unique architecture played a major role in opening Side to tourism, which later became "Selimiye". Side is a city with deep traces of history.

The Side Museum was established on the bath complex built in the Roman period, with minor restorations carried out in recent years. The museum is entered through a door in the eastern direction. Then you reach a large garden via a courtyard whose floor is covered with stones and which is to be understood as the second tepidarium of the bath. Around this courtyard and in the garden, sarcophagi, columns, busts, torsos, inscriptions, statues, statue bases, column capitals, friezes, reliefs, and steles found during excavations in Side can be seen. The museum garden actually consists of the courtyards of the gymnasium and the palaestra of the Roman baths. The most important work in these courtyards, whose floor is covered with marble pieces, is the frieze series in which the mythological stories of Poseidon, the god of the sea, can be seen on the north wall of the courtyard. Here the relationship of gods and goddesses to nature is depicted.

THE SIDE MUSEUM:

It is located in Side Town in the Manavgat district. 8 km from Manavgat. one way. The bath of the ancient Agora from the 5th-6th century AD opposite the Agora from the Roman period was restored in 1960/61 and converted into a museum.

A large part of the works exhibited in the museum were unearthed by Prof. Dr. Arif Müfid Mansel during the excavations in the ancient city of Side between 1947 and 1967. From Hellenistic, Roman, and Byzantine times; inscriptions, weapon reliefs, statues which are copies of Greek originals from the Roman period, torsos, sarcophagi, portraits, ostotheks, amphorae, altars, grave steles, column capitals, and column bases are exhibited.
Side BC In the first half of the 6th century, the Lydians, BC. In the years 547-546 it came under the rule of the Persians. The city developed under Persian rule. BC It was surrendered to Alexander in 334. After the death of Alexander Antigonus (323-304). Ptolemies (301-215). BC After 215 it came under the control of the Syrian Kingdom. BC 2nd Century. The city, which experienced its heyday thanks to the powerful war and merchant fleets of the Ptolemies, was rebuilt during this period and expanded into a science and culture center. BC Side, which was ceded to the Kingdom of Pergamon with the Peace of Apamea in 188, preserved its independence together with the East Pamphylia region and achieved prosperity and wealth with its large merchant fleet. BC The city, which was under Roman rule after 78 AD. 2nd and 3rd Centuries it became the trading center of the region. It was a rich and bright time, made possible especially by the slave trade. 2nd Century It was a center of science and culture for a century. 7th Century of the Syrian kings. Antiochus was educated here before he ascended the throne. When he became king (138 BC), he took the name "Sidetes". Until this time, the people of Side believed and worshiped many gods such as Athena and Apollo, Aphrodite, Ares, Asclepius, Hegeia, Charites, Demeter, Dionysus, Hermes. In the 4th century, they began to become Christians.

By the way, we are often asked about shopping facilities and other various opportunities in the respective towns and cities. Since this topic is very extensive, we have set up the platform 'Insider Club' for this purpose, where you can find all kinds of information about shopping, events, activities, food & drink, and much more.