Schedule
Depart from your hotel in the morning to Pamukkale. On arrival you will see the Cotton Cliffs, one of the natural wonders of the world formed by deposits of calcareous salts.

Also visit the ancient ruins of the City of Hierapolis with its Basilica, theatre and Roman Baths. Lunch is included in the tour as well as transfer back to your hotel.

PAMUKKALE/HIERAPOLIS

The stunning white calcium pools, which cling to the side of the ridge, have long been one of the most famous picture postcard views of Turkey. Pamukkale, literally meaning "cotton castle", is also the site of the ancient city of Hierapolis of which there are many interesting ruins, and is a very popular destination for a short visit.

Pamukale was formed when a spring with a high content of dissolved calcium bicarbonate cascaded over the edge of the cliff, which cooled and hardened leaving calcium deposits. This formed into natural pools, shelves and ridges, which tourists could plunge and splash in the warm water.

ANCIENT CITIES HIERAPOLIS (Pamukkale)

The ancient city of Hierapolis, the original site of Pamukkale, was known as Holy City in archaeological literature because of the abundance of temples and other religious structures in the area.

Although there is limited information on the founding of the city, it is known what Eumenes II founded it and named it after Bergama's mythical founder, Hiera, who was the wife of Telephos. It was an important centre during the Roman and Byzantine periods, and a centre of Christianity since the 4th century.

LAODICEA

Founded on the southern back of the Curuksu River, the site of ancient Laodicea, or Laodikya, is 13 km south of Pamukkale. According to ancient sources, the city was established by Antiochus in 261-263 BC, and named after his wife.

This was one of the most important and renowned cities of Anatolia in the first century BC, and the majority of works of art here belonged to this period. The Romans put great importance to Laodicea and declared it as the centre of Cybria.

The whole area contains the largest stadium in Asia Minor, a gymnasium and baths complex, and the foundations of an Ionic temple. The region contains one of the seven known churches of Asia Minor, which indicates the high esteem in which Christianity was placed. A destructive earthquake levelled the city in 60 AD.

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