Day trip to Manavgat & Side from Antalya Turkey
Planning a trip to Manavgat from Antalya? Here is a perfect one-day trip to Manavgat, which will lead you to nearby “must-see” destinations, making the most of your time on vacation.
First, let’s talk about how to get there.
How to get to Manavgat?
When going to Manavgat, you have two options for transportation. You can either go by car, which is the easiest, or go by bus.
Bus
If you are unsure if it would be easy to get there, believe me, taking the bus has never been simpler. Even if you have a car, you might consider going by bus, so you won't waste your time searching for parking spaces.
- You DON’T need to buy any tickets beforehand.
- And every 20 min. another bus departs. So you are already off the stress whether you’ll miss it or not.
The bus departs from the otogar of Antalya, and stops here and there to pick up some passengers. If you stand beside a road where the Manavgat Bus passes forth, you can also raise your hand, and they’ll pick you up, making it easy since there’s no need for any reservation or planning ahead.
After passengers are seated, an attendant will collect the bus fare from each passenger. Be sure to keep cash on hand (small bills are even better) so you can pay.
Once you arrive in Manavgat, you can either disembark at the otogar (bus terminal) or at locations closer to the city center. If you want to get off at the city center, ask the captain if he can drop you off at the Çarşı, or Riverside.
Plan for the day:
Breakfast at the Riverside + walk
Manavgat Observation Terrace - View of the city
Waterfall + lunch (fish-sea bass)
Ancient City Side + Dinner
Back to Antalya
All these might seem too much in one day, but keep in mind that your journey will start in the early morning, and end late in the evening.
Breakfast at the Riverside
First, start your day off with a delicious breakfast at the Riverside. Manavgat is famous for its long river, ending in the Mediterranean Sea. Especially in the early morning, it appears to be very calm and smooth. You can find various breakfast places along the river, so you can go for the one that pleases you the most.
After breakfast, you can have a little walk along the river. The surroundings are really nicely organized, where you can rent a bike, do some sports, and even take a boat tour.
Manavgat Observation Terrace
Manavgat Seyir Terası, translated as the observation terrace, is located in the center of Manavgat. From there you will have a view of Manavgat, which is especially beautiful in the evening.
There is a nice park next to it, called Millet Bahçesi, where you can sit and enjoy your day.
How to get there? After crossing the yellow bridge I mentioned earlier, you only have to follow the main road until you reach a little hill. Once there you will immediately see signs, indicating the way up.
Waterfall
You can’t go to Manavgat and not visit the Manavgat Waterfall. So our next stop is the waterfall. It is a very nice and cool area to spend the hottest time of the day. Coupling it up with a delicious fish fresh from the river, can only bring it to a higher level. You can find various fish restaurants around the waterfall, so go for the one that attracts you the most. Read more here.
Ancient City Side
Side is a whole new world on its own. It is one of the most highlighted places of Manavgat. Some people suggest leaving a whole day for this town. For those who like to discover every little detail of the ancient remains, then you may consider dedicating more of your day to this destination. But Side offers little respite from the hot summer sun, so you may consider visiting later in the day. After 5pm is when the beauty of the sunset begins.
Back to Antalya
The last bus departing from Manavgat is at 9:30 PM. So make sure you’re on time to catch the bus.
At the entrance of Side, you can find various mini-buses going in different directions. The only thing you have to do is take a minibus that brings you to the otogar, which will take less than 30 minutes.
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