How to Get to Side, Turkey
According to cachedhealth.com, the nearest airport to Side is in Antalya, but for those who do not like to fly or are not in a hurry, there are other travel routes – by land and sea.
By plane
Air communication connects Antalya with Rostov-on-Don, Magnitogorsk, Omsk, Sochi and other cities. The schedule of the capital’s airports Domodedovo, Sheremetyevo and Vnukovo has direct flights from Aeroflot and Turkish Airline. You can fly cheaper, but longer and with transfers in Istanbul and Ankara – from 445 USD, the journey will take 5.5-18 hours. The flight is organized by Pegasus Airlines and Turkish Airlines. Prices on the page are for August 2022.
Aeroflot, Airfrance and Belavia run from Pulkovo in St. Petersburg. All flights with 1-2 transfers in Moscow, Paris, Istanbul and Minsk. Time spent – 10-14 hours.
From Antalya Air Gate to Side is about an hour drive. Taxi drivers are on duty at the exit from the terminals, a trip to the hotel will cost 370-450 TRY. From the bus station near the airport, regular minibuses – dolmushi – run.
By bus
You will have to spend more than 3 days on the way. There are many options – through Bulgaria, Greece, Georgia and other countries. You can get to the Georgian resort of Batumi – from Moscow, the journey will take 48 hours. Then you need to transfer to the bus to Antalya of the Turkish carrier Metro (off. site in English), spending another 26 hours. And from there – in Side by taxi or dolmush.
Traveling by bus in Turkey is comfortable – all cars are equipped with air conditioning, TVs, and Wi-Fi is available on some routes.
On a ferryboat
From the sea passenger port of Sochi every Tuesday and Friday, high-speed ships depart for Trabzon (off. website of the carrier “Olympia Line”). The cruise lasts 4.5 hours. Then you have to take a bus to Antalya – 21 hours and 170 TRY one way.
Side district
The resort of Side stretches for 20 km along the Turkish Mediterranean in both directions from a small cape – the historical center of the ancient Greek city. It is there that most of the attractions are concentrated. Those wishing to combine beach and sightseeing holidays are better off staying nearby.
To the west of the center is a popular tourist area. It is distinguished by clean and beautiful, but in the high season – very crowded beaches. There are many hotels and hotel complexes here. A large selection of housing on the first coastline, prices for a double room range from 370 to 2000 TRY.
There are also several hotels to the east of the peninsula. The beaches here are less lively, this area is usually chosen by adherents of secluded relaxation. However, it is easy to get to the historical center from here, so there will be no problems with excursions.
For those who want to relax on a budget, it is better to look for accommodation near the historical center. A 5-15 minute walk from the coast you can find rooms for 350 TRY per day.
On both sides of Side there are several settlements, which are sometimes included in this resort area. In Cholakly there are beaches convenient and safe for children, in Kyzylagach there is a market with a large selection of souvenirs and resort hotels for families, in Kumkoy there are youth clubs and parties until the morning.
Side hotels
Most of the accommodation options in Side are represented by hotels, there are also apartments and guest houses, but there are very few of them. Almost all hotels are within walking distance from the sea and operate on an all-inclusive basis, some have their own beaches. The resort has many 5 * hotels – large complexes with an appropriate level of service, swimming pools, water parks and various additional options. The range of prices is large – from 300 to 32,000 TRY per night in a double room.
The cost of living in Side is highly dependent on location. It is cheaper to settle on a cape, in the area of the historical center, or away from the beaches.
The cheapest option is motels. An inexpensive hotel can be found for 200 TRY, without “stars” and food, some may include breakfast in the price. There are fewer middle-class hotels, “triples” and “fours”, in Side than “fives”. Prices start from 420 TRY per night in a double room, with all-inclusive offers starting from 1100 TRY.
Transportation
You can move around Side by local minibuses – dolmushes – or taxis. There are no special tourist passes, as well as tickets – the fare is paid to the driver upon landing. A trip around the city and to nearby settlements will cost 4-5 TRY. Minibuses run from 5:00-7:00 to 22:00-1:00, the network is well developed – it is easy to get to the center even from the most remote areas. In the high season, transport is crowded.
The city has an official taxi – yellow cars with an inscription on the ceiling. Drivers willingly stop on the street, but you can also order a car at the hotel reception. The cost depends on the distance – 3 TRY per landing and 4.5 TRY per km. Recognizing a tourist as a passenger, taxi drivers sometimes overestimate it. The same is true with foreign currency – dollars and euros are accepted for payment, but the exchange rate is unfavorable. You can protect yourself by demonstrating your awareness. All taxi fares are fixed, cars are equipped with meters. When landing, it is better to remind the driver to turn it on. You should also carefully check the change from a large bill.
Many hotels in Side offer bicycles for rent, and there are specialized rental shops in nearby Manavgat. They cost from 70 to 180 TRY per day.
Rent a Car
Those who plan to visit many attractions in the vicinity of Side, Antalya and Manavgat should consider renting a car in order to travel in comfort and not depend on the schedule.
The roads are quiet, but the locals drive quite aggressively. There are almost no serious traffic jams, but often only one car can pass through the narrow streets. Drivers take turns driving away, reversing and letting each other pass. There are practically no parking lots in the central part of the city, closer to the outskirts there are free and paid parking lots (5-10 TRY for 2-5 hours, depending on the area, can reach 20 TRY per hour). At night, the car can most likely be left near the hotel.
Branches of large international companies are located at Antalya Airport – Bedget, Avis, Hertz and others. There are many small local offices in Side, in addition, sometimes you can rent a car right at the hotel. In small firms, prices are lower, but there is a high risk of running into unscrupulous distributors and overpaying. In large proven companies, an economy class car costs from 920 TRY per day.
