Ancient Pamphylia · Aspendos · Perge · Side
Belek Ancient Sites & Ruins Transfers — Fixed-Price Private Taxi
Private, fixed-price transfers from your Belek hotel to the great Roman and Pisidian ruins of Pamphylia and beyond — Aspendos, Perge, Side, Sillyon, Termessos and Köprülü Canyon. Your Mercedes Vito driver waits while you explore at your own pace, and the return is always included. No meter, free child seats, booking by WhatsApp.
Why Belek
The perfect base for ancient Pamphylia
🏛️ Belek lies in the heart of ancient Pamphylia: Sillyon is about 15 km away, Aspendos around 18 km (a 20–30 minute drive) and Perge roughly 22 km, so three of Turkey's richest Roman sites are all within half an hour of the hotel.
🏛️ Side and its seafront Temple of Apollo are about 44 km east along the D400 (35–45 minutes), making a morning-ruins, afternoon-beach day easy from a single base.
🏛️ The Roman bridges of Köprülü Canyon and the mountain cities of Selge and Termessos each sit roughly an hour into the Taurus, so they work as comfortable day trips without changing resort.
🏛️ Even the farther Lycian sites — Phaselis and Olympos, west of Antalya — are doable day transfers of about two hours each way, so Belek serves as one base for the whole region.
Fixed prices · per vehicle · driver waits
Ancient site transfer prices from Belek
The driver waits at the site while you explore and the return is included. Entry tickets are paid at each gate.
| Site | Era | From Belek | Drive | Sedan from |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aspendos UNESCO Tentative | Roman (theatre) in the ancient Pamphylian city of Aspendos (Greek origin) | 18 km | 20-30 min | €30 |
| Perge UNESCO Tentative | Roman (Pamphylian Greek city, with Hellenistic origins) | 22 km | 25-35 min | €40 |
| Sillyon | Pamphylian/Hellenistic, with Roman, Byzantine and Seljuk layers | 15 km | 20-30 min | €30 |
| Side Ancient City | Greek (Aeolian colonists from Cyme) in the Pamphylian plain; flourished as a major Roman-era port and trading city | 44 km | 35-45 min | €35 |
| Köprülü Canyon | Roman (bridges) and Pisidian/Hellenistic-Roman (Selge) | 57 km | 60-75 min to the rafting area | €65 |
| Selge | Pisidian (Greek-influenced), at its peak under Rome | 70 km | 90-120 min | €65 |
| Termessos UNESCO Tentative | Pisidian (founded by the Solymi), later Hellenistic and Roman | 71 km | 60-75 min | €65 |
| Seleukeia (Lyrbe) | Hellenistic / Pamphylian (Roman and Byzantine periods) | 65 km | 75-90 min | €60 |
| Phaselis UNESCO Tentative | Greek (Rhodian colony) in the region of Lycia; later Roman | 100 km | 80-100 min | €70 |
| Olympos UNESCO Tentative | Lycian (member of the Lycian League), later Roman and Byzantine | 115 km | 1h45-2h15 | €75 |
10 ancient cities & canyons
The sites we drive to
Each links to its own transfer page with the exact price, drive time and pickup notes.
Aspendos · UNESCO Tentative
Home to the best-preserved Roman theatre in the world, whose two-storey stage building survives virtually intact to full height — which is why it still hosts opera and ballet today — just 18 km from Belek.
Perge · UNESCO Tentative
Birthplace of the mathematician Apollonius of Perga, the 'Great Geometer', this Pamphylian city keeps a monumental Hellenistic gate reworked by the priestess Plancia Magna, a colonnaded water-channel street and one of Anatolia's most complete Roman stadiums.
Sillyon
One of only two cities in Asia Minor that Alexander the Great could not capture in 333 BC, this fortified hilltop keeps a Hellenistic wagon ramp, a rare Pamphylian-dialect inscription and two 13th-century Seljuk mosques among Byzantine ruins.
Side Ancient City
The five re-erected marble columns of its Temple of Apollo stand right at the water's edge on the tip of the peninsula — one of Turkey's most photographed sunset spots — above a Roman theatre that once seated some 15,000–20,000.
