Travel tours and holiday tricks and tips in Side right now: Seven kilometers east of Aspendos, and about 70 kilometers northwest of Side, a long Seljuk-era hump-back bridge, with Roman foundations, crosses the Köprü River. Farther north, behind the village of Alabalik, the river narrows, marking the point where the mountainous and impressive Köprülü Canyon National Park (Köprülü Kanyon Milli Parkı) begins. This is the top spot in the region for white-water rafting trips, and half-day rafting trips are easy to arrange in both Side and Antalya. If you’re not fond of getting wet, the national park area has plenty of hiking options or, if you just want to admire the dramatic gorge scenery, there are cafés scattered along the riverside where you can relax and enjoy the views.
Our tour that we have organized bringing the Jeep safari and the rafting tour together takes you to the climax of adrenaline and enjoyment. While watching village life in the Taurus mountains in Jeeps on one side, see the wild nature along the Köprülü canyon river on the other side. Have a meal in a restaurant in the forest with a spectacular view on this tour lasting 8 hours. Don’t miss out on this adrenaline-filled activity organized for those who want to go on the Side Jeep safari and the rafting tour on the same day. The one-of-a-kind naturality of the Taurus mountains which is visited by thousands of people every year and the Köprülü canyon national park is waiting for you on this tour. We will pick you up in the morning from your hotel in the Side and Belek regions in 4×4 Jeeps. You will be able to see wildlife in its unique beauty as we begin our journey into the Taurus mountains.
Lonely Travel is a well known licensed travel agency in Alanya & Side. We organize travel tours services since 1997. We let our customers to save their time and money also providing them a high quality service. In our Travel Agency employees highly trained specialists that are licensed by the Ministry of Tourism of Turkey. We work 7 days a week to provide the best service to our guests. We organize more than 50 tours around Alanya and Side, each and every single excursion of ours is fully insured and maintained by our professional tour guides. Find more details at Side Hamam & Turkish Bath.
Alanya is a very popular resort town on the Turkish Riviera. The town is 120 km from the center of Antalya and has its own airport. Well known for its beautiful beaches, resorts, nightlife, and nature, Alanya welcomes millions of visitors from all over the world every year. To help you get maximum enjoyment from the city, we have prepared this guide to the best things to do in Alanya. The iconic Red Tower, where you can see traces of Seljuk Architecture, has been the symbol of Alanya for centuries. It’s located in the historical city center, right near the Seljuk Shipyard (Tersane). The octagonal building was built in the 13th century by Seljuk Sultan, Alaeddin Keykubad. When you look around from the top floor of the tower, the view encompasses the walls, towers and the harbor that surround the peninsula.
In ancient times, the surrounding region known as Pamphylia had a cluster of cities, many of which are compelling archaeological sites today. So while you’re on the Turkish Riviera a visit to an archaeological museum will always be worthwhile. Alanya’s is famed for a bronze statue of Hercules, dating from the 2nd century CE and just over half a metre tall. Also on show are intact amphorae from the 2nd century BCE, coins going back as far as 700 BCE, an inscribed Phoenician tablet from 625 BCE and a 46-line letter by the Roman emperor Septimus Severus. The museum also has an ethnographic section detailing local ways of life down the years, as well as an outdoor space showing ancient agriculture techniques, and funeral customs from ancient times through the Islamic era.
It’s impossible not to be awed by Taurus Mountains, and if you want to break out and experience this stirring landscape your best bet is the Sapadere Canyon, about 40 kilometres northeast of Alanya. The temperature is a few degrees lower in the mountains, and something that will strike you right away is the lack of humidity. In 1948 when Alanya’s peninsula was being quarried for stone for the harbour, workers stumbled upon a cave brimming with stalagmites and stalactites. At the foot of a stairway, the Damlataş Cave is 50 metres long and up to 15 metres high, and those bizarre concretions are carefully illuminated. Now, something to note about the chamber is its high humidity (96%), elevated carbon dioxide and constant temperature of 22°C. This might put off some visitors, but since it was first discovered the Damlataş Cave has been hailed for its therapeutic effects for people with respiratory complaints.
Tire is also known with a special ‘Kofte’ (Meat patty made of beef, lamp…). At a local restaurant enjoy Tire Kofte and also a special cheese desert made out of Lor Cheese (soft, uncured cheese like Ricotta) with black mulberry jam. Tire is also accesible by train from Izmir Basmane Train Station. It takes 1.5 hours with train to go to Tire frmo Izmir through several villages and towns. For travellers who have been to Ephesus and want to know more about Turkish culture Tire`s Tuesday farmers market is definetely worth seeing. Visit to Tire Farmers Market can be combined with a visit to the picturesque town of Birgi. If you have any questions about Tire or if you would like us to design you a private tour to Tire Farmers Market and Birgi Town, please do not hesitate to contact us.
You can plan a full day trip to see the ancient city of Side with the temples of Athena and Apollo, and the magnificent theater of Aspendos. The theater is one of the most distinguished representatives of Roman Age theaters today, with its well-preserved condition and architectural features. If you choose to make this trip with an organized tour, it will be either combined with the famous Manavgat bazaar where you can find many things such as souveneirs, clothes, spices, fresh fruits, and vegetables, or the marvelous Manavgat Waterfall. The itinerary depends on which excursion you book. Some have Side, Aspendos, and the waterfall, some have Side, Aspendos, and the bazaar. The weekly market days of the Manavgat Bazaar also make a difference.
Terrace Houses have gone down in history as a neighborhood located in the heart of Ephesus and appealing to the elite part of the city. Although there are no civilian residential areas in the center of ancient cities, Terrace Houses in Ephesus were an exception. The foundation of the Terrace Houses was laid in the 3rd century BC. After Ephesus became the capital of Asia, the neighborhood started to experience its brightest days (between the 1st and 3rd centuries AC). The most elite part of the city lived in the houses, so each residence was 400-950 square meters in size. The floors of the houses were decorated with mosaics and frescoes on the walls. Discover even more info on https://www.sideexcursion.com/.
Alanya is also within day-tripping distance of some of this Mediterranean region’s most well-known ancient sites and tourist attractions, so if you want to brush off the sand for the day and head out to explore, there is plenty to keep you occupied off the beach. As well as the places mentioned on this list, you can easily also make day trips to Antalya to visit its museum and stroll its old town district, Aspendos (Turkey’s most famous Roman Theater), and other major archaeological sites near Antalya such as Perge.
Cleopatra Beach very rightly gets all the glory, but if you want a change of beach scene, Alanya does have another strip of sand. Running southeast from Alanya harbor is the long shingle and sand shoreline of Portakal Beach, which trails along the city edge for around four kilometers, becoming known as Tosmur Beach at the very southeast end of Alanya, where the Dim River exits out into the sea. Portakal and Tosmur are backed by plenty of hotels and restaurants, and some beach clubs have also staked a patch along the beach length, offering sun loungers with shades, and waiter service for refreshments and food on the beach. Other facilities here include changing cabins and freshwater showers, and lifeguards patrol the sand during the summer season. Because of the beach’s length, even in the height of summer there’s always plenty of space for everyone, but if you’re seeking peace and quiet on this strip, head to the southeast end, which always has fewer beachgoers.