PAMUKKALE TOUR FROM ANTALYA

• We invite you to an exciting trip to a special paradise spot in southwest Turkey called Pamukkale, also known as "Cotton Castle." Discover the white terraces made by nature and time, and enjoy amazing views. Swim in hot springs and learn history by visiting the ancient city Hierapolis, the city of the dead, an old museum, and St. Philip's Church. Don't miss the chance to explore Pamukkale's wonders – book your tour today!
• Check the current price and detailed program on our website. Book the trip today and pay on the bus. We made sure our trips are not only interesting but also comfortable. The price includes transfers from hotels in Kundu, Lara, Kaleici, Antalya, Konyaalti. Enjoy your vacation with us.

Tour program

• Tourists pick-up from hotels at 05:00 - 06:00 (After booking confirmation, the exact pick-up time will be added to your e-ticket.)
• 20-minute breakfast stop at a restaurant.
• Visit a wine cellar and onyx shop. Taste and buy fruit wines: pomegranate, cherry, blackberry. Pomegranate wine is famous in the region, and pomegranate plantations are seen on the way to Pamukkale. Buy onyx products or jewelry as gifts or souvenirs.
• Lunch stop at a buffet restaurant.
• Arrival in Pamukkale.
• Guide's talk about Pamukkale and ancient city Hierapolis.
• Tickets for Cleopatra's Pool and storage room keys given.
• Free time (about 3 hours) to visit ancient city (theater, museum, necropolis), Pamukkale travertine terraces, and Cleopatra's Pool.
• Return keys and go back to the bus.
• Gathering on the bus.
• Return to hotels at 19:00 - 20:00

More about the tour

• Departure: Our journey starts early between 05:00-06:00. We'll pick you up directly from your hotel's security gate and set out towards the enchanting Pamukkale, also known as Cotton Castle. As we travel, you'll pass through picturesque towns like Acipayam, known for its almond groves; Korkuteli, famed for its mushroom cultivation; and Denizli, the region's most industrially developed city. Along the way, our guide will share fascinating stories and insights about these areas.
• Breakfast: The first stop is at a local roadside restaurant for a 20-minute breakfast break. If your hotel offers a lunch box service for tours, please place your order at the hotel reception a day before the tour. If not, you can purchase breakfast at the restaurant for an additional fee.
• Wine and Onyx: Next, we visit a local wine cellar and onyx factory. Here, you'll have the opportunity to taste regional fruit wines like pomegranate, cherry, and blackberry, which are celebrated in this area. You'll also see exquisite natural stone products and have the chance to purchase unique souvenirs and jewelry.
• Lunch: After wine tasting, we'll make a stop at a buffet restaurant where lunch is included in the tour price.
• Exploring Pamukkale: Upon arrival at Pamukkale Park, our guide will brief you on the history of the area and the guidelines for visiting the travertines. You'll then have free time to explore. Visit the ruins of the ancient city of Hierapolis, including the well-preserved Roman theater, the world's largest necropolis, city walls, and St. Philip's Church. Your tour also includes entry to the Archaeological Museum, where artifacts from local excavations are displayed. Wander the iconic white travertines of Pamukkale and capture unforgettable photos. For an additional charge, you can also swim in the mineral-rich waters of Cleopatra's Pool.
• Return: After a day full of exploration and discovery, you'll return to your hotel around 19:00 - 20:00.

Included in the price

• We pick you up from your hotel.
• We will drop you back to your hotel.
• Insurance
• English guide service
• Lunch
• The €30 entrance fee for Pamukkale is included in the price.

Not included in the price

• Personal expenses (photos, souvenirs, etc.)
• Any beverages (including water, tea, and coffee) during the tour
• Entry to Cleopatra's Pool (optional). The approximate price is 13$-15$, as the dollar exchange rate changes daily. During the tour, the guide will inform you of the exact price for Cleopatra's Pool.

Please bring

• Camera, water
• Towel, swimsuit
• Sunscreen, sunglasses
• Money for personal expenses

Distance

• Distance from Konyaalti to Pamukkale: 245 km - 3 hours 20 minutes
• Distance from Antalya Center to Pamukkale: 247 km - 3 hours 25 minutes
• Distance from Kaleici to Pamukkale: 248 km - 3 hours 30 minutes
• Distance from Lara to Pamukkale: 255 km - 3 hours 35 minutes
• Distance from Kundu to Pamukkale: 257 km - 3 hours 35 minutes

Watch tour video

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Important Information

Early booking discounts

• Book early!
• Book this tour at least 7 days before the trip starts and get a 4% discount.
• Book this tour at least 30 days before the trip starts and get a 5% discount.

Extra Information

• The guide may adjust the order of the tour stops without altering the overall itinerary.
• Depending on the circumstances, the guide might choose to visit only one shop or switch a planned stop for a visit to a home textile store if necessary.
• The provided start and end times of the tour are approximate and may vary based on circumstances.
• Children who join the tour for free will not have separate seats on the bus and must sit on an adult's lap.
• If you wish for your child to have their own seat on the bus, please book and pay for them as a child passenger during the reservation.
• According to Turkey's tourism rules, children under 8 years old receive discounts on museum entries and must present a passport for verification.
• Discounts are given if the current tour year minus the child's birth year is less than 8. Parents or guardians must provide the correct age of the child when booking the tour.

Things to do

What does Pamukkale mean?

• Pamukkale means cotton fortress in translation.

Where is Pamukkale located?

• Pamukkale covers an area of 1,077 hectares and is located in the Denizli province in southwest Turkey.