Köprülü Canyon
The mortarless single-arch Roman Oluk (Eurymedon) Bridge, built in the 2nd century AD and still passable, gave this canyon its Turkish name — 'bridged' — above a roughly 14 km gorge famous for white-water rafting and the mountain ruins of Selge.
Selge
A remote Pisidian mountain city set around 1,000 m up in the Taurus, whose huge Roman theatre — never reconstructed, unlike Perge or Side — still overlooks Köprülü Canyon in a wild, authentic state above the Eurymedon Bridge.
Termessos · UNESCO Tentative
The mountain stronghold at about 1,000 m that Alexander the Great likened to an eagle's nest and could not take in 333 BC, with a cliff-edge Hellenistic theatre, the rock-cut Tomb of Alcetas and sarcophagi scattered through the pine forest.
Seleukeia (Lyrbe)
Hidden on a pine-forested Taurus hilltop north of Side, this quiet ruin — disputedly Seleukeia or Lyrbe — preserves what is widely called the best-preserved agora in all of Pamphylia, a two-storey colonnaded market with shop rows, an odeon and a library.
Phaselis · UNESCO Tentative
Set on a pine-covered isthmus with three separate ancient harbours and swimmable bays, this Rhodian-founded Greek port welcomed Alexander the Great in 334/333 BC and honoured Emperor Hadrian with a monumental gate built in 131 AD.
Olympos · UNESCO Tentative
A forested Lycian League harbour city in a river gorge below the Chimaera (Yanartaş), where natural methane flames have burned from the bare rock for millennia — with carved harbour tombs, an Ionic marble temple gateway and a Byzantine basilica among the trees.
Day tours
Classic ancient-site day trips from Belek
The Classic Three Cities: Aspendos, Perge & Side
Aspendos + Perge + Side
The signature full-day Pamphylia tour from Belek — all three lie within about 45 minutes of the resort. Start early at Perge (≈22 km), take in Aspendos' intact theatre (≈18 km) by late morning, then reach Side (≈44 km) for the afternoon and the sunset columns of the Temple of Apollo. The driver waits at each stop; many travellers add Kurşunlu or Manavgat waterfall.
Into the Taurus: Köprülü Canyon & Selge
Köprülü Canyon + Selge + Eurymedon (Oluk) Bridge
A mountain day roughly an hour up winding roads (about 57 km to the rafting area, ~70 km on to Selge). See the mortarless 2nd-century Roman Oluk/Eurymedon Bridge, the unrestored Roman theatre of Selge at around 1,000 m, and, if you like, add white-water rafting on the Köprüçay. A Vito and an unhurried half-to-full day suit this route best.
The Lycian Coast: Phaselis & Olympos
Phaselis + Olympos + Yanartaş (Chimaera)
A long full-day transfer west of Antalya, roughly two hours each way. Swim between Phaselis' three ancient harbours, walk the forested ruins of Olympos in its river gorge, then finish at the eternal flames of the Chimaera. Best done as a Vito day with an early start — this one is not to be rushed.
For visitors
How our ancient-site transfers work
- Start early. Pamphylian summers are fierce and the open sites offer little shade, so a pickup soon after breakfast lets you explore Aspendos or Perge in cooler air and ahead of the coach crowds. Bring water, a hat and proper walking shoes.
- Decide half-day versus full-day when you book. Aspendos or Perge alone is a comfortable half-day; the three-city classic or a Taurus mountain trip fills a whole day. Fixing this in advance sets both the fare and the driver's schedule.
- Remember the driver waits but is not a guide. Your Vito driver drops you at the gate and waits with the vehicle while you explore at your own pace, then drives you back — no meter runs. If you want on-site history, a licensed local guide can be arranged in advance.
- Budget for tickets separately. Site entry fees are paid at each gate and are not part of the transfer price. If you plan several sites over a few days, the Museum Pass (Mediterranean/Türkiye) can be good value, covering Aspendos, Perge, Side and others.
- Mind the terrain for older or less-mobile visitors. The main areas of Aspendos, Perge and Side are relatively flat and walkable, but Sillyon, Selge and Termessos are steep hilltop sites with uneven ancient paving — tell us when booking so we can advise and route accordingly.
