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Car hire in Side is the smartest add-on to a package holiday on the Turkish Riviera — not a car for the whole stay, but one or two days for a specific plan. Side sits on a ribbon of all-inclusive hotels from the centre out to Sorgun, and most travellers transfer in, settle into the hotel, then hire a car for the day trips the coach won't time well.
A family of four from Manchester, staying at Voyage Sorgun on a TUI package, hired for two days only — Aspendos loop on day one, Kaleiçi on day three. The car cost less than the hotel excursion to Aspendos alone.
The other thing that sets Side apart is its geography. The drive in from Antalya Airport (AYT) is 75 km of flat dual carriageway: no mountain passes, no hairpins, no tunnels. After Kemer or Marmaris, the road feels like a holiday in itself — just a wide D400 with farmland either side.
75 km of flat D400 from AYT
AYT to Side is 75 km on the D400 — about an hour to 1h15 outside rush hour. The road runs across the flat coastal plain: wide divided carriageway, long straights, and junctions signposted in Latin script. This is the strongest argument for choosing Side with families and first-time drivers in Turkey who don't fancy tackling mountain roads after a night flight.
What that means in practice
A driver with limited experience of Turkish roads will handle it easily. MOBESE and EDS speed cameras are common on the D400, so stick to 90/120 and don't get drawn into the overtaking lane. Heading west to Antalya and Belek — the same flat D400. East to Alanya — also a flat coastal road.
A couple from Leeds drove into Aspendos at 9:50 on day one, after leaving Çolaklı at nine. The hotel rep had warned them off self-drive after a night flight; they reckoned it was the easiest motorway run they'd done abroad.
AYT is the default airport. GZP (Gazipaşa) is technically closer at around 110 km, but very few flights land there, and for a Side stay it's rarely worth the limited schedule.
Fiat Fiorino in Turkey
Everything went well; the rental service was very convenient for us—this is the second time we've used it. We had no issues with the car, and I hope we'll continue to use the service in the future.
Citroen C-Elysee in Turkey
The car rental service exceeded our expectations. The car was clean, serviceable, roomy and comfortable. We received the car with delivery to the hotel. Explained in detail how to refuel and what to do in case of an accident. The return of the car also passed without problems, the deposit was returned in full. We drove it through the serpentines absolutely calmly and with great comfort. We will contact them again on our next visit.
Peugeot 2008 in Turkey
everything's fine. I took the car from the same partner as 2 previous years and everything is great as it always was before 👍🏻.
Citroen C3 in Turkey
Everything's fine. No problems at all.
Fiat Egea in Turkey
Everything was good, except for some minor delays when dropping off and picking up the car. I liked the fact that the car was delivered immediately the next day from the moment of ordering.
Renault Symbol in Turkey
everything went perfectly! we had a slight misunderstanding with the delivery of the car - it was brought to a nearby hotel for some reason, but we figured it out, found each other, explained everything to us in an accessible way, signed the documents and parted. The only thing that was not very convenient was that the car was practically with an empty tank, but it was enough to get to the gas station, so everything was fine :) The driver's side mirror did not hold in the car, but we folded the piece of paper five times, put it between the casing and the mirror and that's it it was great :) otherwise the car is 100% working, I liked everything, what we paid for, we got it, and we paid very cheaply when compared with competitors! There was also a problem with the fact that the car did not come to the hotel either, but we successfully found each other again, the car was checked and we parted, everything ended well. Despite some unfortunate coincidences, I am very pleased and plan to contact you next year if we are in the same region! thanks for your work!
Renault Symbol in Turkey
everything was fine
Why book with us
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Local Side hosts
Your car comes from a small operator on the strip — Kumköy, Çolaklı, Sorgun — not a faceless desk in Antalya.
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Real hotel delivery
Free drop-off in the centre, Kumköy, Çolaklı and Evrenseki; flat fee in Sorgun and Kızılağaç.
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Debit cards welcome
UK and EU debit cards accepted for both payment and deposit on most of the local fleet.
Day trips from Side: the ancient loop and beyond
The classic one-day reason to hire a car in Side: Aspendos, Perge and Manavgat Waterfall in a single loop. No hotel excursion combines these three in the right order.
Morning: Aspendos
Aspendos is 47 km / 40 minutes north-west via Manavgat. One of the best-preserved Roman theatres anywhere. Ticket ₺250 (~$8). Allow ninety minutes on site.
Midday: Perge
Perge is another 30 minutes west (60 km from Side, about an hour). A vast ancient city — colonnaded street, Roman baths, agora. Ninety minutes on foot. Ticket ₺200 (~$6).
Late afternoon: Manavgat Waterfall
On the way back, Manavgat Waterfall is ten minutes north of Side. Parking is free or ₺30, with a ₺50 ticket. Half an hour around the falls and a coffee by the water.
A couple from Edinburgh did the full loop in a hire car for €72 all in. The hotel rep had quoted €120 a head for an Aspendos-only coach excursion — and that one didn't even include Perge.
Less obvious: Köprülü Canyon, Sapadere, Kaleiçi
Beyond the ancient loop: Köprülü Canyon for rafting (an hour north), Sapadere Canyon east of Alanya (90 minutes), and Antalya's Kaleiçi old town to the west — 75 km of flat D400 with paid municipal parking by the marina, then everything on foot.
Frequent Questions
75 km on the D400, 1 hour to 1 hour 15 outside rush. Flat highway, no mountain passes, no toll sections. Junctions signposted in Latin script.
AYT by default — 75 km, 130+ hire operators in the terminal, all the international chains. GZP is only worth it if your charter is genuinely scheduled there.
Yes. Centre, Kumköy, Çolaklı and Evrenseki — usually free. Sorgun, Titreyengöl, Kızılot, Kızılağaç and Çenger — €10–25.
No. The ancient peninsula is car-free. Park at the entrance: paid municipal lot at €5–10/day in season, with free roadside spaces further out.
47 km / 40 minutes north-west via Manavgat. Flat tarmac, easy to combine with Perge (+30 minutes) and Manavgat Waterfall on the way back.
75 km / 1 hour to 1 hour 15 west on the D400. Paid municipal parking near the marina; the old town is on foot from there.
65 km / about 1 hour east on flat coastal D400. Much easier than the Antalya–Alanya route, which goes over the mountains.
No. About 600 km / 7 hours each way on inland roads. Better to fly AYT–Kayseri or AYT–Nevşehir and hire a car at the other end.
Local Side operators accept UK debit cards (Revolut, Wise, Monzo, Starling) for both payment and the deposit. The international chains at AYT still want a credit card in the main driver's name with €500–1500 of available headroom.
International chains: €500–1500 held on a credit card. Locals: €0–300 in cash or on a debit card.
For UK travellers it's the standard MoneySavingExpert play. icarhireinsurance.com or a similar policy at around £40 per year is much cheaper than the £15+/day excess waiver sold at the desk and covers the same ground.
Basic CDW + TPL is standard. Excess €500–1500. Super CDW with no excess runs €5–8/day — on Side's flat roads it's worth it more for car park dings near Aspendos than for the driving itself.
No. Aspendos, Manavgat, Kurşunlu, Antalya and Alanya are all toll-free. HGS only matters if you're heading inland towards Istanbul or Ankara.
21+ with 1 year of licence for economy and mid-range. 25+ with 2 years for vans, SUVs and premium. Young driver fee €5–10/day at chains for 21–24-year-olds; locals are more flexible.
Mid-range — Toyota Corolla, Hyundai Elantra, VW Polo, $30–45/day. The boot fits luggage plus two child seats and the car sits steadily on the D400. Economy is fine on price but tight on boot for four.