The Legend of Pamukkale

• An old legend about titans living in this area has been passed down. The titans used to gather cotton and dry it in the sun. But one day, they forgot to pick it up. The cotton was left behind, hardened over time, and turned into white mountains.

How Pamukkale Was Formed

• 400,000 years ago, an earthquake happened in this area, and a crack formed in the Earth's crust. Hot mineral waters, rich in different minerals and chemicals like calcium, came out of the crack.
• The water evaporates under the hot sun, and the calcium settles, creating strange formations that look like snowdrifts, fortress walls, or steps and terraces. These terraces are called travertines.
• There is nothing else like this natural wonder in the world. However, people used to walk on the travertines with shoes, which damaged them. Since 1988, UNESCO has protected the area, allowing visitors to only access 5,000 square meters. The rest of the terraces are closed and regularly watered with water from the ancient source that emerged 400,000 years ago.
• You can also enjoy the views of the white mountain of Pamukkale, walk on the travertines, and take beautiful photos. It feels like you're standing in summer clothes or swimsuits against a snowy background. People who haven't been to Pamukkale might not believe your stories that it's not snow and the water is very warm. It's said that if you haven't been to Pamukkale, you haven't been to Turkey.

Cleopatra's Pool

• Also called the ancient pool, it has ancient columns from the main street of Hierapolis at the bottom.
• The water temperature reaches 36 degrees Celsius. It's very pleasant and slightly fizzy, making it feel like you're bathing in warm champagne.
• People say the water in Cleopatra's Pool has a unique rejuvenating effect. After bathing, you'll feel 10 years younger. But don't overdo it - for medical reasons, you can only stay in Cleopatra's Pool for a maximum of 2 hours.
• The water is heavy and full of minerals. It helps with bone and joint issues, skin diseases, weight problems, and sunburns.
• If you drink the water, it can help with stomach and intestinal issues. You can drink from a tap near the pool. It tastes like Borjomi mineral water and cleanses the intestines well.

Ruins of the ancient city Hierapolis

• The name Hierapolis comes from Greek and means "holy city." Hierapolis was founded in the 2nd century BC and was part of the Great Roman Empire. It was built as a spa resort because of its healing calcium water. People came here to improve their health, and the city's population grew quickly to about 100,000 people, which was a lot in ancient times.
• There were several earthquakes here, and each time the city was rebuilt. In the 12th century, the Seljuk Turks conquered the city, and during the Ottoman Empire in the 16th century, the city was destroyed by earthquakes again and was abandoned. Romans, Byzantines, Seljuk Turks, and Ottomans all lived in this area.
• Since the late 19th century, archaeological excavations have been ongoing. The first dig was led by German scientist Karl Humann, and after the 1950s, Italian professor Paolo Verzone continued the work. In 1988, Pamukkale and the ruins of Hierapolis were added to the UNESCO World Heritage list.

Hierapolis Museum

• The museum displays coins, sarcophagi, and other items found during excavations in the ancient city of Hierapolis. The museum building used to be a Roman bath.

City of the Dead (Necropolis in Hierapolis)

• A necropolis ( Cemetery ) is a city of the dead. They were built outside the city for hygiene and to not disturb the souls of the dead. The necropolis in Hierapolis is the largest in Asia Minor. It has three types of burials: Phrygian mounds, sarcophagi, and vaults.

Theater in Pamukkale

• In Turkey, there are 206 Roman theaters. The theater in Pamukkale was built in the 2nd century AD and could hold 15,000 people. It is the third largest theater after Ephesus and Aspendos. Today, the theater is still used, for example, during the Pamukkale Festival.

Church of Saint Philip

• In the 1st century, Saint Philip (a disciple of Jesus Christ) came to Hierapolis to spread Christianity. However, he was not understood or accepted by the locals. In Hierapolis, he died as a martyr. In the 5th century, during the Byzantine Empire, a church was built in his honor where he was crucified. For 30 years, Italian researchers looked for his grave. At a distance of 40 meters from the church, they found the ruins of a basilica and his grave.

Korkuteli

• The city of Korkuteli has a population of 53,000 people. Korkut, the brother of Ottoman Sultan Selim I, lived here. The city was named after him. In Turkish, "Korkuteli" means "city of Korkut." The people of Korkuteli grow mushrooms. About 1,000 families are in this business, and 70% of Turkey's mushrooms come from this city. They harvest mushrooms six times a year.

Acipayam

• The city of Acipayam has 55,000 people. The name comes from the almond trees growing in the area. Locals call almonds "payam," and "aci" means bitter. So, Acipayam means bitter almond. People in Acipayam mostly grow melons, watermelons, and tobacco.

Serinhisar

• The city of Serinhisar has 15,000 people. They make a famous Turkish snack called Leblebi (roasted chickpeas) with different flavors. They also make clay products.

Denizli

• The city of Denizli has over one million people. It is one of the most developed industrial cities in Turkey. Denizli is rightfully called the textile capital of Turkey. There are more than 200 factories making home textiles. In Denizli, they produce robes, towels, and bed linens from cotton and bamboo.

Average Temperature in Pamukkale

• Weather in Pamukkale in January: +10
• Weather in Pamukkale in February: +12
• Weather in Pamukkale in March: +15
• Weather in Pamukkale in April: +20
• Weather in Pamukkale in May: +26
• Weather in Pamukkale in June: +31
• Weather in Pamukkale in July: +35
• Weather in Pamukkale in August: +35
• Weather in Pamukkale in September: +29
• Weather in Pamukkale in October: +23
• Weather in Pamukkale in November: +17
• Weather in Pamukkale in December: +12