Pamukkale & Hierapolis: white terraces, ancient city, thermal pools. Book tickets & experiences.
Buy TicketsPamukkale — Turkish for "cotton castle" — is a 200-metre-high cliff of brilliant white travertine on the edge of the Anatolian plateau in Denizli Province, southwestern Turkey. The terraces were laid down by 17 calcium-rich thermal springs that have been depositing limestone since prehistory; the resulting cascade of mineral basins, filled with warm turquoise water, is one of the strangest natural landscapes on Earth. On the plateau above sit the ruins of Hierapolis, the Greco-Roman spa city founded by Eumenes II of Pergamon in the 2nd century BC and expanded by the Romans into one of the great healing centres of the ancient Mediterranean. The two sites were jointly inscribed by UNESCO as a mixed natural and cultural World Heritage Site in 1988. See our visitors guide, the latest opening hours and the best time to visit page to plan ahead.
The smartest way to visit Pamukkale and Hierapolis
Skip the gate queues at the South or North entrance with a pre-booked ticket — essential in July and August when both gates can have 30–60 minute waits in midday heat. Your mobile ticket scans directly at the turnstile.
Add a return transfer from Antalya, Marmaris, Bodrum, Kuşadası, Selçuk or Fethiye in the same booking. Pamukkale sits inland from the Mediterranean and Aegean coasts — most visitors come on an organised day trip rather than driving themselves.
Plans change — cancel up to 24 hours before your visit for a full refund. No questions, no fees, no fine print.
Bundle a sunrise hot-air balloon flight over the white travertines for the most photographed dawn in Turkey. Pickup from your Pamukkale-village hotel, 60–75 minute flight, champagne toast on landing.
At the centre of the Hierapolis plateau lies the most photographed pool in Turkey: Cleopatra's Antique Pool, a warm thermal bath fed at a constant 36°C by the same calcium-rich springs that built the travertines below. On the bottom lie fluted Roman marble columns, toppled here by a 7th-century earthquake, that swimmers float over while submerged in the milky-blue mineral water. Legend, repeated by the Romans themselves, says that Mark Antony gifted the pool to Cleopatra — hence the name.
Swimming costs around €6 on top of your site entry (pay at the poolside ticket office), with lockers and changing rooms included. Visitors with a heart condition are advised against full immersion. Note: the pool is closed for maintenance through to mid-2026 in places — confirm status on the day at the entrance.
Visit Pamukkale and Hierapolis in 3 simple steps
Pick a date, an entrance gate (South Gate for the dramatic top-down arrival on the travertines, North Gate for the long Hierapolis colonnaded street, or Travertine Gate at the bottom of the cliff) and decide whether to add Cleopatra's Antique Pool, a balloon flight or a return transfer from the coast.
Secure checkout with instant email confirmation. Your mobile ticket arrives in minutes, ready to scan at the gate — no waiting at the ticket office, no printing required.
On the day, arrive at the chosen gate, scan your mobile ticket at the turnstile and start your visit. Remember to remove your shoes before stepping onto the travertines — barefoot walking is mandatory to protect the white limestone surface.
Everything you need to know before your visit
