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Ancient Side has hardly changed since its days as a getaway for legendary lovers Antony and Cleopatra. Uncover one of southern Turkey's best-kept secrets with this tour. You'll get to snap photos by the Temple of Apollo, discover the huge Roman theatre and explore modern Side, too. As Muzaffer, one of our guides, says, ‘You'll walk all over history. On the way to the Temple of Apollo, there are glass walkways over ancient Roman streets.'
Side's location on a compact little headland is as romantic as it gets. Our expert local guide will give you the lowdown on the long history of this once-busy Roman port. You'll see the marketplace where slaves were traded, the Byzantine hospital and the Vespasian Gate. Then you'll head inside either the ancient theatre, which is a sight to behold – it seated up to 20,000 spectators – or the former bathhouse, which is now a museum with a small but impressive collection of the artefacts dug up here.
But one of the most-photographed spots is the Temple of Apollo. Legend says that this second-century seafront shrine was a gift from Antony to Cleopatra. And just beside it is the Temple of Athena – zoom in on the frieze of Medusa heads. Once you've explored the ruins, there'll be free time in modern Side to buy a sizzling kebab at one of the street stalls, or haggle for bargains in the backstreet bazaars. What's more, for your convenience, this is a small group tour to help you follow the guide better and avoid agglomerations.
Based on 52 reviews from verified customers
Review categories
Service
4.6/5
Staff
4.6/5
Value for money
4.5/5
Safety
4.6/5
Sian
From United States of America - March 2025Traveled with family
35 - 44 years old
Great
Overall rated4/5
Overall we enjoyed this trip but apart from the admission to the beautiful little museum in Side, there was very little else included. The amphitheatr ...
Kev
From United Kingdom - November 2024Solo traveler
35 - 44 years old
Excellent
Overall rated5/5
Great tour thanks
Tamsaine
From United States of America - November 2024Traveled with family
18 - 24 years old
Excellent
Overall rated5/5
Our guide, Mustafa, was very knowledgeable and explained everything we were seeing, with historical, mythological, and modern-day details. There was a ...
Dave M
From United States of America - October 2024Traveled with a group of friends
35 - 44 years old
Excellent
Overall rated5/5
Great tour and Achmet our guide was extremely knowledgeable and funny guide. Overall a brilliant morning. The only quibble was group size. It’s advert ...
Alexander family
From United Kingdom - October 2024Traveled with family
35 - 44 years old
Excellent
Overall rated5/5
An excellent tour, Ahmed was very knowledgeable and friendly, couldn't have asked for more. Plenty of time to visit the historic sites and also an hou ...
JC&CC
From United States of America - October 2024Traveled as a couple
45 - 54 years old
Excellent
Overall rated5/5
The tour was fascinating and really interesting. Our guide, Ahmet, was brilliant. His knowledge was excellent and he was very good at engaging with ...