Ancient Pamukkale Wonders, Turkey 🇹🇷

Pamukkale, which means 'cotton castle' in Turkish, is a must-visit when you're in Turkey. Its white calcium travertines are one of the most photographed places in all of Turkey. I got to Pamukkale on a private tour. Pamukkale has two main entrances: Lower Gate (Village Entrance): Located right in Pamukkale village, this is where most visitors arrive. From here, you get the wow factor of seeing the travertines right in front of you, and you walk barefoot up the travertine terraces before reaching Hierapolis. Upper Gate (North Entrance): It’s closer to the main ruins and Cleopatra’s Pool. Best for people with mobility issues since the walk up the tavertines can be slippery and it is quite long. Tickets & Prices (as of last check): Pamukkale & Hierapolis: ~30€ Cleopatra’s Pool: Entry to the area around the pool is included, but swimming costs extra ( ~6€). Pamukkale Archeological Museum: Included in your site ticket. Opening Hours (as of last check): Summer (Apr–Sep): Upper gate 08:00 – 21:00; Lower gate 06:30 – 23_00 Winter (Oct–Mar): 08:00–18:00 Last entry is usually one hour before closing. Cleopatra Ancient Pool: 08:00 – 20:00 Hierapolis Archeological Museum: 08:00 – 17:00 Things to do in Pamukkale 1. The Thermal Pools Pamukkale is called the Cotton Castle because of its one-of-a-kind thermal pools nestled within thick layers of white limestone. The mineral-rich pools have a range of temperatures. Some feel like a regular hot tub while others have a lukewarm or even cold feel to them. Make sure to take your shoes off when visiting the pools so as not to damage the limestone. When we were there, we saw about 25 pools filled with blue water, 15 of which were accessible to swim in. However, there were hundreds of dried-up pools surrounding us as well. If you’re lucky enough to go to Pamukkale after heavy rain, you may see more filled pools than we did. I recommend visiting the thermal pools about 2 hours before sunset. That way, you will enjoy fewer crowds. 2. The Ancient City (Hierapolis) Hieropolis, or Holy City, is an ancient city behind the Thermal Pools of Pamukkale. It stretches for about 2.7 kilometers or 1.7 miles. The city is so large that it can even be seen from the city of Denizli, which is 20 kilometers or 12 miles away from the site. The Holy City was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1988 and has since enjoyed more protection to keep its beauty and history intact. Give yourself at least a few hours to visit the ancient city since there is so much to explore here. You will come across a museum, ancient theatre, main streets, and many other Roman ruins. You can also spend some time at the Cleopatra Pools during your time in Hierapolis. These green pools were artificially created, however the water does sit on top of ancient columns that fell from the city during an earthquake. #turkey#turkeytravel #nature #romanforum #history #historicallandmarks