[Turkey Free Travel Day 7] Xanthos Ancient Town, a Millennium-old Theater, and an Archaeological Treasure House: A Day Exploring Antalya's Ancient Civilization

Itinerary Overview Today we depart from Konya, beginning our journey exploring the historic civilizations along Turkey's southern Mediterranean coast. Our guide has specially moved up the gathering time so we can add an unexpected and beautiful bonus stop — the charming small town of Sille. We then continue south, passing magnificent lake views and distant snow-capped mountains, arriving at the ruins of the ancient Greek port city of Side and the remarkably well-preserved Aspendos Theatre, before finishing off with a spectacular visit to the Antalya Archaeological Museum as the grand finale. 📍Today's route: Konya → Sille Town → Lake Beyşehir → Sidyma Old Town → Aspendos Ancient Theatre → Antalya Archaeological Museum → Dinner and accommodation in the city Sille Town: Faith Relics Amid a Greek Atmosphere In the morning we visited Sille Town on the outskirts of Konya, which retains a strong Greek architectural style and was once home to a Greek settlement.The town's best-known landmark is Hagia Eleni Church, named after the mother of Constantine the Great, and it's an important pilgrimage site for European visitors. Transportation isn't very convenient unless you're driving yourself or hiring a private car, so a standalone visit isn't especially recommended.

▲Sille Town Street View: Perfectly Preserved Stone-Paved Streets

▲ The Greek architectural style is still preserved in this small town

▲ The tour guide explained that this curved cut was specially designed back then to let pedestrians dodge horse carriages.

▲Hagia Eleni Church: An ancient church named after Saint Helena Lake Beyşehir: A delightful meeting of lake light and snowy scenery Leaving the small town, we continued heading south, passing along the way Turkey's third-largest lake — Lake Beyşehir (Beyşehir Gölü). The lake waters reflect beautifully with the distant snow-capped mountains, and the scenery along the lakeshore is truly refreshing to the heart and mind — a beautiful stretch that makes you want to stop and gaze out the car window.

▲Distant view of Lake Beyşehir and the snow-capped mountains Side Old Town: Where an Ancient Greek Harbor Meets Modern Life Around two in the afternoon we arrived at the small Mediterranean coastal town of Side, an important port city back in the ancient Greek era that has now become a popular tourist and vacation destination. The coexistence of ancient ruins and modern buildings is its greatest charm. Walking through the town, you can see the remains of the ancient Roman marketplace, the ruins of the theater, and the arched columns of the harbor, while tourists leisurely stroll around the nearby cafés and shops. Our guide told us that in ancient times this place mainly traded with Alexandria in Egypt, which made me think back to 2023 when I stood on the other side of the sea — and now I've finally set foot on this other end, as if fitting together another piece of the puzzle of my journey.

▲Ruins of the Roman Forum: The colonnaded street is a remnant of the indoor market of that era

▲Ancient Theater and Arches

▲ The ancient city of Sedae where historical relics and modern architecture coexist

▲Mediterranean Harbor

▲ The restored temple is a trace of this small town's once-glorious past Aspendos Theatre: A Hall of Sound That Has Stood Unshaken for a Thousand Years After setting off from Side, we headed to the ancient Aspendos Theatre. Built in the 2nd century AD, this Roman theatre is the best-preserved classical theatre in all of Turkey, and it still hosts music and theatrical performances to this day. Although it is smaller in scale than the Roman Colosseum, it remains remarkably intact with outstanding acoustics, and is still used today for all kinds of performances — a wonderful example of ancient and modern blending together. We went inside to explore, and standing in the seating area, it felt as if we had traveled back in time to sit among an ancient audience, feeling the cultural atmosphere of that era.

▲Stage Area: Roman-style theaters use a wall to block the scenery behind the stage, so that the audience focuses more on what's happening on stage.

▲ Full view of the theater: The well-preserved curved auditorium — sit here and travel back a thousand years to ancient times.

▲ Modern equipment behind the scenes Antalya Archaeological Museum: A Millennia-Long Story from Prehistoric Humans to Carved Gods Although we were delayed by the evening rush-hour traffic, we still managed to enter the Antalya Archaeological Museum (Antalya Müzesi) before 20:30. It houses thousands of years of artifacts excavated from Antalya and the wider southern region, making it a museum you simply cannot miss. The exhibition halls unfold in sequence, starting from the evolution of prehistoric humans, moving through the Çatalhöyük culture, and continuing through the ancient Greek and Roman eras up to the Ottoman Empire, painting a complete picture of Antalya's long river of civilization.Pottery, glassware, and religious artifacts are all on display here. Among them, the Roman-era sculpture gallery is the most magnificent, with lifelike statues of figures from Greek mythology, royalty, and nobility. There are also numerous elaborately carved sarcophagi—such as reliefs of Medusa and Cupid, and replica coffins modeled after temple facades—offering a dazzling feast for the eyes. The second floor houses the ancient coin and metal artifact exhibition, showcasing everything from Greek gold coins and Roman silver coins to Christian gold ornaments and church stained-glass patterns, revealing the empire's wealth and the beauty of its religious art.

▲ Pottery & Glassware Zone

▲Statue Exhibition Hall: Sculptures of figures from Greek and Roman mythology, many of which are missing their heads, because during wars, other nations would take the statues' heads away.

▲Roman-style mosaic tile carpet

▲ Exquisite sarcophagus carving: Medusa as the guardian of the coffin, and Cupid as the angel leading the way to heaven

▲ Ancient Coin and Ornament Display Case: Dynastic marks on coins bear witness to a thousand years of change

▲ Golden Glittering Church Window Ornaments A Surprise Outside the Museum: Peacocks Appear in the Night By the time we left the museum, the sky had already turned dark. We never expected to be surprised in the courtyard by three peacocks resting leisurely on the treetops — one white, one black, and one colorful. The guide laughingly explained that these are "living exhibits" the museum deliberately keeps, and one of the special features of this place.

▲White Peacock in the Treetops Dinner in Antalya and First Impressions of the City After checking into our hotel in Antalya, we quickly settled our luggage and headed to a nearby restaurant for dinner. This Mediterranean city feels completely different from Konya yesterday — relaxed and laid-back, an open seaside town. Tomorrow, we'll head to one of Turkey's most popular natural wonders — Pamukkale! 📌 Full Turkey & Greece Independent Travel Record Turkey Chapter Day 1-2: First Impressions of Istanbul｜Day 3: Hagia Sophia and the Grand Bazaar Day 4: Cappadocia Hot Air Balloon Wonder | Day 5: Exploring the Green Line Underground City Day 6: Salt Lake Mirror & Konya's Whirling Dervishes | Day 7: Antalya Theatre & Old Town Day 8: Salda Lake & Golden-Light Pamukkale | Day 9: Marmaris Resort Day Greece Chapter Day 1: Rhodes Knights' Road | Day 2: Morning Swim in the Aegean & Old Town Tour Day 3: Delphi & Monastery Day Trip | Day 4: Athens Acropolis Classic Route Day 5: Flea Market and Acropolis Museum | Day 6: Attica Department Store and Archaeological Museum