Things to do in Inland From Selçuk
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Hierapolis
The ruins of Hierapolis brilliantly evoke life in the early centuries of the modern era. Here pagan, Roman, Jewish and early Christian elements evolved into a distinctly Anatolian whole.
Founded around 190 BC by Eumenes II, king of Pergamum, Hierapolis was a cure centre that prospered under the Romans and even more under the Byzantines, when it gained a large Jewish community and an early Christian congregation. Sadly, recurrent earthquakes regularly brought disaster and after a major tremor in 1334 the city was abandoned.
Start near the Hierapolis Archaeology Museum to find the ruined Byzantine church and the foundations of a Temple of Apollo. As at Didyma and Delphi, the …
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Plutonium
Near the Hierapolis Archaeology Museum stand a ruined Byzantine church and the foundations of a Temple of Apollo. As at Didyma and Delphi, the temple had an oracle tended by eunuch priests. The source of inspiration was an adjoining spring called the Plutonium, dedicated to Pluto, god of the underworld.
As if to confirm its direct line to Hades, the spring gave off toxic vapours, lethal to all but the priests, who would demonstrate its powers by tossing small animals and birds in to watch them die.
To find the spring, walk up towards the Roman theatre, enter the first gate in the fence on the right, then follow the path down to the right. To the left, in front of the big, …
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travertines
Most people come to Pamukkale to see its famous travertines. Walking around them is enjoyable even now that access is restricted - though you'll never get a photo quite like the ones on the postcards. The route up to the northern entrance is about 3km long but is on tarmac, whereas from the southern ticket kiosk you have to walk 250m barefoot up to the plateau, along a calcium path through the travertines themselves. Tiny ridges of calcium make this tough on tender feet.
Since the site is open 24 hours you can visit for sunrise and sunset. Some pensions also organise trips to view the Hierapolis theatre and the travertines after dark.
You can swim in the Antique Pool in Hi…
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Roman baths
Beyond the Arch of Domitian you come to the ruins of the Roman baths, then to the Appian Way of Hierapolis, an extraordinary necropolis (cemetery), extending several kilometres to the north, with many striking, even stupendous, tombs in all shapes and sizes. In particular, look out for a cluster of circular tombs, supposedly topped with phallic symbols in antiquity.
In ancient times Hierapolis was a place where the sick came for a miracle cure, but the size of the necropolis suggests the local healers had mixed success.
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Hierapolis Archaeology Museum
Housed in what were once the Roman baths, this excellent museum has three separate sections, one housing spectacular sarcophagi, another small finds from Hierapolis and Afrodisias, and the third friezes and Roman-era statuary from the Afrodisias school. Those depicting Attis, lover of the goddess Cybele, and a priestess of the Egyptian goddess Isis, are especially fine.
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Martyrium of St Philip the Apostle
From the theatre, take one of the rough tracks heading uphill and eventually you'll come to the extraordinary octagonal Martyrium of St Philip the Apostle, built on the site where it's believed that St Philip was martyred. The arches of the eight individual chapels are all marked with crosses. Views from here are wonderful, and few of the regular tours bother to bring visitors up this far.
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Roman theatre
The spectacular Roman theatre, capable of seating more than 12,000 spectators, was built in two stages by the emperors Hadrian and Septimius Severus. Much of the stage survives, along with some of the decorative panels and the front-row 'box' seats for VIPs. It was restored by Italian stonecutters in the 1970s. The new wooden rails are intended to stop people toppling down the tiers.
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Hellenistic theatre
Hack across the hillside in a westerly direction from the Martyrium of St Philip the Apostle and eventually you'll come to a completely ruined Hellenistic theatre along unmarked goat tracks. Looking down you'll see the 2nd-century agora, one of the largest ever discovered. Marble porticoes with Ionic columns surrounded it on three sides, while a basilica closed off the fourth.
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Frontinus Street
Turn right towards the northern exit of Hierapolis and you'll come to the remains of the marvellous colonnaded Frontinus Street, with some of its paving and columns still intact. Once the city's main north-south commercial axis, this street was bounded at both ends by monumental archways.
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Arch of Domitian
The ruins of the Arch of Domitian, with its twin towers, are at the northern end, but just before them don't miss the surprisingly large latrine building, with two channels cut into its floor, one to carry away sewage, the other for fresh water.
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Kayaş Wine House
As well as a wide-ranging multilingual menu, the Kayaş terrace offers plenty of scope for a night out, with cocktails, a nargileh cornerand satellite TV coverage of big football matches.
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Ünal Restaurant
By the main square, this smartish licensed restaurant has all the usual standards such as şiş kebap and grills, as well as daily specials.
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Konak Sade Restaurant
Free apple tea, giant lounge chairs and use of the on-site swimming pool make this a good central choice for daytrippers.
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Travertines
The highlight of Pamukkale is the network of saucer-shaped travertines that wind down the powder-white mountain like a staircase built for a giant. To wander around you must take off your footwear – a security guard will furiously blow his whistle at you if you do not do so. Try wearing a pair of old socks if your soles are tender – some small stones are quite jagged. It's best to visit early in the morning or late in the afternoon to avoid the crowds and the shimmering sun that bounces off the bleached stone.
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Mustafa's
Scatter cushions and rustic tables overlooking the street are a top location for wood-fired pizzas and good-value falafel wraps.
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Mehmet's Heaven
Friendly Mehmet invites tourists to dine amongst a sea of overstuffed cushions. Thumb through giant tomes of autographs – basically everyone who has eaten here over the last 25 years – while enjoying the views of travertines out back.
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Kayaş
As well as a diverse menu of pinch-a-penny eats, Kayaş offers plenty of scope for a fun night out, with cocktails, a nargileh corner and satellite-TV coverage of big football matches.
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Antique Pool
The focus of Hierapolis was its sacred pool, which is now the swimming pool in the courtyard of the Antique Pool spa. You can still bathe in it amid submerged sections of original fluted marble columns. The water temperature is a languid 36°C. In the peak season from around 11am to 4pm, the pool is a busy watery scrum of day trippers, but it generally empties out later in the afternoon.
Tighter budgets can indulge in a swim in the faux-travertines at the public pool down the hill on the edge of town.
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