A day trip to Pamukkale is a short one if you have already made your way to Istanbul. Denizli, the city you have to fly into, is only a short hour flight away, then another hour to Pamukkale from Denizli by bus is a piece of cake.
Flights to Denizli operate only twice a day with Pegasus Airlines, so you would get there early in the morning, and have until the evening to leave. If you do not plan on staying the night, I would suggest booking the return flight with another airline if you would like to leave earlier.
1. Travertine Thermal Pools
The “cotton castle” in Denizli is a beautiful UNESCO World Heritage protected site, with calcium rich terraces and travertine pools that look like snow from afar. They are white all year long, even in the Summer, and the water remains warm.
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2. Cleopatra's Pool
This man-made pool was said to be a gift from Marc Anthony to Cleopatra. The columns around it were destroyed in an earthquake in the 7th Century, leaving pieces of it inside the pool. The water is warm from the natural hot springs, and visitors are welcome to swim around. The air was simply too cold in December for any visitors to do so.
3. Hierapolis
If you are a fan of ancient cultures and history, Hierapolis is comprised of excavations dated to 2nd Century BC. It is considered a holy ancient Roman city that was destroyed by the Persians and multiple earthquakes. Other than the thermal springs being used as an ancient spa, the origins of this city was not well-documented. There are simply ruins everywhere, and also the remains of Pluto’s Gate, which was considered the gateway to hell.
Relevant post: 6 Must see treasures of Turkey.
Stay wild,
Evangeline
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