While in Antalya, I booked an all day tour to Perge (pronounced ‘pair-gay’), Aspendos, and Side (pronounced ‘see-day’).
The first stop was to the ancient city of Perge, which is known for its preserved Roman and Greek ruins. Key features include its monumental gates, a large stadium that could hold 12,000 spectators, a theater, and a long colonnaded street. Our guide gave us a little history of the city and helped us to visualize some of the buildings and its use. There was a small arena that was used for killings or fights. He mentioned that perhaps someone was arrested for stealing. They would be given the necessary tools to fight a lion. However, if the crime was considered more severe, the person would have to defend against a lion without any tools. People would come from the surrounding cities and pay to witness the torture of person or animal.
The next stop was to Aspendos to visit the Roman theatre that was built in the 2nd century. It’s one of the best preserved ancient theaters of the Greco-Roman world (per Wikipedia). They still host events there, like the Aspendos International Opera and Ballet Festival.
The last stop was to the city of Side, which is a resort town on Turkey’s southern Mediterranean coast. Known for long beaches and Greco-Roman ruins and the Temples of Athena and Apollo. The Old Town had a lot of shops and restaurants. However, instead of having lunch here, we stopped at a predetermined spot outside of the city. During lunch we all had a chance to learn a little more about each other. There was a couple from Belgium, a young woman from China, a mother and daughter coming from different countries to meet up in Turkey, and a couple from India. Interesting people and good conversations. The food was surprisingly good. I say this because most of the times the spots selected on tours haven’t always been the best.
