Side seaside resort
If you have a young family, the beaches flanking this small but bustling resort are amongst the best on Turkey`s Mediterranean coast -- shelving gently into a normally placid ocean.
For the young and single it has some great bars and, for later on, clubs that thump out dance music into the early hours. Couples will enjoy following in the footsteps of those great lovers Anthony and Cleopatra, who used this beautifully situated city as a romantic hideaway 2,000 years ago, with sunset strolls through ancient ruins accompanied by the gentle sound of waves washing against the rocks. Those with an interest in history can spend the cooler hours exploring the substantial remains of the ancient city and visit the fine archaeological museum, whilst the less cerebral can while away the heat of the day on a sun bed. In September culture vultures will enjoy the evening classical music, opera and ballet performances at the ancient theater. From late spring to late autumn the more adventurous can indulge in a number of water sports right off the peninsula or head inland for a day of thrills and spills white-water rafting down the Köprülü Canyon.
One of the great things about Side is the fact that the modern village has grown up amongst the ruins of what was once the wealthiest and most powerful ancient settlement in Pamphylia. Wander around the narrow streets and you`ll see the remnants of a Roman bathhouse peeping out between cafes and shops devoted to tourist trinkets. Perhaps Cleopatra herself once bathed here. Right at the end of the promontory on which Side is situated are perhaps the most romantically set ruins anywhere in Turkey: the twin temples to Apollo and Athena. Some of the once-toppled columns of the Athena temple have recently been re-erected and capped with sections of the finely carved pediment. The effect is striking, particularly as the setting sun suffuses the white marble with a warm, honey-like glow. A number of cafes and bars are located near these evocative ruins if you fancy a sundown drink, whilst just a short stroll to the west a cluster of harbor-front fish restaurants vie for your business.
Travel writer Michael Pereira described the view from the upper row of seats in the ancient theater in 1965 thus: "A little to the south the roofs of modern Side, a tiny village clustered on the shore beneath tall plane trees, showed here and there through the leaves; beyond lay the sea, so utterly calm that its surface shone as though it had been polished." He went on to say how a little later he and his companions were "pleasantly surprised to find a small but excellent restaurant, and on a wooden balcony immediately above the sea sat down to a freshly caught fish and a salad of tomatoes and green peppers." You can sit down to a similar meal today, but to find one you`ll have to run the gauntlet of hustlers stationed outside each and every establishment -- all trying every trick in the book to lure you in. It can get tiresome after a while. Plus, of course, Side is no longer tiny. The village retains its charm, but swaths of hotels, apartments, restaurants, rental car outlets and all the trimmings of package holiday tourism march relentlessly away in either direction along the shore. Try and visit in spring, autumn or even winter, rather than high summer, when you can expect to pay top dollar for everything and get roasted by the heat. To compensate for the summer heat and crowds, however, there`s the buzz of hedonism in the air as Europe`s young holidaymakers head out for the night, determined to make the most of their two weeks in the sun.
In spite of the drawbacks, there are only a few places in Turkey that can match Side`s winning combination of fine beaches, impressive ruins, laid-back restaurants, nightlife and -- in the winter, at least -- village ambience.
[TRAVEL TIPS]
How to get to Side
Nearest airport: Antalya. Turkish Airlines (THY) flies daily from Ankara and Ä°stanbul. Onur Air, Atlas Jet and Pegasus fly daily from Ä°stanbul. Sunexpress flies daily from Ä°zmir. Antalya is linked to all Turkey`s major cities by inter-city coaches and there are frequent and regular buses from Antalya to Side.
Site hours and admissions
Theater: daily 8 a.m.-7 p.m.; YTL 10. Museum: daily 8 a.m.- 5 p.m.; closed for lunch 12-1 p.m.; YTL 5.
Where to stay
The Beach House: Barbaros Caddesi. Tel (242) 753 16 07; www.beachhousehotel.com. Seafront location, friendly and well-run. Simone de Beauvoir was a guest in the `60s.
Lale Park: Lale Sokak 5. Tel: (242) 753 11 31; www.hotellalepark.com
Guides and maps
The Blue Guide to Turkey; Rough Guide to Turkey; Lonely Planet: Turkey; Kartographischen Verlag Reinhard Ryborsch map series no:7.
Side Festival: Last two weeks in September. Visit www.operabale.kulturturizm.gov.org
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