Kuşadası to Kapadokya
Overview
This itinerary will see you reach Kapadokya by car and I would suggest at least a full day at Pamukkale and the Hierapolis as this is not a place to rush. Kusadaşi to Pamukkale is roughly a 3 hour drive. It’s likely that you will have left early and had a quick brekky, so I’d also suggest pausing for some local Turkish fare along the way to fill your bellies for a big day of swimming and exploring ahead! Even roadside truck-stop food in Turkey is to die for and we stopped by the Kismet Pide shop in Nazilli for quite frankly some of the best beef and vegetarian pides I’ve ever tasted. It’s tucked in off of the highway and en route to Pamukkale. Our guide also took us via ‘Populer’ leather factory in Selçuk, where Turkish leather goods are sold at a fraction of the cost but sold to brands such as Cavalli for 2-3 x the amount. Worth it if you are desiring a new jacket made from quality leather but otherwise probably best to stick to the straight and narrow road to Pamukkale.
We stayed at the Spa Hotel Colossae Thermal, which I would highly recommend for a two night stay so that you can adequately explore the fascinating archaeology nearby as well as experience the luxury that the 5 star hotel has to offer, including a variety of thermal baths.
The drive from Colossae Thermal to Kapadokya is a long one (roughly 7 – 8 hours) and it can be broken up with stops at Konya to see where Rumi lived and died, as well as at Aksaray where you can visit the largest saray (palace) on the silk road where travellers and merchants would rest overnight. If you leave early from Pamukkale, around 8am, you’re likely to reach Konya by 12/1 pm and a quick tasty and affordable lunch option can be found at Kirazli Bahçe (literally ‘cherry garden’) restaurant on the outskirts of Konya. We had beef and lamb skewers with Turkish bread and an Efes! Konya and Aksaray definitely warrant only quick stops and will provide some interest for the long journey.
Hierapolis
Hierapolis, an ancient Greek city located on hot springs in south western Anatolia and adjacent to Pamukkale, means “Holy City”, and was founded by the Attalid kings of Pergamon at the end of the 2nd century B.C. Ceded to the Romans in 133 B.C., it reached its peak of importance in the 2nd and 3rd centuries A.D. After being destroyed by an earthquake in 60 AD, it later underwent reconstruction and there is a current day archaeological museum designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, housing the Tomb of Philip the Apostle. Remains of the city include the baths, temple ruins, a monumental arch, nymphaeum, necropolis (containing many sarcophagi, most notably of Marcus Aurelius Ammianos) and an impressive theatre (constructed properly under the rule of Hadrian, after the earthquake).
Through the influence of the Christian apostle Paul, a church was founded in Hierapolis while he was in Ephesus. The apostle Philip spent the last years of his life in Hierapolis and the town’s Martyrium is allegedly build upon the spot he was crucified in 80 A.D. After the establishment of Constantinople as the ‘new Rome’ in 330 A.D., Hierapolis was made a diocese.
This ancient thermal spa town saw Cleopatra and Antony bathing in style. To this day, you can take a dip in their pool, with the centuries old Roman columns beneath you as you wade through the warm water. Beware the ‘professional’ photographer in the A + C pool, he will have you in all manner of positions that he thinks is sellable before you have a moment to realize how uncomfortable these are. These pools were once part of an elaborate ‘health centre’, where people would come to bathe in the geothermal pools for healing, particularly during the Roman period. The Antique pool is a man made pool and is said to be a gift from Marc Antony to Cleopatra, formed after the great earthquake of the 7th century destroyed the Roman temple to Apollo which surrounded the pool. The columns of the temple scattered and remain in the water for visitors to swim on and around. The Antique pool has a well organized facility for tourists with male and female bathrooms, lockers, changerooms and of course, a station to print out your tourist photos. There is really so much to fit in for one day and I’d highly suggest two days for Hierapolis and Pamukkale.
Pamukkale (‘Cotton Palace’)
I must admit, Pamukkale was a complete surprise to me. I knew it was a ‘must see’ in Turkey but it far exceeded any expectations, probably because there were none. If you are a fan of photography or an insta-worthy snap, this is your place. If you’re a fan of awe-inspiring natural wonders and geography, this is your place. If you’re a fan of quiet, lonesome moments to admire your surroundings, this is not your place. It is crawling with tourists. Let me repeat: crawling like you’re suspended within an ant hive. Nevertheless, the calcite-laden waters emerging from hot springs and through the cliffs almost 200 metres above the plains have created a series of petrified waterfalls, stalactites and pools with stepped terraces ranging in a metre in height to six metres in height. The almost blinding white coating of these terraces and mountain slops is due to the fresh deposits of calcium carbonate and is a visual treat, especially if you are not expecting it.
