A great mixture of some of the wonders of man and one of Mother Nature's most amazing gifts

Pamukkale, cotton castle in English, is totally unique in the world. It is the site of a wonderful phenomenon and it is one of the items on the "Must See List" for Turkey.

The famous travertines are caused by the mineral waters, which contain a mixture of CO2 and Calcium (Ca). When the water emerges from the ground, Ca is separated from the CO2 gas and it precipitates out as the white layers. The water also has healing effects. Dissolved aluminum, sulfur and other elements are said to be good for skin diseases, rheumatism, heart disease, high blood pressure, nervous disorders and eye conditions.

The ancient city of Hierapolis on the area was the most civilized city of the Lycos Valley. It was built in the II century BC by the Pergamun King. After a few decades it came under Roman rule and gained lots of importance because of its spas and mineral waters. There were many baths built by the Roman who loved to spend lots of time relaxing and socializing in the soothing waters.

Christianity started to spread in this area in I century AD. Since St. Philip, one of the twelve apostles, was killed here, Hierapolis became a sacred place for the Christians. In 394 it came under the control of the Byzantine Empire and became a center of Bishopric. However, when the Turks came to the area, they wanted to conquer the city and because of continuous wars between the Turks and the Byzantine, the city became a battlefield. Eventually the city grew weaker and weaker until a big earthquake brought an end to its history in the XIII Century.

During your visit to Hierapolis, an open air museum, you will see of the largest ancient graveyard containing over 1200 sarcophagi, many of which are as big as a small house. The Great Theater, the tomb of St.Philip, the Roman Baths, the gymnasium that is used as a museum and Apollo Temple are the other attractive ruins.

IDEAL TOUR PROGRAM
Pamukkale is 285 kilometers away from Bodrum. An approximately four and a half hours' journey through forests and country villages will take you to this beautiful place.

07:00	Leave for Pamukkale.
09:00	Stop for a traditional Turkish breakfast
11:30	Visit the ancient city of Hierapolis, walk on the snow, ice, mirage, clouds,  beautiful cascades and swim in a spa.
14:00	Try some delicious samples of the Turkish cuisine.
15:00	Leave for Bodrum.