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,
amazing but expensive. I did not try this but i know people who say it cured them of muscle problems
It has been 20 years since my visit to this majestic sight. I have just finished reading a few of the previous reviews and I am feeling very nostalgic. One of the best decisions I made in college was spending my winter break visiting Turkey and Pamukkale specifically. 2 friends and I could have gone anywhere as we were studying…
This place is fantastic, not only do you have the natural mineral pools, but there is also Hierapolis and 'Cleopatra's pool' onsite too! Myself, daughter, brother and our friend came here for a daytrip from Altinkum. It's quite a long journey but well worth it. When we got there the natural tiered pools were quite busy, so we paid a…
C1 ( 2013.08.15 )
There was a strange attraction. For a long time, water including much white lime made beautiful hill. Water always flowed along the hill, so we entered there after taking off shoes. The view of hill was very beautiful, and strange. View of day and night was different everytime I look. Excellent attraction..
I visited this spectacular site 15 years ago and then came back this week with my 12yo son as part of a 2 week tour of Turkey. I can only say nothing has changed from the beauty of the thermal pools, only the tourist centre at the entrance has grown ten fold! A must!
We were in pamukkale in may 2011. It was very much a local experience vs a commercialized venture. Heiropolis was better than Ephesus for me. The whole experience in the area was fantastic. The ice cream cones in the village, the food and friendly establishments, the carpet merchant and the silk rugs I bought: no disappointments. We got great advice…
This was amazing – reading about it and seeing pictures are not the same as being there.
Something you just have to see if you're in Turkey!
However the crowds don't allow you to make full use of it,so get there early by 10a.m at latest.Afternoons are very crowded.
Rich place; everything natural: stone, water, sunshine. The price for one swimming is too much, because we pay entrance 20 lira, than again 32 lira for pools.
Don't fall for the trap of paying admission for Heirapolis with the intention of visiting the thermal pools the next day. You will have to pay admission to Heirapolis again.
I was last here 30 years ago – what a difference!
Turkey has woken up to the benefits of tourism and Pamukkale demonstrates this well.
Great layout, lots of features that make it a visitors delight. It was very crowded which was a drawback and kept some of our group from going in the pool. But spectacular views and a…