The popular Turkish resort of Side is located between Antalya and Alanya on a picturesque green peninsula of the Antalya coast, washed by the emerald waters of the Mediterranean Sea. The landscape of the area is a vast fertile plain stretching at the foot of the Taurus Mountains and gradually transitioning into a golden sandy shoreline. The resort is abundantly covered with forest areas. A vacation with children in Side guarantees tourists a lot of pleasant impressions.
About the Resort
The first settlements date back to the 7th century BC. Throughout its long history, the city has experienced periods of prosperity and oblivion. It transformed from a Greek colony, a pirate haven, and a fishing port into a prestigious resort with developed tourist infrastructure.
This small colorful town is famous for its well-maintained beaches, comfortable hotel complexes, and historical landmarks. Many ancient architectural monuments have been preserved: an amphitheater, colonnades, ruins of ancient temples and palaces, Roman baths, and fragments of walls with decorative designs.
Staying in this area will appeal to travelers who want to combine a beach holiday with walks and rich excursion programs. The calm and measured atmosphere, shallow crystal-clear turquoise sea, beaches with golden velvet sand, and excellent hotel service all contribute to a comfortable family time.
Features
Tours to the resort are ideal for those tourists who prefer a serene vacation. The city harmoniously combines a relaxed resort idyll with historically significant ancient sites belonging to different civilizations. Along the coast, there are hotels, cafes, restaurants, and nightclubs. Well-equipped beaches are filled with water attractions. The hotel complexes offer a variety of entertainment programs for vacationers.
The resort area consists of several settlements, each with its own characteristics. The villages of Sorgun, Titreyengöl, and Kızılagach attract tourists with their stunning palm, pine, and orange groves. In a secluded bay sheltered from winds lies the corner of Kumköy. The Çolaklı area does not have an abundance of greenery, but this shortcoming is compensated by the presence of a well-developed hotel base.
Which Hotel to Choose
A wide selection of modern hotels of various star ratings is one of the resort’s advantages. Guests can choose a luxurious hotel to their taste and budget. Tourists are offered first-class vacation conditions that can satisfy various demands.
Hotel complexes have their own developed infrastructure. Many are oriented towards accommodating families with children, as evidenced by the presence of playgrounds, pools, small water parks, and park areas for pleasant walks.
Otium Family Stone Palace 5*
Located in the Çolaklı area, the complex consists of seven 5-story buildings surrounded by beautiful gardens and tall trees with lush canopies. The extensive grounds feature pools with water slides, children’s carousels, swings, trampolines, sports fields, a wellness center, bars, and restaurants.
A tiled path among flowering shrubs and palm alleys leads to the hotel’s private beach. The golden sandy shoreline is equipped with sunbeds, umbrellas, and changing rooms. The beach also has a water entertainment center offering banana boat rides, jet skiing, boat trips, and parasailing.
Port River Hotel Spa 5*
Ideal for family vacations, it is located seven kilometers from the city center. The building is shaped like a multi-story cruise liner and rightfully has a five-star rating. Guests have access to a spa, gym, playgrounds, outdoor and indoor pools, water slides, hammam, and restaurants. Spacious, bright rooms are equipped with air conditioning, bathrooms, TVs, and balconies.
A professional team of animators hosts lively shows and musical concerts for guests every evening. The sandy-pebble beach is 300 meters away, accessible by walking through a pine alley or by electric car. Near the beach, there is a bar, and the shoreline is lined with comfortable sunbeds, umbrellas, showers, and changing rooms.
Lake & River Side Hotel & Spa 5*
Located between the Manavgat River and Lake Titreyengöl, the complex consists of four buildings constructed in Ottoman architectural style. The interiors reflect the centuries-old Mediterranean wealth of Anatolian civilization.
The compact grounds are adorned with flowering shrubs and palm alleys. Guests can enjoy adult and children’s pools with slides, a spa, hammam, children’s room, fitness center, restaurants, and bars. Excellent service ensures a first-class vacation. Rooms with bathrooms are furnished with standard sets of furniture: beds, tables, chairs, and wardrobes.
Guests are entertained with various shows, discos, performances, and quizzes. The sandy beach is 750 meters away, accessible by bus or by walking along a wooded path by the lake. The sandy-pebble shoreline has all necessary resort amenities.
Dream World Hill 5*
A seven-story building with a characteristic blue facade, located five kilometers from the historic center. The grounds feature several pools, water attractions, restaurants, and bars. The spacious rooms’ interiors meet five-star standards.
Rooms are equipped with everything needed for a comfortable stay: beds with soft mattresses, spacious wardrobes, desks, nightstands, TVs, safes, air conditioning, refrigerators, and bathrooms with showers. Guests can use the gym, spa, and sauna. Children will enjoy the playroom filled with various toys.
Professional animators host evening discos and colorful shows. The private sandy beach is 400 meters away, lined with sunbeds and umbrellas. The beach has showers, changing rooms, and a bar offering a variety of refreshing drinks and snacks.
Royal Atlantis Spa & Resort 5*
Located in Çolaklı on the first beach line, the complex consists of four six-story buildings. The spacious rooms’ interiors are decorated in light tones. The well-maintained grounds are planted with flowers, conifers, and palm trees.
