©
Flickr cc Dennis Jarvis
Turkey Travel Guide
©
Flickr cc Dennis Jarvis
From far away, when you arrive at Pamukkale you get the impression that it's a mountain covered by snow. All the same, in mid summer, it's completely surreal in its appearance.
Pamukkale is definitely a sight to see, when going on a journey in Turkey. This site classed as World Heritage by UNESCO since 1988 is unmissable. In fact, Pamukkale is one of the main attractions of the country. Situated in the south-west of this huge country, the geological uniqueness of the site is attractive, but the thermal baths are as popular for their well-being properties and for health that we attribute to them. In the Turkish language, its name means "cotton castle". This name is explained by the white colour of the cliff. The aforementioned, at a height of 200 metres is covered by calcite. Above the hill, flows hot water. The naturally placed thermal baths on flats are distinguished from one another by a very esthetic method, it is one of the reasons why they are so attractive on this remarkable site. Another attraction of the place is linked to the archeological remains that we find there.
When visiting Hiérapolis, it is possible to admire the numerous ruins. It is mainly made up of a number of thermal establishments, of temples, as well as other Greek monuments possessing great historical value. This Roman byzantine city was especially created as a thermal station in the second century BC. given its location at the foot of natural spas. The archeological site and the Hiérapolis are thus at the foot of cliff. In addition in to this, it's possible to visit the village of Pamukkale itself. This is all deserving of interest, and if by any chance you doubt yourself, the city is entirely dedicated to tourism.
To protect the place, the authorities have started to charge for entry into the thermal baths for the visitors, I personally think this is a wise decision. Before, the entrance was free and the large numbers of visitors caused ireperable damage to this wonder of nature. I strongly recommend visiting the site when the sun is going down, because this is when Pamukkale transforms. At this time, the pure white of Mount Pamukkale takes on an orange tint, becoming highly photogenic. There is another considerable advantage to visiting at the end of the day, at this time, there are a lot fewer tourists.
The best time to visit the area is between the month of May and November, which are the hottest and least rainy months. It is good to set aside at least a half day for this visit.
