The most beautiful Koprulu Canyon National Park is 30 kilometers to the north of Side. This is a huge space of land covered with pines and cypresses. The Köprüçay river flows in the park forming canyons at several places.
The Green Canyon is considered to be the most beautiful one. It is so called because the waters of the Köprüçay river are of sharp emerald colour at that place. It is just there that a rafting route is started, which is quite easy and very popular among all those who spend their vacations on the Antalya Coast.
If apart from rafting you are also interested in the beauties of the canyon, you should know whether the boat will enter the canyon itself, as generally, the route detours the canyon, and you can have but a glimpse of the bridge, which was built by the Romans, and you can`t see the waterfalls of the canyon at all. If you have come there alone, and not for rafting, you are sure to be approached by some local guides who will offer you to have a boat ride to the canyon.
You should accept it, as then you will see all the beauties of Koprulu Canyon. The Köprüçay river is sourced by a multitude of springs and waterfalls, flowing down the clefts in the canyon. The water temperature doesn’t rise above 6 degrees, but you can have a dip in the river on a hot day.
In the canyon you can see two ancient bridges. One of them spans the main course of the Köprüçay river at the height of 27 meters, and is called Oluk Bridge. It was built by the Romans in II B.C. The bridge has been completely restored twenty years ago. Today it is still in use by motor-cars. Nearby there is another bridge spanning a small tributary of the Köprüçay river. This second bridge is quite unique. It was built by the Romans about the same time as the first one, and its stonework has survived since that time.
