Hotels near Hierapolis Ancient City

Founded around 190 BC by the Attalid kings of Pergamon and later absorbed into the Roman Empire, Hierapolis grew into one of the most important healing and spa cities of antiquity. Its remains stretch across the plateau directly above the travertines, and access is included in the same €30 combined ticket. Highlights along the Colonnaded Street include the Frontinus Gate at the northern end, the Temple of Apollo, and the Plutonium - a small cave releasing carbon dioxide that ancient priests treated as a portal to the underworld. Italian archaeologist Francesco D'Andria's team identified the exact Plutonium shrine in 2013, confirming descriptions written by the Greek geographer Strabo nearly 2,000 years earlier. The full Hierapolis-Pamukkale UNESCO World Heritage listing covers a large section of the plateau and the terraces as a single inscribed property. Allow at least 2 to 3 hours to walk the main avenues, and remember there is very little shade on the plateau in summer.

Pro Tip: Walk the site from the South Gate down to the Frontinus Gate rather than the reverse - the long descent past the theatre and along the main street is easier on the knees than climbing back up in afternoon heat.