Things to do in Pamukkale

Pamukkale is more than its photograph. Time your visit for soft light, and pair the terraces with the Roman city and thermal pools that share the ridge.

1. 1

   Walk the travertines barefoot

   Shoes off, wade the warm, calcite-white terraces that spill down the hillside. Early morning or late afternoon brings the best light and the thinnest crowds.

2. 2

   Swim in Cleopatra's Antique Pool

   Bathe among toppled marble columns in the warm, mineral-rich spring at the top of the ridge, a genuine Roman bath you can still get into.

3. 3

   Explore Hierapolis

   The terraces sit within the ruins of a Roman spa city, with a grand theatre, colonnaded street and vast necropolis to wander. The site museum fills in the story.

4. 4

   Stay for sunset

   As the day-trip buses leave, the white travertines turn gold and pink, arguably the finest hour to be there, and the reason to stay the night.

5. 5

   Paraglide over the ridge

   Tandem flights launch from the hills above for a bird's-eye view of the white cliffs and the plain below, a memorable quarter-hour.

6. 6

   Soak in the red springs of Karahayıt

   A few kilometres north, iron-rich thermal springs stain the rock red and feed the spa hotels, a warm, quieter counterpoint to the white terraces.

In-depth Pamukkale guides

• How to Visit Pamukkale — Terraces, Hierapolis and Tips
  A practical guide to visiting Pamukkale — the barefoot rule on the terraces, Hierapolis, Cleopatra's Pool, the three gates, when to go and day trip versus overnight.