Side Airport Transfer & Taxi

Your local guide to Side

Beaches Either Side Of Ruins

Side sits on a small peninsula, so it has two distinct stretches of coast. The western beach runs long and sandy towards Kumkoy and Colakli, with gently shelving water that suits families and easy swimming. The eastern side is rockier and more sheltered, dotted with little coves and the famous spot where the Temple of Apollo columns frame the sunset. Sunbeds, umbrellas and beach bars line most of the sand, and the water is clear enough for snorkelling near the rocks. Because the old town tapers to a point, you are rarely more than a short walk from the sea wherever you stay. Mornings are quiet and golden; by midday the western beach fills with sunbathers and gentle surf.

Ancient Sights And Day Trips

Beyond the harbour ruins, Side rewards anyone curious about the ancient world. The restored Roman theatre, the agora, the Roman baths now housing the small archaeology museum, and the monumental Vespasian gate all sit within the walkable old town. A short drive inland brings you to the Manavgat Waterfall and the green river that feeds it, while the Roman ruins of Aspendos, with its remarkably intact theatre, and the temples at Side's neighbour Seleukeia make rewarding half-day trips. Boat tours leave the harbour for swimming stops and coastal cruising. Alanya's bigger attractions, the Castle, Cleopatra Beach, Dim Cave and Sapadere Canyon, lie further east along the D-400, an easy transfer if you want to combine both areas in one holiday.

Old Town And Resort Edges

Side really has two characters. The historic peninsula is pedestrian, atmospheric and full of small boutique hotels and guesthouses tucked between marble fragments and bougainvillea, ideal for couples and culture-minded travellers who want to step out into the ruins at dusk. The surrounding resort villages, Kumkoy, Colakli, Evrenseki and Titreyengol, are where you find the larger all-inclusive complexes, spread back from broad sandy beaches and better suited to families wanting pools, space and a quieter base. Long-stay visitors tend to pick the resort fringes for value, then wander into the old town for evenings. Wherever you land, transfers from Antalya (AYT) are straightforward, and the compact centre means you can leave the car behind.

Harbour Tavernas And Markets

Dining in Side leans towards fresh fish and meze, with harbour-front tavernas where the catch is laid out on ice and you choose by eye. The pedestrian lanes mix Turkish grills with international menus aimed at the many visitors, plus gozleme stalls, ice-cream counters and tea gardens for slower afternoons. Souvenir shops, leather and textile traders and jewellers crowd the main streets, and gentle haggling is part of the ritual. For a more local rhythm, the weekly market towards Manavgat is the place for produce, spices, olives and cheese. Daily life here is seasonal and relaxed: early swims, lazy lunches in the shade of ancient stone, and long evenings when the floodlit temple turns the whole headland into a stage.

Your private transfer to Side

Most visitors reach Side through Antalya Airport (AYT), only about 65 km away on the smooth coastal highway heading east, while Gazipaşa-Alanya (GZP) sits much further at roughly 105 km, so AYT is almost always the convenient choice. The drive is straightforward and mostly flat, the final stretch turning down toward the peninsula where the Apollo Temple, the Roman theatre and the colonnaded streets meet the sea. Because Side's old town is pedestrian, hotels in the surrounding Side, Selimiye, Kumkoy, Colakli and Sorgun zones each have their own access points, and a local driver knows exactly where to drop you. With AlanyaTransferTaxi you get a fixed price agreed in advance, a name-board meet and greet in arrivals, free hotel pickup, free child seats on request, and you simply pay the driver at the end.