Tour to Ephes and Pamukkale from Belek

The tour to Ephesus and Pamukkale is a two-day trip from Belek with a full programme. You will see antique sites of real historical value with your own eyes, visit the calcium terraces, Cleopatra’s Pool and many other places of interest.

Stepping into antiquity at Ephesus

On the way from your Belek hotel the coach stops in the town of Selçuk, where you can have a proper meal before the tour. It then takes you straight to Ephesus, a city that is an open-air museum of antiquity. You have a full two hours to explore the monuments, temples and mausoleums on your own. The remarkable buildings of Ephesus hold the great events and secrets of the ancient town.

The two-day programme includes a visit to the House of the Virgin Mary. Legend says the mother of Jesus spent the last years of her life here. The house is a small antique building with a cellar. In 2007 a fire broke out at the site. The flames destroyed almost all the surrounding land but stopped a few metres from the house, and the building that was once the home of the Virgin Mary was left untouched.

At Ephesus you will also see other landmarks:

• the Temple of Artemis of Ephesus;
• the imposing Gate of Hercules;
• the Basilica of St John;
• the Pollio Fountain;
• the Odeon amphitheatre;
• the Library of Celsus;

Guests can walk past the ruins of the Temple of Emperor Hadrian, the Octagon mausoleum and the bath complex. After the sightseeing you check in to a comfortable hotel with a jacuzzi, a pool and an entertainment area. Dinner (buffet) is served in the evening.

Pamukkale, a city of contrasts

In the morning, after a substantial breakfast, the group sets off for the village of Karahayıt near Pamukkale. Hot thermal springs rise from the mountain here. The famous red travertines catch the eye — they take their colour from the iron oxide with which these waters are saturated.

The next stop on this full programme is the historical complex of Pamukkale. It comprises:

• The ancient city of Hierapolis. Here you will see the largest necropolis of the ancient world on Turkish soil. The Arch of Domitian, a monumental gateway, leads into the city — one of the few monuments preserved here.
• The calcium terraces. These are the pride of Pamukkale and make the place recognisable the world over. Formed of snow-white calcite, the terraces take the shape of basins on several levels, filled with healing mineral water.
• Cleopatra’s Pool. In antiquity it was said that anyone who bathed in these waters gained eternal youth. They are so clear that you can make out blocks, stone columns and other pieces of ancient buildings resting up to ten metres down.

After lunch you visit the Varol Tekstil textile factory, where high-quality cotton goods can be bought, and an onyx works. Both matter a great deal to the region’s economy. The word “Pamukkale” itself translates from Turkish as “cotton castle”, which says something about the importance of textiles here. After this programme you are transferred back to your hotel.

The impressions this two-day tour leaves will last a lifetime. Ancient Ephesus and Pamukkale, the city of contrasts, are waiting for you. Book the tour at attractive prices right now and see these world-famous places tomorrow.