no alt text

Travel bucket list idea:

Last updated: 16 March, 2024
Expert travel writer: Jeremy Seal

This ancient hilltop spa centre is home to extraordinary scallop-shaped, cotton-white travertine formations that dazzle the eye with their shiny white brilliance.

The terraces form when warm natural springs of water, containing high concentrations of dissolved calcium bicarbonate, cascade over the edge of the cliff. As the water cools, calcium forms and deposits harden creating an unusual series of terraced shelves and ridges – and between them, natural spa baths.

Soak away.

Don't miss

Just nearby is ‘Cleopatra’s Pool’, a man-made geothermal pool apparently made by Anthony for Cleopatra. Pay a little extra to swim in the hot spring waters, where you can laze on fallen fluted columns. The original structure around the pool was heavily damaged by a 7th-century earthquake.

While you’re there

Next door, on the same site, are the evocative Roman-era ruins of Hierapolis, an arresting UNESCO World Heritage Site dating back to 80 AD. Today, it is notable for its fine theatre, impressive necropolis, museum and martyrium of the apostle St Philip.

The overall experience – of Hierapolis and Pamukkale – is worth every mile of the long haul inland.

Logistics

Price from: £8
Minimum age: Any
Age suitable: 8+
When: All year around

Getting there & doing it

It’s at least a three-hour drive inland from either Bodrum, Fethiye or Antalya. There are car parks at either end of the site, with regular shuttle buses into the centre. The travertine pools and Hierapolis are one site at Pamukkale, with one entrance fee.

When to do it

The site is open all year round, Tuesday to Sunday. Closed on Monday. Opening hours are much shorter in the winter months.

To avoid the crowds, it’s best to go as early after dawn or as late in the afternoon as is possible.

Who to go with: organised tours

5

Our selection of the best Viator tours of this attraction or activity

Pamukkale Hierapolis and Cleopatra's Pool Tour with lunch from Antalya

Antalya

Pamukkale Hierapolis and Cleopatra's Pool Tour with lunch from Antalya
Hierapolis ("Holy City") was an ancient  Greco-Roamn city in Phrygia located on hot springs in South West Anatolia. Its ruins are adjacent to maodern Pamukkale. Hierapolis is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The hot springs there have been used as a spa since the 2nd Century B.C.E. and people came to soothe their ailments with many of them retiring or dying here. Some of the highlights; the large necropolis is filled with sarcophagi, the main street with the gates and latrines, cathedral, the theatre and St. Philips tomb. The hot springs causing cascades which are called the Cotton Castle. Because of the distance we have to leave Antalya early and return late but its worth it to experince this wonderful place.

Price: €67

Min age: 0

Rating 4.74 / 5 [615 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

Viator Logo

Pamukkale and Hierapolis Daily Tour...

Antalya

Pamukkale and Hierapolis Daily Tour...
Hierapolis (“Holy City”) was an ancient Greco-Roman city in Phrygia located on hot springs in South West Anatolia. Its ruins are adjacent to modern Pamukkale. Hierapolis is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The hot springs there have been used as a spa since the 2nd Century B.C.E. and people came to soothe their ailments with many of them retiring or dying here. Some of the highlights; the large necropolis is filled with sarcophagi, the main street with the gates and latrines, cathedral, the theatre and St. Philips tomb. The hot springs causing cascades which are called the Cotton Castle. Because of the distance we have to leave Antalya early but its worth it to experince this wonderful place.Highlights Explore Hierapolis and Pamukkale with a small group and a guide Soak in the Mineral hot springs at Kleopatra Pool The tour includes a lunch and entry of pamukkale sights Convenient, round-trip transportation from hotel...

Price: €73

Min age: 0

Rating 4.53 / 5 [202 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

Viator Logo

7-Day Turkey Classics Tour from Istanbul: Gallipoli, Troy, Ephesus, Pamukkale, Cappadocia and Ankara

Istanbul

7-Day Turkey Classics Tour from Istanbul: Gallipoli, Troy, Ephesus, Pamukkale, Cappadocia and Ankara
Tick through Turkey’s classic sights on this spellbinding 7-day tour that starts and finishes in Istanbul. Traveling by air-conditioned coach with an expert guide, explore the emotive World War I battle sites of Gallipoli, the breathtaking Greco-Roman ruins of Ephesus, and the fairy-tale landscapes of Cappadocia. In-between, ogle the white rock terraces of Pamukkale, swim in the hot springs at Hierapolis, view the ruins of Troy and much, much more. The tour includes six nights’ accommodation plus breakfast and dinner on each day.

Price: €1,240

Min age: 8

Rating 4.71 / 5 [148 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

Viator Logo

4 Day Turkey Tour: Cappadocia, Ephesus and Pamukkale

Istanbul

4 Day Turkey Tour: Cappadocia, Ephesus and Pamukkale
4 Day Turkey tour all by flight. If you would like to visit most famous places in Turkey, this tour is exactly for you: including Cappadocia, with its valley, canyon, cave hotels, balloon rides(Balloon ride is Extra Cost Optional), hills and unusual rock formation; Ephesus, one of the most important cities of the Roman Empire and Pamukkale, the city contains hot springs and travertines, terraces of carbonate minerals left by the flowing water.

Price: €1,100

Min age: 0

Rating 4.8 / 5 [70 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

Viator Logo

4 Days Turkey Tour - Cappadocia, Ephesus and Pamukkale Tour

Istanbul

4 Days Turkey Tour - Cappadocia, Ephesus and Pamukkale Tour
Experience all of the must sees during Cappadocia Tour, Ephesus Tour, Pamukkale Tour. Watch the sunrise from a hot air balloon as you float above the fairy chimneys that dot the landscape. Stay in one of the charming cave hotels built into the volcanic rocks of Göreme. Tour the famous sites of the region such as the underground city of Derinkuyu, Uçhisar Castle, Göreme Open Air Museum, Selime Monastery and the Ihlara Valley. Discover the ancient city of Hieraplois in Pamukkale. Relax in the beautiful white travertines heated by thermal water. Retain your youth with a dip in Cleopatra’s Pool. See what remains of the Temple of Artemis, one of the ancient seven wonders of the world and visit the Virgin Mary’s last dwelling place. Have an adventure you’ll never forget your Pamukkale Tour from istanbul.

Price: €1,100

Min age: 0

Rating 4.78 / 5 [69 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

Viator Logo

Destination guides

2

Destination guides including or relevant to this experience

Turquoise Coast

Turquoise Coast, Turkey

Turquoise Coast

Turkey’s beautiful Turquoise Coast offers an unbeatable mix of mountain-backed beaches, classical ruins and adventure activities, with superb food and delightful owner-run hotels.

Bodrum

Aegean Region, Turkey

Bodrum

A vibrant resort area with the buzzy town of Bodrum at its heart, and picturesque smaller resorts and villages strung out along the adjoining peninsula.

Round-ups

1

Round-ups that include this experience