Twenty-seven mountain springs used to flow in a crystal clear lake that used to occupy the place of Turkey’s famous Green Canyon even before the arrival of Romans to those fertile lands. With the arrival of the Romans, a cluster of water reservoirs was created there, a true marvel of ancient architecture and engineering. Using a long stone aqueduct, a reservoir had nurtured an ancient city of Side and its surroundings until in medieval times it was abandoned, the system declined, and cities and their vicinities gradually became empty.

Only in the late 20th century, during the construction of an aluminium factory, did a constant source of drinking water became a necessity. People remembered the creation of the ancient Romans, the cascade of mountain lakes, and then dams to restrict the flow were built. As a result, in place of the picturesque valley, a huge lake covering an area of 500 hectares and as deep as 100 metres was formed. The impressive size wasn’t the only advantage of the reservoir, every shade of malachite green and picturesque rocky mountains with fresh greenery turned this site into a popular holiday destination, one of the most important landmarks of Turkey.

The emerald waters and mountains covered in green gave the place its name, Green Canyon. Every year, tens of thousands of tourists flock here to exchange noisy beaches for silent mountain landscapes, to go on boat rides on the lake or taste the most delicious grilled trout in a cosy local restaurant. The lake’s waters are full of small fish that soaring eagles like to hunt, and the surrounding pomegranate, citrus and almond groves fill the place with wonderful aromas. It’s the perfect place for a selfie or wild nature watching, the place for a family picnic or isolation – whatever is the goal of modern travellers, everyone can find something for themselves there, and gain something they’ve been looking for.