The Ultimate Guide to Pamukkale

Pamukkale or “Cotton Castle” of Turkey, is a breathtaking site in Turkey known for its white travertine terraces filled with thermal waters. If you have googled Turkey or been on Instagram you will have seen pics of this wildly famous site and its white terraces. Located in Denizli Province, Pamukkale is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, known not only for the travertines but also for the ancient city of Hierapolis. 

Pamukkale is a must visit on your visit to Turkey – swim in the therapeutic waters of Cleopatra’s Pool, walk along the surreal terraces, and immerse yourself in the rich history of Hierapolis. This ultimate guide to Pamukkale will tell you when to visit the site, things to do, where to stay near the terraces, how to get here as well as an easy itinerary to follow while in Pamukkale.

Pamukkale is situated in the Denizli Province of Turkey and it can be reached by flight, bus or car.

By flight: Probably the fastest but also the most expensive way to get to Pamukkale is by flight. You can fly to the nearest Denizli Airport and then take a bus or a cab to Pamukkale.

If you are visiting Ephesus, you can also fly to Izmir Airport and then take a bus to Selcuk (for Ephesus) and then move onto Pamukkale.

By Bus: The cheapest (and the slowest) option of the three here, there are overnight buses from Istanbul to Denizli and buses from Izmir to Denizli. From Denizli there are buses leaving every 30 mins to Pamukkale. 

By Car: If you are doing a roadtrip from Istanbul, you can drive to Pamukkale after visiting Ephesus. It’s an easy 2.5 hours drive from Selçuk to Pamukkale and the roads are great. This option gives you a lot of flexibility and saves you a lot of time because you avoid airport transfers and wait time. This is the option that we took.

By Private Tours: There are also plenty of tours one can book from Istanbul, Ephesus or even Cappadocia which take you to Pamukkale.

From the travertines to the Hierapolis there are a lot of things to do in Pamukkale. 

In all likelihood, the travertines are the reason you are researching about Pamukkale in the first place. These dazzling white terraces have been drawing visitors ever since the time of antiquity with their spring waters which are said to have healing properties.

The terraces are made of travertines – the sediment deposited by the waters after calcium carbonate gets crystallised. This sediment or limestone gives the terraces its iconic snowy white hue. The thermal waters cascade down the terraces with temperatures of the water ranging from 35 deg C to 100 deg C forming pools of hot water where one can dip their toes in.

Overtourism and encroachment of hotels near the travertines destroyed the ecosystem of the terraces, turning them grey and reducing the water supply to the pools over the years. This site is now protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and there are measures being taken to conserve this landmark site.

Walk along the terraces, dip your feet in the warm, therapeutic waters and enjoy this invigorating experience while looking over at the stunning views of the surrounding landscape.

The best time to visit travertines: Early morning offers less crowds and if you are lucky you get to photograph the terraces in a soft morning light. The pools may be in shade for most of the morning though. Sunset offers the prettiest golden-pinkish hues though you will need to be prepared for a lot of crowd at all times of the day.

The ancient city of Hierapolis was built on top of the travertines and founded as a thermal spa. This was a center of healing where people travelled from all over the world to get the healing properties of the thermal waters. If you are visiting Pamukkale, please make sure you don’t miss visiting Hierapolis as well.

From the travertines walk towards the Ancient pools, passing The Sanctuary of Apollo, dedicated to the god Apollo, the main divinity of Hierapolis. 

Once past the Ancient pools, you can follow clearly marked roads and head to the gated Ploutonion area. This houses the recreated statue of Hades amongst other ritualistic buildings. The site is built on top of a cave that emits toxic carbon dioxide gases, and hence was used as a ritual passage to the underworld. It is told that only the anointed priests could pass through the passage unharmed and birds and animals were sold to be sent off into the cave just to show how deadly the gases were. 

The entrance to the cave where the rituals took place also houses a colossal statue of the god Pluto with his three headed dog, Cerberus, and the two serpents, who together guard the entrance to the Underworld.

Once past the Ploutonion, you can head straight towards the massive Theater, which could seat around 10000 people. The stage building is also impressive and reminiscent of The Library of Celsus in Ephesus. It’s definitely one of the highlights of Hierapolis.

Imagine swimming in the same pool as Cleopatra! This clear pool fed with thermal water is said to have been once used by Cleopatra and now is run by a professional spa facility. Food, drinks and changing facilities are available nearby.

You will have to pay extra to use the Antique Pools, however the showers are free to use. Antique Pools are also not covered in the Turkey/Aegean Pass.

Just before you leave the premises, make sure to visit the Pamukkale Musuem which houses some of the artifacts found from the ancient city of Hierapolis, and the nearby ruins of Laodiceia and others.

The entrance fee is included in your Hierapolis ticket.

Here’s how you can spend a day in Pamukkale. This itinerary is assuming you have arrived in Pamukkale the previous day. You can also do Pamukkale as a day trip but I would highly suggest you stay a night to enjoy everything more.

1. Start your morning with the travertines. You can either choose to do a hot air balloon over the blue waters early in the morning or take the South Entrance which opens up early at 6:30 AM to visit the hot springs with no crowd. If you are not an early riser, you can choose to visit the pools at your convenience but be prepared for a lot of people around. If you are coming by bus in the morning, you will most likely be dropped off at the North Entrance.
2. Once you have had your fill of the travertines, you can make your way towards the ancient city of Hierapolis. Explore the ancient ruins and take in the massive theatre.
3. Make your way back towards the Cleopatra Antique Pools. You can choose to have your lunch here and have a relaxing day by the pools. Or if you aren’t willing to pay at the antique pools, you can always go back to the travertines and take a dip there.
4. Before you leave, take some time to visit the Pamukkale Musuem and see all the ancient artifacts that were discovered in the area. You can then get back to your hotel.
5. For dinner, I would highly recommend you make reservations at Hiera Coffee & Tea House restaurant and experience the best meal of your life. Trust me. This was one of the highlights of our Pamukkale trip. A meal here would be the perfect end to your Pamukkale trip.