Manavgat-Aspendos-Ancient Side Tour

The tour to Ancient Side, Aspendos and Manavgat is a must for those who want to get acquainted with historical, cultural and natural sites of Turkey. The tour is arranged for a full day, with a lunch stop.

Side

Once this ancient city was one of the oldest Anatolian colonies of the Greeks. It was founded in the 7th century BC. Side’s history is rich. The city has experienced several ups and downs, a shift from faith in ancient Greek gods to Christianity. By the 9th and 10th centuries, Side was devastated and destroyed, and completely abandoned by the 12th century. Several earthquakes left ruins.
The city was revived only in the late 19th century thanks to Turkish settlers from Crete. The rich past times left such historical sites in Side:
– the ruins of the fortress walls and towers;
– the arch gates;
– the Roman theatre is the largest in the country with a capacity of  20,000 spectators. It is partially restored;
– the area of the old market place – Agora;
– Column Prospectus;
– Necropolis – graves, tombs, sarcophagi, monuments;
– Columns from the Temple of Apollo;
– the ruins of the temples of Dionysus, Artemis, Touche;
– the Roman Aqueduct;
– part of the Nimfeum Fountain;
– the ruins of Hellenistic and Roman buildings.

Aspendos

Another well-known site of the region is Aspendos. This ancient city was founded after the Trojan War. At various times it was under the authority of Lycians, Persians, Alexander the Great, Seleucids, Pergamum, Romans and Seljuks. During the Byzantine Empire, it began to decline. Soon after the Seljuk conquest in the 13th century, the city ceased to exist.
The main attraction of Aspendos is the ancient Greko-Roman amphitheatre with the seating capacity of 10,000 spectators. The steps are located at an interval of 0.5 m. They are 96 m long and have 39 rows in total.
The amphitheatre is unique in its beauty and acoustics. It was built in the middle of the 2nd century AD by the Greek architect Zenon. In the 13th century, the Seljuks reconstructed the stage into a palace. Various shows and concerts were held there until 2008, when a new theater was built.

Manavgat Falls

The nature of Turkey is magnificent. One of its attractions is the Manavgat Waterfall. It is located 3 km far from the town of Manavgat.
The height of the waterfall is only 3 m, and its width is much higher. The observation deck has been set up to admire the beauty of the local nature. The Manavgat River flows from the eastern slopes of the Taurus Mountains among the canyons, and after the waterfall through the plain.

Merkez Külliye Camii Mosque

The architecture and decoration of the temple are peculiar due to such features:
– there are 4 minarets. Each one is 60 m high and has 3 balconies;
– the huge carved 30-metre dome and 27 small domes;
– a stone structure for bathing in the form of a flower at the entrance;
– floor carpets;
– painting on walls and ceiling;
– white and blue tiling;
– there’s a big crystal chandelier.
This temple, which is the largest on the Antalya coast, was built in 2004. At the same time, there may be 4,000 worshippers in the mosque.
You can book Manavgat-Aspendos-Ancient Side tour from Alanya through our website. The price includes a round-trip transfer, a lunch after visiting Aspendos and attending a leather or jewelry store.