If you are feeling like going to a warm place on Earth for this vacation which has not only a lot of history but also plenty of sights to see, then you cannot go wrong with traveling to Side, Turkey. Being an ancient Greek city in Anatolia (what has now become the Antalya province) which has been transformed into a resort town, you can just imagine how much history there is to explore.
The Many Ruins of Side
One of the main attractions offered by Side to its tourists and inhabitants is the great Side Theater which can house up to 15,000 spectators. It was actually built in Roman fashion instead of Greek because there was a lack of hillsides that could be hollowed out to allow for the latter style to be put into place. As with everything, time has taken its toll on this magnificent creation; the scena wall has collapsed while the proscenium lies under ruins.
Apart from the theater, there are also some other architectural marvels worth taking a look at, such as the city walls and city gates, especially the main one. There is an incredible quantity of buildings from the past lying in ruins, such as hospitals which date as far back as the 6th century and roman baths, not to mention a variety of museums which display arrays of sarcophagi from the Roman period. Also, be sure not to miss the ruined coliseum which was once used to host races and gladiatorial fights . If you look around, you can also find some of these afore-mentioned ancient buildings in a restored state, allowing you to at least somewhat partake in the same experience as the people who lived here thousands of years did.
Temples and Mythology Aplenty in Side
There is also a variety of temples to be found, most of which lie in ruins unfortunately. Most notably, there is the Temple of Apollo, the Tyche temple, Fortuna temple, and the Temple of Dionysus. If you are into mythology then you couldn't possibly ask for a better place to explore, as not only was Side a true clash between Greek and Roman cultures but it was also quite heavy on what we refer to today as mythology.
Side as a Vacation Location
If the goal for your vacation is to allow you to simply unwind, relax and enjoy the fresh air surrounded by thousands of years of ancient culture and history, then you definitely cannot go wrong with Side. Not only does it have more culture and history than a place could possibly bear (It was first conquered by Alexander the Great in 333 BC., and then by the Romans in 78 BC) but the whole place has been turned into a resort, meaning that you will have access to all the modern accommodations that you can expect from modern hotels, although you will get a better price considering the fact that you are not visiting a known Capital. There is enough of a variety of excursions to undertake, sports to practice and sights to see to put Side at the top of your list of vacation locations.
