Side is one of those rare places where a ruined Roman city sits right on top of a living seaside resort. You can wander between marble columns two thousand years old, then be on a sandy beach ten minutes later. For travellers with a taste for adventure, that same location makes an ideal base: the ancient stones are on your doorstep, and the wild Taurus foothills that host the region's off-road buggy trails begin just inland. This mini guide walks you through what to see in Side's ancient city and how a two-seat off-road buggy safari slots neatly into an active Antalya holiday.
A Quick Feel for Side
Side sits on a small peninsula on the Turkish Riviera, roughly between Antalya and Alanya, a short drive from Manavgat. It was a major port city in antiquity, prosperous enough to build a theatre for thousands, grand temples and a colonnaded main street. What makes it special today is that you don't buy a ticket to a fenced-off ruin and leave. The ancient city and the modern town are woven together: restaurants and shops share lanes with column stumps and broken pediments, and the whole peninsula is walkable.
That walkability is the key to enjoying it. Wear comfortable shoes, bring water and a hat in the warmer months, and follow the old street grid down towards the tip of the peninsula, where the best-preserved monuments face the sea.
The Roman Theatre
The theatre is the showpiece and the first thing most visitors head for. Built into a rise near the city gate, it once seated a very large crowd and remains one of the most complete Roman theatres on this coast. Standing in the tiers and looking out, you get a real sense of the scale of ancient Side, with the town and the sea spread beyond the stage wall.
Go early in the morning or in the late afternoon if you can. The midday sun on the pale stone is intense, and the softer light at either end of the day is far kinder for both comfort and photographs. Take your time on the upper rows for the wide view; it is one of the best vantage points in the whole town.
The Temple of Apollo and the Harbour
Walk on through the town to the very tip of the peninsula and you reach the reason many people fall in love with Side: the Temple of Apollo. A handful of tall columns have been re-erected right at the water's edge, and at sunset they glow gold against the sea. It is a small monument compared with the theatre, but its setting is unforgettable, and it is completely free to walk up to.
Beside it lies the old harbour area, the heart of the port that made Side rich. Today it is a gentle place to sit with a drink, watch the light change over the water, and imagine the trading ships that once tied up here. This corner of Side is at its most magical in the last hour before the sun goes down.
Beyond the Headline Sights
Side rewards a little wandering beyond the two famous monuments. Look for the remains of the agora, the ancient marketplace, and the well-preserved city gate and colonnaded street that guided visitors into town. The local museum, housed in a restored Roman bath, gathers many of the finest statues and carvings found on the site and is a cool, quiet stop in the heat of the day.
Just a short trip inland, Manavgat adds a river, a famous waterfall and a lively market, while the long beaches either side of the peninsula are there whenever you want to swap history for sand. It is easy to fill a relaxed day or two here without feeling rushed.
Where a Buggy Safari Fits In
Here is where the adventurous traveller gets the best of both worlds. Behind the resort strip, the land rises quickly into the Taurus foothills, and that terrain is exactly what the region's off-road buggy trails are built on. A two-seat off-road buggy is an open-cage machine with a roll cage and seatbelts. Two people share one buggy for a single price, which makes it a natural fit for couples and families; a child can ride buckled in safely beside a parent, so nobody has to be left behind.
The safari runs on real off-road ground rather than a tame track: forest and mud sections and shallow water crossings in the foothills, all with a lead guide setting the pace. No licence or previous experience is needed. You get a helmet, goggles and a proper safety briefing, and there is a practice lap before the trails begin, so first-timers settle in quickly. Helmet, goggles, guide and insurance are all included.
It pairs beautifully with a culture-heavy day in the ancient city. Spend the cool of the morning among the columns and the theatre, then head into the hills for a dusty, grinning afternoon of off-road. Because pick-up is arranged from your hotel, you don't need a hire car to make it happen.
Booking and Getting There
The buggy safari includes free hotel pick-up and drop-off, so wherever you are staying around Side, Manavgat or the wider Antalya coast, a driver comes to you and brings you back afterwards. Sessions run in either a morning or an afternoon slot; the exact pick-up time depends on where your hotel is and is confirmed when you book, so you can plan your ancient-city sightseeing around it.
Booking works on a reserve-free, pay-on-the-day basis. You lock in your date and place online without paying up front, and settle up on the day of the tour. Because prices can change with the season and the exact tour, always check the live price at the moment you book rather than relying on a figure you saw earlier.
How much time do I need for Side's ancient city?
A relaxed half-day is enough to see the theatre, walk to the Temple of Apollo and the harbour, and wander the main street. If you want to add the museum and a slower coffee stop, give it most of a day. That still leaves an afternoon free for a buggy safari.
Is Side suitable for families with children?
Very much so. The ancient city is open and walkable, the beaches are close, and the ruins are the kind children can explore rather than just look at. On the buggy safari, a child can ride buckled in safely beside a parent in the two-seat cage, so families can join in together.
Do I need my own car to combine sightseeing with a buggy safari?
No. Side's ancient city is best explored on foot, and the buggy safari includes free hotel pick-up and drop-off, so a driver handles the transfer to the trails and back. You don't need a hire car for either part of the day.
When is the best time of day to visit the ruins?
Early morning and late afternoon are ideal. The light is softer and warmer for photos, the stone is cooler underfoot, and the crowds are thinner. Sunset at the Temple of Apollo is the highlight, so many travellers save that corner for the end of the day.
The Takeaway
Few resort areas let you stand among genuine Roman ruins at sunset and tear along a muddy forest trail the same week, all from one base. Side gives you the ancient theatre, the sea-edge Temple of Apollo and an atmospheric old town, while the foothills just inland offer a two-seat buggy safari with free hotel transfer, gear and a guide included. Wander the columns in the cool hours, book your off-road afternoon reserve-free, and you have the perfect balance of culture and adventure on one Antalya holiday.