Facilities include pools and water slides, an amphitheater and cinema, restaurants and bars, sports and play areas, a spa, and a hammam. The developed infrastructure provides excellent conditions for a memorable family vacation. Children are entertained by a kids’ club with programs designed by animators.
Acrobats, gymnasts, dancers, and musicians host exciting evening shows. The hotel’s extensive beach is covered with soft golden sand. Sunbeds and umbrellas are freely available for guests. The entrance to the emerald sea bay is quite gentle.
FUN&SUN FAMILY Serra Palace 5*
A magnificent complex offering a pleasant experience for family vacationers. It consists of a three-story and a five-story building, as well as 21 bungalow-type structures. The buildings are located near the seashore. Rooms are equipped with TVs, air conditioning, safes, and minibars. Spacious apartments are furnished with comfortable furniture.
The resort offers a wide range of services. Various entertainment options for adults and children make the vacation unforgettable. The well-maintained green grounds feature two water parks, several pools, a children’s town with attractions, sports fields, a gym, an amphitheater, a spa, and a sauna. Animators host various sports competitions, contests, and concert programs. The private beach stretches 150 meters.
Crystal Admiral Resort Suite & Spa 5*
Perfect for an active family vacation, located on a picturesque Mediterranean shore. The complex consists of one majestic six-story building constructed in a semicircle. The hotel’s interior is interesting, featuring stairs, panoramic elevators, glass partitions, long corridors, transparent domes, and spacious relaxation areas, creating a cozy and luxurious atmosphere.
Each furnished room is equipped with a TV, air conditioning, and a safe. The grounds are decorated with neat green lawns, palm and flower alleys, and conifers. Guests have access to five pools, a water park, a gym, sports fields, a Turkish bath, and a spa.
Water attractions, pool games, aqua aerobics, and entertaining shows will bring joy to tourists. Bars and restaurants offer delicious dishes and refreshing drinks. Children can enjoy play clubs and playgrounds. The private sandy-pebble beach is 50 meters away, with all necessary resort amenities available.
Club Hotel Turan Prince World 5*
The complex consists of one four-story main building and numerous two-story villas. Family tourists are offered a wonderful vacation in comfortable conditions. The grounds are lush with exotic plants, including citrus trees, palms, and shrubs.
Guests can enjoy a wide range of entertainment options, including pools, a water park, an amusement park, a spa, and a mini-zoo. Sports enthusiasts can play football, tennis, volleyball, and basketball. Playgrounds and play areas are available for young tourists.
A professional team of animators hosts day and evening entertainment events, including discos, aerobics, contests, sports competitions, theatrical performances, and shows by dancers, clowns, and gymnasts. Rooms are equipped with air conditioning, TVs, refrigerators, and comfortable furniture. The wide sandy beach is 100 meters away, lined with sunbeds and umbrellas.
Bosphorus Sorgun Hotel 5*
A modern eight-story building rises between the sea coast and the Manavgat River. The expressive facade is adorned with original decorative elements resembling honeycombs. The hotel offers high-level service and a wide range of entertainment options. Guests have access to a cinema, gym, children’s play areas, spa, restaurants, and bars.
Spacious rooms are equipped with air conditioning, TVs, and minibars. Panoramic windows allow guests to enjoy picturesque landscapes.
Guests can use the uniquely shaped outdoor pool with an area of 1200 m2. The restaurants serve a wide variety of delicious dishes in a buffet style. The sandy beach is 100 meters from the hotel, with sunbeds and shade canopies available. Animators entertain adults and children throughout the day.
Vonresort Golden Coast 5*
Located in Çolaklı, near the resort center, the complex consists of a main six-story building and two four-story buildings. The diverse infrastructure ensures a memorable experience for adults and children.
The well-maintained grounds feature lawns, palm alleys, and flowering shrubs. Guests can use outdoor and indoor pools, a water park, a fitness center, a spa, sports fields, a playroom, a kids’ club, bars, and restaurants. Animators host various contests, competitions, games, and exciting evening shows with excellent choreography.
A wide sandy beach is nearby, lined with rows of sunbeds and umbrellas. The sea entrance is gentle. The beach has changing rooms and showers. Guests can enjoy various water activities, including banana boat rides, jet skiing, parasailing, diving, and boat trips.
Which Beach to Choose
Side combines historical landmarks with stunning shorelines. The shallow, crystal-clear waters of the Mediterranean Sea make the Turkish town especially popular with families with children. The coastline is divided into western and eastern beaches, separated by a cape. The sandy strip of the western shore stretches for several kilometers.
The gentle entry into the emerald waters of the Mediterranean is perfect for safe swimming for children. Some areas have depths not exceeding 50 cm even 100 meters from the shore. The resort area has well-developed infrastructure. Guests can enjoy a wide range of entertainment options for all tastes and ages, including various water attractions, restaurants, clubs, shops, and discos. The beach area is densely lined with sunbeds and umbrellas, with changing rooms and showers available.