We had emerged from our relaxing swim amongst the columns feeling refreshed and slightly violated from the photographer (joke) and ready to discover the wonders of this geographical staircase. There is a platform at the top (literally the top stair) where I left my bag amongst the throes of tourists. In hindsight, this may have been a silly move but there were almost so many people sitting around that in a way it felt safe. NB: do not recommend this. Also NB: I removed my camera, phone and credit cards from said bag! However, the walk down the travertines can be a little slippery atop the calcium and I did not fancy having my bag and contents dunked underwater. It’s a calculated choice to make! Unlike the thermal pools, there are no lockers at the travertines so it’s a good idea to prioritise what you have in your bag before you leave your vehicle. The travertines are 2.7 km long, 600m wide and 160m high. There are pools you will dip your feet in and others you’ll be approaching knee height in. Plan for 2 hours here at least. You’ll want some time to savour the feel of your feet in the water and on the smooth calcium, some time to walk down the slopes without feeling rushed and some time to take a myriad of stunning photographs.
Spa Hotel Colossae Thermal
Ordinarily I wouldn’t dedicate a section to accommodation unless I truly thought it worth a mention. I paid to stay in all of these hotels so this certainly isn’t a sponsorship inclusion. This hotel is huge and very well thought out. The rooms are generous and modern, there is a huge dining hall with the largest buffet dinner I think I have ever seen in my life and post-dinner entertainment including local music and belly dancing. We enjoyed a relaxation massage before dinner after which I went to the salon for a little more pampering. Above all of this however, is the access to the thermal pools of varying temperatures, colours and sizes. Correct spa etiquette is enforced with the use of headcaps and a quick shower before use and between the use of each pool. It’s completely relaxing and brings about a feeling of those old Roman days…
NB: phones and cameras are locked up during thermal spa use!
Konya
“Set your life on fire. Seek those who fan your flames.” ~ Rumi.
It would seem incorrect to write about Konya without starting with a Rumi quote, the famous mystic who has his mausoleum in this town. Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi, or Mevlâna, was a Persian poet, an Islamic dervish and a Sufi mystic who is oft quoted to this day, his wise words influencing and inspiring people the world over. His words tell of the human experience, be they good or bad, and incite some level of importance or reasoning to each.
The Mevlâna Museum which holds the Rumi sarcophagus, was also the dervish lodge of the Mevlevi order, better known as the whirling dervishes. The Selçuk sultan who invited Rumi to Konya offered his rose garden as a place of burial for Rumi’s father when he passed away in 1231. Rumi was buried next to his father upon his death in 1273.
Today, the site allows visitors to pay respects at Rumi’s tomb nestled beneath the large green dome and decorated in gold with verses from the Qur’an. The kitchen and living cells of the dervishes are open to the public and set up as an exhibit to dervish life. There is a ritual hall with a collection of musical instruments used by the dervishes.
Unless you have a religious attachment to Rumi and the dervishes, I would say 1-2 hours maximum at this site would be suitable. (NB: allow 30-40 minutes if you need to use the female bathrooms which had an extraordinarily long line up on the day I visited!).
Aksaray
Good bye Konya; onwards to Kapadokya! Not before a quick stop at Aksaray to view an impressive caravanserai. A caravanserai (kārvānsarāy; ‘caravan palace’) was a roadside inn where travellers, traders, pilgrims or others engaged in long distance travel could find rest and recovery after a long day’s travel. These caravanserais were particularly important along the Silk Road. There are three monumental caravanserais in the Aksaray province, most notably Sultan Han (Sultanhanı), the largest in all of Anatolia, which is located in the village Sultanhan approximately 40km west of Aksaray. It recently underwent a one million USD restoration over two years and reopened in October 2019. This incredible piece of Selçuk architecture was built in 1229 and was included in the UNESCO World Heritage Temporary List in 2014.
By the time of arrival here after the long drive, one feels as if completely encapsulated by the dusty streets in what feels like no-mans land. Until suddenly, an intricately geometrically decorated marble structure rises in front of you and the imposing façade of a 50 metre wide front wall with a monumental 13 m high marble gate peers down at you. There’s a grandiosity and time-transcending feeling that overcomes one on entry through the gate, as the courtyard opens up before you and the arcades along its side (serving as stables and accommodation), as well as the central square stoned kiosk, come into view. At the other end of the courtyard some real photographic fun is to be had with the interplay of multiple arches. The restoration project offers demonstrations and workshops of traditional handicrafts such as carpet weaving, copper work, pottery and textile composition, all within Sultan Han.
From here, it was getting late in the afternoon and time to continue onwards from Sultanhan to Kapadokya, approximately another 2 hours. Fortunately our guide had lined up a delicious, no fuss but delicious three course meal at a family run restaurant called Hanımeli in Mustafapaşa village, which is set on the Karagöz family’s rooftop, and then it was time to head to our hotel for some zz’s.
