Pamukkale Travertines

Pamukkale is a hillside of white travertine terraces about 18 km north of Denizli city centre. Calcium-rich thermal water left these deposits where it met the air. The formation is about 2,700 m long and 160 m high. With Hierapolis, the ancient city above, it has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988.

Hierapolis was founded in the early 2nd century BC under the Kingdom of Pergamon. Its theatre seated about 15,000 people and has mythological reliefs. The necropolis runs for over 2 km, with about 1,200 tombs. In the Antique Pool, 36 °C spring water covers marble columns toppled by a 7th-century earthquake.

Local buses from Denizli bus station take about 20 minutes. From the village gate, the climb takes about 15 minutes. Shoes are not allowed on the terraces; walk barefoot. Visitors with limited mobility can use the South Gate. Late spring and early summer are best; summers are hot and shadeless.