Side, Manavgat Mosque & Hidden Paradise Waterfall – Culture and a Forest Swim

Some excursions try to cram in everything. This one picks three very different places and gives each of them proper time: a working mosque in the morning, a Roman port town around noon and, after lunch, a waterfall in the woods where you can swim. You can join it three days a week – Tuesday, Friday or Sunday – and we start collecting guests at about half past nine.

Morning at the Külliye Mosque

We begin in Manavgat at the Külliye Mosque – no other mosque in Antalya province is bigger – whose domes and slim minarets rise beside the river. Your guide explains how the building is laid out and what happens at prayer times. Visitors are expected to cover shoulders and knees, and women also cover their hair; the mosque usually lends headscarves at the door.

Side, the town on the cape

Side sits on a narrow headland, and its ruins are woven right into the modern town. On a one-hour walk with a licensed guide you see the great Roman theatre, streets once lined with columns, the old market square and the Temple of Apollo, whose surviving columns stand above the water. Then you have an hour of your own at the harbour to wander the lanes, browse the shops or sit in a café.

Lunch and a swim in the forest

At the Hidden Paradise restaurant you sit down to a lunch of chicken with pasta, rice and salad. From there a short path leads through the trees to the waterfall, where natural pools invite you in for a swim and the shade keeps you cool. At about 16:00 the bus heads back, reaching your hotel around 16:45 depending on the area.

What to pack

Wear shoes you can walk in and bring clothing that covers shoulders and knees for the mosque, plus swimwear, a towel and something dry for later. Sunscreen, a hat and a little cash for drinks complete the list – drinks are not included, everything else (transport, guide and lunch) is. Adults pay €35, children €25. If you would rather see the famous theatre of Aspendos, take our Aspendos and Side tour instead; for a lazy day on the water, the Manavgat river cruise is ideal.