Holiday Ayo - Located 20 kilometers from the town of Denizli in the Aegean region of Turkey, Pamukkale is one of the most interesting places in the world, justly famous not only for the entrancing beauty of its unique geological formations but also for its historical remains. 

Pamukkale, meaning “cotton castle” in Turkish, is an unreal landscape in western Turkey, famous for its white terraces. The terraces are made of travertine, a sedimentary rock deposited by water with a very high mineral content from the hot springs. 

The site gets its name from the numerous cascading white pools with bright turquoise water surfaces. From a distance, the white limestone walls seem to resemble an immense castle of fluffy cotton.

Pamukkale was formed when a spring with a high content of dissolved calcium bicarbonate cascaded over the edge of the cliff, which cooled and hardened leaving calcium deposits.

Pamukkale’s waters are believed to have curative powers and have been used as a thermal bath for centuries. 

Additionally, they build a road that connected the valley with the terrace so that motorbikes could go up and down the slopes. However, the area was eventually declared a World Heritage Site and they demolished the hotels and the road so that the area could be protected.

This is one of the most popular places to bathe so don’t expect the ‘healing’ waters to be a tranquil space unless you visit out of season. 

How to Get There

In the summer, Pamukkale has some direct bus services to many parts of the country, although the most transfer to another in Denizli, 18km south. There are no direct services in the winter, but regular public buses still run to and from Denizli.

The bus leaves several times throughout the day so that you can easily find a time that works for you.