We arrived in Pamukkale for a 2-night stay. Again, just shy of tourist season, there were very small crowds. Stayed at a lovely family run Melrose House Hotel. It sits just at the base of the massive travertine pools that are the main attraction here. Most of the hotels in town are operating at a bare bones level preparing for full on tourist season, but we really enjoyed our quiet little hotel that offered delicious home cooked meals for breakfast and dinner.
We only needed one full day to take in the main sights in and around Pamukkale. Our first stop, about 10 miles from our hotel was the ancient city of Laiodikeia. It is in the beginning stages of being excavated but had two theaters, one of which was huge and adjacent to a large mountain with a view of Pamukkale in the distance. Cicero lived here for a time before Marc Antony “had him liquidated” (as Lonely Planet puts it).
In the afternoon we visited Hierapolis and the travertine pools, which are right next to each other and are a UNESCO World Heritage site. I got my first bee sting ever on the drive to the pools… thank goodness no allergic reaction.
The travertines look like an icy, snowy mountain containing crystal blue pools – some cool and some warm. The pools are derived from springs in a cliff almost 200 meters high, overlooking the city. The calcite-laden waters create an awesome landscape made up of mineral forests, petrified waterfalls and a series of terraced basins. At the end of the 2nd century B.C. the dynasty of the Attalids, the kings of Pergamum, established the thermal spa of Hierapolis.
Jason took a dip in the pool and gave himself a mud mask facial. The consistency is really pleasant, similar to mud or putty, and supposedly has healing qualities.
After hanging out in the travertine pools we went into the Antique Pool. The mineral rich warm water also touts many health benefits. A nice bonus was that you are swimming on top of old ruins and sunbathing on original Hierapolis columns.
We hiked all around Hierapolis after finishing up in the pools and watched sunset from the massive ancient theater. At sunset we met a very nice Peruvian woman who now lives in Italy. We talked with her and her Italian buddies about things to do once in Italy and Peru.
After another wonderful breakfast at Melrose House Hotel, we headed 1.5 hours towards Ephesus, stopping in Aphrodisias. The car ride was a nail-biter up into the mountains, passing quaint little farming villages along the way. Jason is an excellent driver!
Aphrodisias is gorgeous and a great way to check out another well preserved, but more sprawling ancient city than Ephesus (and a lot less crowded). It’s set in a valley amid Roman poplars, green fields and warbling birds. The museum here was fantastic. It was filled with ancient marble statues and had a wonderful 3D interactive map which showed you how the city once looked.
Aphrodisias began as a prehistoric mound around 5,000 BC. By the 2nd and 1st centuries B.C. it had become large and prosperous due to its rich marble quarry, with a population of around 150,000.
The coolest thing here was the huge stadium that was once home to many gladiator fights.