Exploring the ancient sites around Belek
Belek sits in the middle of one of the densest concentrations of ancient cities anywhere in Turkey. The old land of Pamphylia unfolds along the D400 to either side of the resort: the fortified hilltop of Sillyon is barely 15 km away, the world's best-preserved Roman theatre at Aspendos around 18 km, the colonnaded streets of Perge roughly 22 km, and the seafront temple of Side about 44 km to the east. Behind them, the Taurus mountains hide the Roman bridges of Köprülü Canyon, the wild mountain city of Selge and the eagle's-nest stronghold of Termessos — all within a day's reach of the same hotel door.
A private transfer is the simplest way to see them. The price is fixed per vehicle, not per person, so a family or small group pays one agreed fare in a comfortable Mercedes Vito. There is no meter and no clock-watching: your driver takes you out, parks and waits with the vehicle while you wander the ruins for as long as you like, then drives you home. Child seats are free, pickups are door-to-door from Belek, Kadriye and Bogazkent, and you book and confirm everything over WhatsApp rather than queueing for a coach tour that keeps to someone else's timetable.
From there the scale is yours to choose. A relaxed half-day covers a single city such as Aspendos or Perge; the classic full day strings together Aspendos, Perge and Side; and a mountain day climbs into the Taurus for Selge and the Eurymedon bridge or the cliff-top theatre of Termessos. If you want to go farther still, the Lycian coast — Phaselis with its three ancient harbours and Olympos beneath the eternal flames of the Chimaera — is a long but rewarding transfer west of Antalya.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a visit to each site take?
Plan on roughly 1 to 1.5 hours for a single city such as Aspendos or Perge, and about 1.5 to 2 hours for a larger site like Side with its museum. Mountain sites — Selge, Termessos and Köprülü Canyon — take longer once you add the drive and the walking. Your driver waits throughout, so you set the pace rather than a timetable.
Can the driver wait while we explore?
Yes. That is how a private transfer works: the driver parks at the site and waits with the vehicle for as long as you are inside, then takes you back to your hotel. There is no meter and no separate waiting charge — the return is already included in the fixed price.
Do you provide a guide?
Your driver is a professional driver, not a licensed tour guide, so he will not give guided commentary inside the ruins — under Turkish rules, on-site guiding is reserved for licensed guides. He handles all the driving and waiting for you. If you would like an official guide to walk a site with you, let us know when booking and we can arrange one.
What is the best time of day to go, given the heat?
An early-morning start is best. Summer temperatures on the open Pamphylian sites climb quickly and there is little shade, so a pickup shortly after breakfast lets you explore in cooler air and ahead of the coach tours. Late afternoon also works well — and at Side it lines up with the famous sunset behind the Temple of Apollo.
Are entry tickets included, and can we use the Museum Card?
Site entrance fees are paid at each gate and are not part of the transfer fare. If you are visiting several sites over a few days, the Museum Pass (Mediterranean/Türkiye) can be good value, as it covers Aspendos, Perge, Side and more — ask us and we will point you to where to buy it.
Are the sites suitable for wheelchair users or older visitors?
It varies a great deal. The main avenues of Aspendos, Perge and Side are fairly flat and walkable, though the surfaces are ancient stone. Hilltop sites such as Sillyon, Selge and Termessos involve steep climbs and rough ground and are not wheelchair-friendly. Tell us your needs when booking and we will recommend the most accessible options.
Can we combine several sites in one day?
Yes, and it is popular. Aspendos, Perge and Side sit close together for the classic three-city day, while Köprülü Canyon pairs naturally with Selge in the mountains. Just allow enough time — three sites plus driving fills a full day — and book it as a day trip so the fare and timing are agreed in advance.
How much does an ancient-sites transfer cost, and what is included?
Prices are fixed per vehicle, not per person. From a Belek, Kadriye or Bogazkent hotel, a sedan to Aspendos or Perge starts from about EUR 30, to Side from about EUR 35, and farther sites like Köprülü Canyon or Termessos EUR 55–65; a Mercedes Vito is a little more. The fare covers the drive out, the driver waiting while you explore, the return trip and free child seats. Booking is by WhatsApp.
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