Pamukkale village has some charming hotels and pensions, and despite the constant coach parties it’s a good place to get a taste of village life, if you steer clear of the main road. Several other attractions are within easy reach, including Afrodisias, one of Turkey’s most complete and absorbing archaeological sites, and Laodicea, one of the biblical Seven Churches of Asia.
Long before Unesco, the Romans recognised the appeal of the site and built a large spa city, Hierapolis, to take advantage of the water’s curative powers. The tourist boom of the 1980s and 1990s had a detrimental effect on the site, as a line of hotels above the travertines drained away the waters, leaving the travertines dry, dull and dirtied. In a drastic attempt to preserve the site, all the hotels have been demolished and visitors can no longer bathe in the pools; however, the flow of water is still very slow, and it may be that the real culprits are the many swimming pools in the village below.
Calcium’s not just good for bones. If the many habitués of the spa town of Pamukkale are to be believed, it works wonders on muscles and sinews too. ‘Cotton Castle’, 19km north of Denizli, has built a centuries-long reputation on the restorative qualities of its calcium-rich waters. The unique formations of travertine (calcium carbonate) shelves, pools and stalactites, which hug the ridge above town like a white scar, were created by the area’s warm mineral water, which cools as it cascades over the cliff edge and deposits its calcium. It’s a strange piece of landscape unlike anything else you’ll see in Turkey, and it now appears on the Unesco World Heritage list.
The pools of Pamukkale
Pamukkale,
Very nice place you have to go….however, if you are in Bodrum DO NOT take "DIRECTOR TOURS" ….
My experience:
1) picked me up at 6:10am and leaving to Pamukkale at 8:30 so 2:20hrs going around the city for more customers.
2)when buying the tour the seller said "al fees are included" …false ,the Cleopatra pool is 32tl and is…
It's a long drive. I won't lie and don't believe anyone who says differently. And bring extra food because the "included lunch" is horrible and the "rest stops" no better. But the actual pools are amazing! I don't agree that you need to spend 32TL to go in the Antique Pool (aka Cleopatra's Pool) but walking in the water and…
We visited Pamukkale in July. It gets very hot there 38-39 degrees Celsius, but it is worth seeing it even in the hot weather, you get refreshed from the water there. Take your bathing suit with you :-)! There are few ways to get there, we followed the direction that said that the road was the best and we wanted…
This was AMAZING! I could not get the kids out of it… the water was warm, I cannot believe we were allowed to walk in it… seems like it should be protected or something! A memory my children and I will NEVER forget!
I liked it very much a marvelous place to go … Photographers all over the place .. Shooting you … Don't miss to go
Having planned to visit Antalya in Turkey, I had my heart set on an excursion to Pamukkale. Eventually, I instead went to the Bodrum region instead (see separate review of resort), and due to the distance, the trip was not as readily available. However, my heart was set on it, so I did eventually find one. It was a very…
The thermal pools are truly amazing. We had a three hour drive out from Kusadasi, but it was well worth it. I must confess that we didn't bother going up to Hierapolis as we'd already been to Ephesus earlier in the week. As individuals we parked at the bottom of the hill so had amazing view up the travertines. The…
Drive yourself and get there after the afternoon rush around 3/4pm – don't be fooled into thinking you only need a couple of hours – you're right on top of a whole historic sight to rival any ancient city so take time to wander around it, the thermal pools are stunning during the day but well worth hanging on for…
Very lovely. A must visit if in Turkey. Even the young ones were enjoying it. My 6 year old had a blast.
We booked our trip to Pamukkale via the rep at our hotel in Ozdere. As it is a 7 hour round trip from Ozdere to Pamukkale we felt it was important to travel in a comfortable vehicle. When a small minibus arrived to collect us we declined, and re-arranged the trip to ensure that we travelled in a comfortable coach(important…