Side
Temple of Apollo
When I first visited Side in 1982, it was a small sleepy Turkish fishing village with a small harbour and some
tourist shops. The past 20 years Side has known a startling transformation. Tourism is now big business in Side and in the summer season this
holiday resort and the adjacent luxury hotels are filled with package tourists that come to Side for the long wide sandy beaches next to the
remnants of antiquity. However, Side retains its charm and it is unique in Turkey as a living open-air museum in a
spectacular setting.
The name Side probably means pomegranate in some ancient Anatolian
language. The site was colonized by Aeolians, a Greek people, at about 600 BC. With a population of 60,000, it was the largest, richest port in
Pamphylia. When Alexander the Great captured the city in 333 BC its people spoke a language unknown to the invaders and it is still not deciphered.
Initially, Side's wealth was based on slave trade and piracy, which flourished under the Greeks. These practices were stopped when the city
came under Roman control. Under the Byzantines, Side was important enough to have its own bishop. In the 7th century AD Arab raids diminished the
town which was finally abandoned after earthquakes in 1150. In the 19th century Muslims from Crete settled in Side.
We stayed for one night in Hotel Lale Park, Lale Caddesi Tel. +90 (0)242 753 1131), which had a very friendly manager.
Click on the thumbnails to get a greater picture