For a more secluded and peaceful vacation, the eastern shore is recommended. The sandy strip is covered with golden coarse sand, adjacent to orange groves and cotton fields. The sea bay here is deeper than on the western part of the resort. There are no bars, nightclubs, or shops along the shore. The beaches are equipped with sunbeds, umbrellas, showers, and changing rooms.
The resort encompasses several cozy villages where tourists can enjoy a serene family vacation by the sea. One such picturesque spot is Sorgun Beach, a well-maintained sandy strip surrounded by pine forests, palm groves, and citrus orchards. All entertainment is concentrated within hotel complexes.
Excursions
The wonderful resort offers tourists educational and exciting excursions to diversify the cultural program of their vacation. Organized tours are conducted by professional guides knowledgeable about Turkish landmarks.
The comprehensive excursion programs include visits to natural sites (caves, waterfalls, canyons, national reserves, mountain valleys, and lakes), tours of unique ancient architectural monuments, rafting on mountain rivers, yacht trips along the coast, and trips to popular Turkish cities.
Unforgettable impressions are guaranteed by exploring the underwater world of the Mediterranean Sea. The coast of Side features an amazing underwater world perfect for diving. Depending on the depth of the dive, you can encounter exotic marine fauna. Organized tours are available to Antalya, Alanya, Cappadocia, Istanbul, and other famous cities. A trip to the thermal springs of Pamukkale is also available to see the cascading terrace baths adorned with white calcium deposits.
Best Time to Visit
The tourist season lasts from April to November. The ideal time for swimming starts in June when the Mediterranean waters become warm enough. In the first month of summer, tourists with children can enjoy quiet and peaceful days. Few vacationers arrive at the start of the season.
From July to August, the subtropical heat sets in without precipitation. Air temperatures exceed +30°C. In addition to the extreme heat, the resort experiences a massive influx of people, significantly affecting prices.
The velvet season is an ideal period for a family trip. In September, the heat gradually decreases, while the sea water retains its summer temperature. Tourists can combine perfect beach holidays with excursions.
What to Take with You
When preparing for the trip, tourists should take some items to ensure a pleasant family vacation. First, gather all necessary documents: passports, children’s birth certificates, hotel booking vouchers, travel tickets, medical insurance for all family members, and airline tickets.
Clothing is an essential part of the luggage. Besides beachwear, tourists are advised to take light, bright clothes made of natural fabrics to feel comfortable in hot weather. Some warm clothes will be useful for evening coolness or trips to mountainous regions. Hotels offer fitness opportunities, so sportswear and shoes can complement the vacation wardrobe.
It is essential to bring a camera or video camera. The resort and its surroundings have stunning picturesque natural spots. Ensure you have extra batteries and chargers.
Remember to pack sunscreen, hats, comfortable shoes, and hygiene products. The travel first-aid kit should include antipyretics, anti-inflammatory drugs, antiseptics, itch relief ointments, and medicine for stomach upsets.
Entertainment
The thriving resort offers plenty of options for active and fun leisure. Despite the absence of large aquaparks and dolphinariums, both adults and children can find entertainment to their liking. Most high-class hotel complexes are oriented towards family vacations with children. The extensive green grounds of the hotels feature pools, small aquaparks, and play and sports fields.
On the beaches, guests can enjoy water activities such as banana boat rides, catamaran rides, tube rides, jet skiing, diving, parasailing along the coast, and luxury yacht cruises. A jeep safari around the picturesque surroundings will provide many pleasant family impressions. During these exciting trips, you can admire the local flora and fauna.
A visit to the city of Manavgat is worth attention. Located 40 kilometers from Side in a green valley, it is intersected by the Taurus Mountains. Manavgat is famous for its mesmerizing natural landscapes, including a grandiose waterfall where a mountain river cascades from a two-meter-high, 40-meter-wide ledge.
A visit to the “Discovery” park complex should be included in the entertainment program. The well-maintained green grounds feature a terrarium, aquarium, zoo, and an area with moving life-sized dinosaur figures.
Landmarks
The resort is famous for its well-preserved unique architectural monuments. The ancient city on its modern territory is separated from residential areas by a moat and small fortress walls, essentially serving as an open-air museum.
Here, you can see ruins of various structures, triumphal arches, fragments of walls, marble sarcophagi, skillfully crafted stone blocks, a market square with remnants of the foundations of trading rows, colonnaded streets, Roman baths, and many other historical ruins. One of the expressive landmarks of the ancient city is the amphitheater, built in the 2nd century BC.
This invaluable Roman cultural heritage impresses with its significant size. The structure served as an arena for gladiatorial battles. The theater features a semicircular stage and upward-reaching stone spectator stands with staircases. The building could accommodate over 16,000 people, who accessed their seats through a covered gallery.
The Temple of Apollo, a symbol of ancient Side, also garners interest. Only five columns remain of the once-magnificent shrine, each about nine meters high. The colonnade’s top is adorned with parapets featuring bas-reliefs and plant motifs.
Among the antique landmarks of the resort, the Nymphaeum Fountain deserves attention. This monumental architectural structure was originally a three-story building. The remaining facade, divided into sections and arched niches with Corinthian columns, still impresses with its grandeur.
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