The back lanes of the old town, away from the main harbour front, are where Side works best. The streets are genuinely medieval — narrow, shaded, and paved with the same stone that has been there for centuries. Souvenir shops open onto ruins, and house walls are made of blocks carved with Greek and Roman inscriptions turned upside down. It is a disorganised, atmospheric place, best explored in the morning before the main crowds arrive.
Old Town Lanes
A story
The old town of Side is built on top of the ancient city, and walking its narrow lanes means constantly encountering ancient stonework incorporated into later buildings. Door lintels made from Roman column sections, walls of mortared ancient blocks, and arches that started Roman and were rebuilt Byzantine are everywhere. The current street plan largely follows the ancient one, and the town's narrow peninsula shape meant there was never room for expansion — everything had to be built on what was already there.