
- Bathing
- Outdoor
Inside the archaeological site of Hierapolis, an earthquake dropped a marble portico into the sacred spring. The columns are still there, and you can swim over them in 36°C mineral water.
Balnevia view
Why visit
Few places let you bathe inside a UNESCO World Heritage site — the sensation of warm carbonated water over ancient marble is genuinely singular.
Recommendations
Hotels nearby
Explore places to stay near Cleopatra Antique Pool.
The water
Thermal water
- Source
- Hierapolis sacred spring
- Mineralisation
- Calcium bicarbonate-sulphate with dissolved carbon dioxide
- Character
- Naturally carbonated water rising through the ancient marble
Facilities
- Thermal pools
- Outdoor pools
- Café
History
Hierapolis was founded as a spa city in the second century BC; the pool has been in use since antiquity and takes its name from a legend linking it to Cleopatra.
Practical information
Requires both the Pamukkale site ticket and a separate pool ticket. Go early — it is busy from mid-morning.
Getting there
Twenty minutes by dolmuş from Denizli to Pamukkale, then up through the travertine terraces.
Location
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