Description

The pretty resort town of Side is a mix of old and new with modern hotels, restaurants, shopping centers and late night bars found amongst the ruins of the ancient city. The town is in fact placed on a peninsula with two stretches of great beaches on its sides. The remains of the roman baths and the magnificent second century amphitheatre in the center of the town are among the star attractions of the resort and attract quite a few archeological buffs to the place. The town is predominantly visited by German tourists, although the English, Dutch, Scandinavians and Russians also make a sizeable part of the visiting crowd.

Shopping

The packed streets that lead down to the sea are all filled on both sides with shops selling souvenirs and typical Turkish handicrafts like carpets, jewellery and leather goods. The other goods that are worth a buy are shoes, brassware, cheap fake designer clothing and all kinds of trinkets that are commonly found in such shops. The hawkers are known for their hard-selling techniques and shoppers are advised to be wary of them. The street market is located behind the amphitheater and is definitely worth a visit.

Restaurants

Restaurants in this tourist center consist of both sidewalk cafes to posh culinary palaces that cater mostly to foreign visitors. The food though is less authentic Turkish here, than elsewhere. Also almost all the restaurants offer similar menu of local Turkish cuisine plus some of the typical international ones. This could deprive visitors of having multiple options when it comes to choosing between cuisines on offer.

Night Life

The resort of Side is not known to have a very lively nightlife. Entertainment is mostly hotel based and is scattered far and wide throughout the town. The old town gets quite lively at night as there are several music bars and nightclubs. The amphitheatre occasionally hosts concerts of classical music, opera and ballet.

Activities

The beaches are shallow and slope down gradually, thus making it very safe for children too. There are plenty of sun-beds and parasols for visitors to just laze in the sun. Tourists can also opt from a huge array of water sports on offer banana boats, speed boating, water skiing and parascending. On land, visitors can opt for horse riding, jeep safari or can go on a tour of the mountain villages.

Communications

To call Turkey, the international country dialing code is +90. While calling from Turkey, the outgoing code is 00, followed by the relevant country code. There are internal dialing codes that are in use to call within Turkey; for example to call Istanbul Asya (Asia side) within Turkey is (0)216 and Istanbul Avrupa (Europe side) is (0)212. GSM 900 and 1800 networks cover most of the country. Internet cafes are available in the main towns and resorts.

Contacts

Turkish Tourist Office: +90 (0)212 573 4136 (Istanbul) or www.tourismturkey.org
Turkish Embassy, Washington DC, United States: +1 202 612 6700
Turkish Embassy, London, United Kingdom: +44 (0)20 7393 0066
Turkish Embassy, Ottawa, Canada: +1 613 789 4044
Turkish Embassy, Canberra, Australia: +61 (0)2 6295 0227
Turkish Embassy, Pretoria, South Africa: +27 (0)12 342 6053-7
Turkish Embassy, Dublin, Ireland: +353 (0)1 668 5240
Turkish Embassy, Wellington, New Zealand: +64 (0)4 472 1292
United States Consulate General, Istanbul: +90 (0)212 335 9000
British Embassy, Ankara: +90 (0)312 455 3344
Canadian Embassy, Ankara: +90 (0)312 459 9200
Australian Embassy, Ankara: +90 (0)312 459 9500
South African Embassy, Ankara: +90 (0)312 446 4056
Irish Embassy, Ankara: +90 (0)312 446 6172
New Zealand Embassy, Ankara: +90 (0)312 467 9054/6/8
Emergencies: 155 (Police); 112 (Ambulance)

Currency

TRY

Attractions

The very well preserved amphitheatre, the temple of Dionysos, the Palace of the Emperor, the Temples of Athena and Apollo are among the must visit attractions in Side. The museum too is a great place to check some of the local history. Those opting for a half day excursion can visit the Manavgat waterfalls or can go on a tour of the mountain villages. The ruins at Perge and Aspendos also make for interesting visit.

Language

Turkish

Language Description

The official language of Turkey is Turkish. However in almost all the main tourist areas, English is widely understood.

Tipping

Either a small change or a percentage of the bill is the customary tip given for most services in Turkey. Big hotels and restaurants generally add a service charge to the bill, but whenever that is not the case, 10 and 15% of the bill is expected as tips. While tipping taxi drivers, it is recommended to round up the bill. Attendants at Turkish baths expect 15% of the total bill as tips if the service offered has been good.