While spending time in Turkey, do yourself a big favor and find your way to the gorgeous, natural mineral baths & white travertines of Pamukkale and the ancient, Roman ruins of Hieropolis, which was built on top of them. We are talking UNESCO World Heritage Site. These minerals were/are so therapeutic that the Romans built an entire city upon them and made it into one huge spa. People have been bathing in them for thousands of years. It is an amazing treat to walk down the ancient road of Hieropolis and imagine that even Caesar strolled through this city. In the center of town there is the main pool, that is still there, full of the warm healing waters, and scattered through out, broken, marble columns. To take a break from your exploits, go take a swim in this ancient pool. Bring a mask to get a perfect view of the ancient pool treasures. When you’ve had your fill with this pool, head over to the travertines for some more soaking. I really recommend visiting in the later afternoon so you can experience the magic of the golden sun reflecting off the blue water and white travertines. Then while you head out, you can enjoy the glow off of the ruins and the many rows of marble tombs.
You will need a place to stay for the night before moving on, and really the BEST option is the Richmond Pamukkale Thermal Hotel (http://www.richmondint.com.tr/en/). We stayed in a giant suite that was clean and extremely comfortable. They even left us a big, beautiful fruit bowl, water, and wine. Breakfast and dinner were included in the very reasonable price. For a town with very little accommodations, this is the spot to stay at.
