SamuelPamukkale is a small town in Turkey that is world famous for its massive glistening white ‘cotton castle’, or travertines as its more scientific name, which stemmed from its calcium-rich hot water spring. The water dripping down the hill over the millennia slowly deposited it mineral on the hill’s facade and eventually created the magical snow-white ‘castle’ that we know today.
Modern-day visitors come in their droves to Pamukkale to admire this unique geological marvel. But, the hot spring of Pamukkale has long drawn travelers and visitors since the time of antiquity, when the ancient city of Hierapolis once still stood on the hill plateau behind the ‘cotton castle’.
While tourists come mainly for Pamukkale’s natural white wonder, the ruins of ancient Hierapolis should not be missed where plenty of curious ancient Romans ruins and relics that can instill awe are spread over a vast green plain.
Besides Pamukkale, the nearby town of Karahayıt is also worth a visit, boasting its own version of hot water spring castle, albeit at a much more modest size. However, the colorful mineral deposit the hot spring water there leaves behind is definitely worth a detour from Pamukkale.
During our trip in Turkey in the winter, we made a trip to Pamukkale to witness the renowned ‘cotton castle’ with our own eyes and to feel its hot spring water soothing our weary legs. The visit to Hierapolis and Karahayıt was a pleasant unexpected addition to this great destination. Check out also our trip to incredible Cappadocia in central Turkey.
Getting there:
The main entry point to Pamukkale is via the nearby city of Denizli to the south. Denizli sits at the end of İzmir-Denizli train line. Bus is the best and easiest way to reach Denizli though. Plenty of bus operators, such as Pamukkale Turizm, criss-cross Turkey, connecting all cities to each other. Bus ticket can be bought online, but it can also be bought directly at the bus terminal.
The mini-bus (dolmuş) to Pamukkale departs from Denizli’s bus terminal, a ride of around 20 minutes. The ticket can be bought inside the mini-bus itself.
To orientate yourself in Pamukkale, bear in mind that the white ‘cotton castle’ sits directly at the edge of the ancient Hierapolis ruins. The lower entrance is directly next to Pamukkale’s town center while the upper entrance leads first to the vast plain of Hierapolis from where then you can reach the white ‘cotton castle’ from above.
We did spend a night in Pamukkale. We opted for Venus Hotel, located not far from the city center. The hotel’s staff was also so kind to bring us to the upper entrance by car, free of charge. Don’t miss the gozleme (Turkish pancake) freshly made traditionally during breakfast.
Ancient Hierapolis
We were dropped off at the upper entrance to Hierapolis by the hospitable hotel’s staff. Upon paying a small entrance fee, we proceeded and were immediately greeted by a vast expanse of grass plain. The otherwise empty plain was littered with chunks of geometrically shaped boulders and rocks.
Those cannot be natural rocks surely. Turned out they were simply the remains of the ruins and relics from ancient Hierapolis which once stood there. Many parts of the structures there had been left to crumble over the centuries. However, not all was lost.
Spread over the plain were the few larger structures that were still standing there. The most remarkable of them all was undoubtedly the massive Roman amphitheater. Such an iconic type of building left by the Romans spread throughout its ancient empire. It simply never ceased to amaze.
After exploring much of Hierapolis, we recommend you to visit the archaeological museum to learn more about its history. Also check out the ‘antique’ swimming pool there where old ruins and relics were submerged in the water, giving its an ‘Atlantis-like’ feeling.
Pamukkale cotton castle
The gigantic natural structure that is Pamukkale’s ‘cotton castle’ was definitely the main draw for travelers making a trip to this otherwise small town. The travertines stretching all the way from Hierapolis uphill to Pamukkale’s city center downhill can be walked through in its entirety.
Starting from the upper side, all visitors wanting to walk on the white structure had to take off their shoes, no matter the weather. A necessary rule I’d say to keep the ‘cotton castle’ white. As we visited during winter on a cloudy day, it could get quite chilly walking bare feet.
The name ‘cotton castle’ can be deceiving. The seemingly fluffy, soft, and cotton-like white structure was solid, hard, and rough as a stone. So foolish of me expecting a tender surface from mineral deposits.
Anyway, a gush of hot spring water streamed down from the top of the travertines, providing relief for our cold feet. Most of the water rushed through a small gutter running parallel to the path. It was the best part to walk on since the water was the warmest in the gutter. So soothing and relaxing warm water to rest your feet in.
At some parts on the travertines, the water collected in terraced pools of all sizes, small and big. The bigger ones had the size of a small swimming pool, and some people were crazy enough on that chilly day to take a dip in the pool. Since the water in the pool was not constantly replenished with new hot water, its temperature could drop fast.
To see the brilliant white ‘cotton castle’ was otherworldly. Literally otherworldly, since you could be forgive for thinking that it was somewhere on a giant iceberg. Only people’s uncovered feet made you realize again that it’s not somewhere in the arctic.
Remember that we had to take off our shoes. Well, if you’d like to tread through the whole travertines, and not come back to where you started, you’d have to carry your shoes, and hoping that you’d not drop it in the rushing hot water of the gutter.
Eventually we made it to the bottom of the massive structure and the sight from the bottom was equally impressive where you could marvel at the white giant. Well, at least now I could put on my shoes again and not having freezing feet anymore.
Karahayıt
At first we were actually not planning to visit Karahayıt, an even smaller town near Pamukkale. But, the owner of the restaurant that we went to mentioned that we should also pay it a visit to see its own hot water spring and travertines. We were already intrigued. He then told us that unlike Pamukkale’s, Karahayıt’s spring mineral was red. We’re immediately sold.
So, following his instruction to board another mini-bus (dolmuş) departing from the same bus stop where we first arrived from Denizli, we went to Karahayıt. We were dropped at the town square where a small alien-like looking fountain stood.
The fountain, called the Taş-Kırmızı Su or Stone-Red Water in English, was in fact the crown-jewel of Karahayıt. It was not that large, but it seemed that the decades or perhaps centuries of mineral water flowing through it had allowed it to build up deposits and bulge out like an inflated balloon. It’s array of colors is quite mesmerizing.
But that was not the travertines we were looking for in Karahayıt. We carried on through it’s town center and we arrived at a small park where the hot spring water pool was supposed to be.
Unlike Pamukkale’s world famous ‘cotton castle’, there was no grand facade, no massive crowd here. Just a small modest hot water pool, with terraced mineral pools, maybe three, four meters high.
We just then laughed at each other. The restaurant’s owner told us as if Karahayıt’s spring was the eight wonder of the world, hence our elevated expectation for something more grandeur.
Nevertheless, this hot water pool was wonderful in its own way, with its vibrant green, red, orange hues. I did not regret one bit taking a bit of a detour to Karahayıt. The restaurant owner was a fantastic salesman though.
