Topkapı Palace
The sultans’ palace on Sarayburnu: courtyards, the Imperial Council, the treasury and the terraces over the water. Dated entry, sold online on its own site.
Side Museum
A Roman bathhouse in the ancient port of Side, restored as a museum for finds from the 1946-1966 excavations, and reputedly the first museum opened in a Turkish village.
About the museum
Side, on a peninsula about 8 km from Manavgat, was the most important port city of ancient Pamphylia. Its name is thought to mean pomegranate in a local Anatolian language. Ruled at various times by Lydians, Persians and Alexander the Great, harried by pirates, and later folded into the Roman province of Asia, the city has a story that reaches back to the eighth century BC.
The museum receives visitors inside a Roman bathhouse in the middle of the ancient city, restored for the purpose. Its collection comes largely from the Side excavations directed by Professor Arif Müfid Mansel between 1946 and 1966. It is also said to be the first museum opened in a village in Turkey.
The setting adds a lot: vaulted bathhouse halls make a handsome backdrop for sculpture and finds, and the museum sits within easy walking distance of the rest of the ancient town.
Tips
- Combine it with the nearby Side Theatre and the rest of the ancient town on foot.
- Visit early or late in the day in summer, when the peninsula is hottest.
Questions
When is Side Museum open?
According to the Ministry’s listing it opens at 08:30 and closes at 21:00 (last entry 20:30). Open every day.
Can I buy tickets for Side Museum on this site?
No. This site sells no tickets. Topkapı Palace, the Basilica Cistern, Hagia Sophia and Dolmabahçe Palace are sold on our sister sites; for Side Museum, buy at the ticket office or on the Ministry’s official e-ticket system.
Where is Side Museum?
Side Museum is in Antalya, Türkiye — Side Mahallesi Liman Caddesi No:1 Manavgat / Antalya.
Nearby
Antalya
Olympos Archaeological Site
A Lycian coast city hidden in a wooded valley beside a beach, once a pirates' haven, with a theatre, a Byzantine church and the eternal flames of Chimaera nearby.
Antalya
Perge Archaeological Site
One of Turkey's best-preserved Roman cities, on a plain east of Antalya, with a Hellenistic gate, colonnaded streets, theatre and stadium.
Antalya
St. Nicholas Monument Museum
The church at Demre (ancient Myra) built over the tomb of St. Nicholas, the bishop who became the model for Santa Claus, with frescoes and an audio guide.
Antalya
Phaselis Archaeological Site
A trading city on a pine-covered peninsula with three harbours, visited by Emperor Hadrian and Alexander the Great, and known for its water-supply engineering.
Istanbul tickets online
Four Istanbul landmarks, each sold on its own site by the agency behind this guide — dated entry and free cancellation up to 24 hours.
Basilica Cistern
Justinian’s great underground reservoir: 336 columns in still water and the two Medusa heads. Fast-track entry with a digital audio guide.
Hagia Sophia
Justinian’s cathedral, the sultans’ mosque and a working mosque again today. The ticket admits you to the upper visitor gallery.
Dolmabahçe Palace
A nineteenth-century palace on the water’s edge: the Selamlık, the Ceremonial Hall under its chandelier, the crystal staircase and the Harem.