Konya, Hierapolis & Pamukkale: Day 5

Getting to Konya, Hierapolis & Pamukkale

• Konya is home to the Sufi Mevlevi Order, also known as whirling dervishes...

  Unfortunately to see these sites the only alternative is a 9-hour drive.

• If you wish to skip these, you can drive from Cappadocia back to Kayseri and hop a flight via Istanbul to Bodrum, on the Aegean coast.

What to Do in Konya

Drive from Cappadocia to Konya (approx. 5 hours). In the 12^th century, Konya was the capital of the Seljuk Sultanate.

• En route, stop at Agzikarahan Caravanserai, a 13th century inn for travelers.

• Konya is home to the Sufi Mevlevi Order, also known as whirling dervishes. The mystic who founded the order believed that the ecstatic state elicited by song and dance liberated one from the pain of daily life.

• Mevlana Museum – This 13th century whirling dervish monastery houses a fine collection of musical instruments used by the members as well as an opulently gilded tomb for the founder Mevlana.

What to Do in Hierapolis

Drive from Konya to Hierapolis (approx. 4 hours). The Hellenic-era thermal springs found at Hireropolis made it a popular spa in ancient times. Today you can ramble around the ruins and end with a refreshing dip in a mineral pool surrounded by marble column fragments, possibly a sacred bath of the Temple of Apollo.

• Ruins – Highlights are an amazingly well-preserved theatre from 200 BC, the triple Arch of Domitian and the Martyrium of St Philip from the 5^th century built on the spot where the apostle was crucified and stoned in 80 AD.

What to do in Pamukkale

Continue onto Pamukkale, meaning ‘cotton castle’ next to Hierapolis. Immense tiers of white limestone terraces are formed from the calcium carbonate deposits left as the hot water from springs flows down the slopes, losing carbon dioxide along the way. You can no longer climb on the geologic formations, but they are an incredible sight to behold and photograph, and there are nearby hot springs for swimming.

Where to Stay in Hierapolis/Pamukkale

There are not great hotels in the area, but a fun option is the Spa Hotel Colossae Thermal in Pamukkale. The pool and spa are worth a stay and the rooms, while a bit 80s themed are large and comfortable.