Background

Upon opening to tourism in 1950s, the village of Selimiye was renamed Side, as the Roman city on the site of the village was known in ancient times. Today Side is one of the few sites where you can see Ephesus-like well-protected Roman ruins and modern constructions literally side by side.

Shopping

One of the main things you will see everywhere is clothes, clothes & more clothes!

You will find that most shops/stalls have mostly the same range. At first, most, if not all of shopkeepers try to charge a really high price to anyone that asks, and will sell it for that price to anyone who is silly enough to pay it.

Try to bargain as much as possible, if you're not comfortable about it, don't worry, they are! They expect you to haggle. At most, your first offer should be half the asking price, for example if they ask for 75TL, offer 35TL and you will probably get it for 45TL. If you don't like the price just walk out, they will follow you and give you a better price.

The shopkeepers also drag you into their shop, and as the competition is high, they will do what it takes to win you over. Usually sitting you down, giving you tea, etc... But you are not obliged to buy, there is plenty more where they came from!

Buying from outside the main market is much better as it's usually cheaper.