Is that snow of the mountain in this heat? No it's a unique geological site! (Pamukkale)

Member Name: lm09

Product:	Pamukkale
Date:	18/03/09 (196 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Two attractions for the price of one. Roman ruins and unique natural wonder.

Disadvantages: Tourism has had a negative impact on the area.

I visited Pamukkale in late spring 2008. Even at this time of the year the temperature in this part of inner Turkey was in the high twenties. I arrived at Pamukkale having travelled up from the south through the sprawling and largely un-attractive province of Denzili. Denzilli acts as the major hub for tourists looking to head to the nearby Pamukkale. Buses are priced one way to Istanbul £20, Bodrum £14 and Antalya £12. I had taken the five hour trip from Antalya and stayed over night in one of the many hotels that surround the hill.

Pamukkale is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Its name, 'Pamukkale' translates as Cotton Castle and as I approached the hill it became obvious why this is so. The vast calcium rich pools form an almost snow capped appearence on the hill. Behind this hill is the massive Roman site with the impressive Roman Theatre.

Firstly the calcuim spa then. For over two thousand years people have been drawn to this spa to benefit from the healing qualities of the calcium rich waters. The high levels of calcium in the water has built up over many centuries to form massive white shelves of calcium with warm pools of water running over them. The site costs £4 to enter which gives entrance to both the calcium pools and also the Roman ruins. You are best to get driven up to the top gate on the site and from here you can walk back down the hill through the calcium pools.

The views out from the top are stunning and the white terraces make for some amazing photographs with them in the foreground and the beautiful vista of the moutainous region of Denzili province behind. The water is warm and pleasant to walk barefoot in. Some of the rocks can be sharp though and care should be taken. Whatever time you visit the terraces it will always be busy. Outisde of Instanbul this is one of Turkeys most important tourist sites. The site itself is open 24 hours so if you can visit it during either sunset or sunrise you will get the most amazing photographs, as the early light transforms the white calcium formations and the sunset again gives different tones to the rock. Around the higher parts of the site large stalactites can be seen and again these make stunning photographs.
Allow maybe an hour to explore this unique rock formation.

If the white mountain is not your thing then the ancient Roman city of Hierapolis will certainly draw you in. Dating back to around 120BC the site was set up as a healing centre as the powers of the therma pools was known even then. One of the best things to do here is to swim in the antique pool. Costing £10, this pool, built on a thermic vent is 36c and feels like swimming in a pleasant bath. It also seemed to me that it was easier to float as if the rich minerals of the water made me more bouyant. Not sure if this would hold up to scientific investigation but thats what I felt! Important tip here, if you are planning your trip up to Pamukkale remember your swimming costume. I am pretty sure skinny dipping would not be a goer here!!

As for the rest of the Roman site, well what you have is a sprawling necropolis (city of the dead) or in modern terms a huge graveyard where presumably those who came to be cured by the healing springs left this mortal earth a tad disappointed at the healing powers!

The ruins here are not on the same par as those of Ephasus and are in places more akin to a serious of dry stone walls. Some structures of note, though, do still remain. Most of the theatre is still in good condition and the view from climbing to the top of this is pretty special.

Right so at the risk of bein really un-helpful here, there is another really nice spa to go and visit. The name of which I cannot remember but if you mention red rock to a local driver they will be able to take you the 10 minute drive to the site. Again, not being any help but I cannot remember which mineral it is that makes this area red but again if is great to photopgraph. It is nothing on the scale of Pamukkale but pretty all the same. A word of caution here though. The water in some points is boling hot so use caution before sticking you ailing feet in or you may be looking for a different and more painfull medicinal cure to salvage your holiday.

Pamukkale is a must see sight of Turkey. I have never seen anything like it. I was told by an American that they have a similar place in North America somewhere but I don't know of anywhere else like it in Europe. Budapest and the Czech Republic both have famous spas but nowhere have these spas left such a large scar on the earth. As for the healing powers, well I went there perfectly heathly and left perfectly healthly so at best I'll call it a draw.

Summary: See something unique and beautiful in Turkey