Side Beach
Best for. Families who want wide soft sand, shallow gentle water and everything close at hand, with two thousand year old ruins beside the beach to fill a day when the children tire of the sea.
Best spot. West Beach for soft sand and calm shallow water near the old town, or Kumkoy a few kilometres along for more room and the gentlest gradual entry for little ones.
Know this. Side is genuinely easy for a family, but the central town beach gets very busy in July and August. Come in the shoulder months, or walk a little to West Beach or Kumkoy, for space and a calmer day on the sand.
Side is the easy answer for a family who wants soft sand, gentle water and everything within reach, set in a resort town built right among the ruins of an ancient harbour. The shore runs in wide stretches of golden sand on either side of the old town, the sea shelves gently so it stays shallow a long way out, and the promenade behind the beach is full of cafes, shops, showers and shade. For little ones who want to paddle and dig, and parents who want a cold drink and a sunbed close by, it is one of the most comfortable choices on this coast.
The honest read is that Side is genuinely family friendly but it is not a secret, and in July and August the central town beach can feel packed, hot and short on space by mid morning. The trick is to choose your stretch. West Beach, beside the old town, has soft sand and calm shallow water and tends to feel gentler than the busiest centre, while Kumkoy, around 4km along the coast, gives you more room and a long shallow gradual entry that families and non swimmers have favoured for years. Much of the sand is organised by hotels and clubs hiring sunbeds, so there is always service, with free public sand between for your own towel.
What sets Side apart is the history at your feet. The old theatre, the agora and the seafront Temple of Apollo stand right beside the beach, so a morning swim and an afternoon wander through two thousand year old ruins fill the same easy day, and children often love clambering the old stones as much as the sea. Come in the shoulder months for the easiest version of Side, arrive in the morning in peak season, walk a little to West Beach or Kumkoy when you want space, and keep young children within reach in the shallows, gentle as they usually are.
An organised resort shore with room to choose
Much of the Side shore is run by hotels and beach clubs hiring sunbeds and umbrellas, with free public sand between, so a family can pick service or space as the day calls for it. Names, opening and prices are set by each operator and change by season, so we describe the typical setup and mark the rest to be confirmed. See the Antalya beach clubs guide for the full directory.
Photo: Megasaray Westbeach Antalya via GoogleWest Beach and the resort sunbeds
West Beach, on the soft sand by the old town, is lined with hotel and club sunbeds and umbrellas backed by the promenade, and it is the gentler, calmer end for a family compared with the busiest central stretch. It is an organised resort beach rather than a single named club, with service close at hand and shallow water in front. Treat any sunbed rate as to be confirmed, since each operator sets the price by season, and come early in peak summer for a spot.
A resort town east of Antalya
Side sits on the coast east of Antalya city, a well served resort town reached by car, transfer or bus, with the old town set on a small peninsula and the beaches running along either side. Access to the sand is easy and flat from the town and the promenade, so a pushchair and a cool bag are no trouble, though parking near the centre is tight in peak summer, so come early or stay within walking distance.
Behind the sand you have everything a family needs, a promenade of cafes, restaurants, shops and showers, sunbeds and umbrellas to hire, and shade close at hand. Choose West Beach or Kumkoy for the softest sand and gentlest shallow water, pair the swim with the ancient ruins beside the beach, and keep young children within reach in the shallows, which are usually gentle but unpatrolled in places.
Photo: Megasaray Westbeach Antalya via GoogleBook a beach club
Tell us your dates and party size and we can arrange a sunbed on the soft sand at Side or point you to another easy Antalya beach to match your day, from a shallow family paddle to a calm afternoon in the shade. We reply by email.
We are an independent editorial resource. Booking requests are passed to clubs and operators, and some may earn us a commission at no cost to you. Prices, availability and opening status are set by the venue and are to be confirmed at the time of booking.
Common questions about Side
Is Side beach good for families?
Yes, Side is one of the easier family choices near Antalya. The shore is wide soft sand and the water shelves gently, so it stays shallow a long way out for a careful paddle, and the promenade behind the sand is full of cafes, shops and shade. The honest catch is that the central town beach gets very busy in peak summer, so families wanting more room often head to West Beach or out to Kumkoy.
Is the water at Side beach shallow and calm?
On the main sandy stretches the water shelves gently and stays shallow well out from shore, which is reassuring for children and non swimmers on a calm day. The sea is usually gentle in the sheltered bays, but it is unpatrolled in places, so judge conditions on the day and keep young children within reach near the shore.
Which beach in Side is best for young children?
West Beach has soft golden sand and calm shallow water and tends to feel softer and gentler than the busiest central stretch, while Kumkoy, around 4km from the centre, has shallow water and more room and is a long standing favourite with families and non swimmers. Both shelve gradually, which is the feature that matters most with little ones.
Can you see the ancient ruins from Side beach?
Side is built among the ruins of an ancient harbour town, so the old theatre, the agora and the seafront Temple of Apollo sit right beside the sand and the promenade. It makes Side one of the rare beaches where a swim and a wander through two thousand year old ruins fill the same easy day, which children often enjoy as much as the water.
When is the best time to visit Side beach with children?
June and September bring warm sea and reliable sun with lighter crowds than the July and August peak, when the town and the central beach are at their busiest and hottest. For a family the shoulder months mean easier parking, more space on the sand and a gentler pace, while the water stays comfortably warm for a swim.
