Aphrodite was the Ancient Greek goddess of love, which means that it’s impossible to visit Aphrodisias without also falling in love with this archeological site that was constructed in her honor! Located in the Turkish countryside, between the Aegean Coast and the “cotton castle” of Pamukkale, Aphrodisias is a worthwhile stop on any history lover’s trip to Turkey.
I visited Aphrodisias Ancient City in mid-2023, on a trip that included many historical sites across the region. There are several things that make Aphrodisias stand out from other sites like Hieropolis or Laodicea, so I highly recommend that you plan a visit if you’re in the area.
The History of Aphrodisias
Even before Ancient Greek settlement in the area created “Aphrodisias” as we know it, the land here had long been associated with an ancient Anatolian fertility cult. Around the third century CBE, Greeks settled in the area and named the town after their own goddess of fertility, Aphrodite.
The centerpiece of the city was the magnificent Temple of Aphrodite, which housed a cult icon to the goddess before it was converted to a Christian basilica around 500 CE. Nearby marble quarries provided the materials needed not only to construct the temple, but also to grow the city’s wealth. It was also known as an important cultural center (thanks to its large theatre) and an important location for sporting events (due to its monolithic stadium).
Aphrodisias was abandoned in the 1100s, and for nearly eight hundred years nature reclaimed the town. In the early 1900s a visiting Frenchman began exploring the site, and formal excavations later began in the 1960s under the care of a cross-continental team of archeologists.
What to See at Aphrodisias Ancient City in Turkey
This is absolutely not an exhaustive list of all the things to see at Aphrodisias. However, it is a summary of the parts of the Aphrodisias archeological site that I found most memorable and noteworthy, so I definitely recommend that you make sure to see them when you’re there!
Stadium of Aphrodisias
By far, the most spectacular thing to see in Aphrodisias is the ancient stadium. It’s hard to imagine the size of this stadium; I had to set my iPhone camera to 0.5x (wide angle) but still couldn’t fit the entire site in the frame, no matter where I stood.
The Aphrodisias Stadium is more than 250 meters long and 50 meters across, and had capacity for about 30,000 people. It is believed to have been used mainly for Olympic-style sporting competitions and occasionally for elections, as it is simply too large to be used as a theater (a separate theater can be found atop a hill on the opposite side of the site).
You can freely wander around the stadium when you visit Aphrodisias. Some parts are quite overgrown, so be very careful and always check that you’re on solid ground. As with any archeological site in Turkey, I think you’ll be most comfortable in sturdy running shoes (trainers) here.
Tetrapylon
The beautiful tetrapylon is the first archeological monument that you’ll see as you enter Aphrodisias. The path from the entrance to the rest of the ancient city runs directly underneath this landmark monument. I’ve included the view from below in the photo at the top of this post!
If you think of tetra as being four, it’s easier to understand how this entrance into the Temple of Aphrodite would have once had sixteen columns laid out in a 4 x 4 pattern. It dates back to the second century CE, and if you look up you may be able to spot where an icon of Aphrodite was removed in order to be replaced with a scratched-in cross when Christianity became more popular in the area.
Temple of Aphrodite
Just beyond the tetrapylon you’ll find what remains of the Temple of Aphrodite. As the entire town was constructed in her honor, this was a particularly important part of the settlement of Aphrodisias.
The original temple here dates back to a few decades BCE. The many columns around the outside honored the cult icon to Aphrodite that was kept inside.
As with the tetrapylon, though, the temple here underwent significant changes under Christianity. Basically, it was converted into a church, and all of the beautiful marble columns, stones and tiles had to be completely moved and rebuilt so that the space could take on the shape of a Christian church.
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Bouleuterion
“Bouleuterion” is a word that I wasn’t familiar with before my most recent trip to Turkey. However, it is a word that popped up at nearly every site we visited!
Similar to a small theatre, a bouleuterion was used by the Ancient Greeks to conduct political business, kind of like a Senate or a House of Commons.
According to archeologists, what stands today is only part of the original structure. There used to be about twelve more rows of seating at the top of the odeon, but they have since collapsed. That means that back in the day, more than 1,000 statesmen (sorry, women, not yet) could gather here to conduct the business of governance.
Walking Paths in Aphrodisia
One of my favorite things to do in Aphrodisias was simply to stroll around the site. This was easy because Aphrodisias had the best walking paths of any archeological site we visited in Turkey.
As you can see here, much of Aphrodisias is connected by well-paved, flat, wide stone walkways. While not all of the site has these great paths, many parts do. That makes Aphrodisias one of the best historical sites in Turkey for travelers with mobility impairments.
Aphrodisias also had more shaded areas than most other sites we visited, including several spots where you could sit down on a bench in the shade to rest. With summer temperatures in Turkey regularly topping 40° Celsius nowadays, all it takes to stand out from other treeless historical sites is a little bit shade!
Aphrodisias Marble
As I mentioned above, Aphrodisias was famous for its marble. The marble quarries are located about 3 kilometers northeast of the archeological site; I’m not sure if you can visit them or not (it was way too hot on the day I visited to even consider it!).
Aphrodisias’ marble sculptors were well-known throughout the region, and goods produced in marble here were highly sought after. You’ll find many marble works all around the site, although my favorite is the “mask and garland frieze blocks” located at the entrance of the site. Here, they have collected numerous frieze blocks featuring different faces (linked by garlands) and rearranged them together into an eye-catching wall.
Another famous marble pieces is the Blue Horse of Aphrodisias, which you’ll find inside the museum. Carved from stunning bluish-grey marble, this pieces showcases a galloping horse adorned with a bronze saddle.
Aphrodisias Museum
If you’re visiting on a hot day, I recommend saving the Aphrodisias Museum for the end of your visit, so you can cool down indoors after heating up outside. If you’re visiting in comfortable weather you could start or end your visit there, as you prefer.
Most of the exhibits here are marble sculptures that were found during the excavations of Aphrodisias. You’ll see lots of sarcophagi, busts and items from daily life in the Ancient Greek Empire, as well as The Blue Horse and one of the best copies of the original cult icon of Aphrodite.
Aphrodisias Travel Tips
Are you sold on a visit to Aphrodisias? If so, here are a few logistical tips to help make your visit (and your time in the region) a bit more comfortable and convenient.
How to Get to Aphrodisias
Aphrodisias is about 80 kilometers southwest of Pamukkale and Hierapolis. I recommend driving via the south route, so that you can stop at Laodicea along the way, but you could also choose to loop around the more mountainous northern route as well.
Aphrodisias is also about 150 kilometers east of Kusadasi. The drive between the two cities takes about 2.5 hours, passing through the cities of Aydin and Nazili en route.
Tours to Aphrodisias
It can be difficult to organize a tour to Aphrodisias, meaning it is most popular with travelers who have their own private transportation.
This day trip from Istanbul to Aphrodisias involves an early-morning domestic flight and the a bus transfer to the archeological site (and neighboring Laodicea).
Alternatively, when you’re at Pamukkale and Hieropolis you may be able to find a tour operator running a day trip to Aphrodisias. In the high season these usually run daily (depending on numbers) but in the low season they’re very infrequent.
Aphrodisias Ticket Price
At publication time in July 2023, a combined ticket to the Aphrodisias archeological site and museum cost 150 TL. They are included in the 15-day Turkish Museum Pass, which we used to visit the ruins.
Hotels Near Aphrodisias
The nearest hotel to Aphrodisias is the Antatolia Hotel Geyre, which is about one kilometer down the road from Aphrodisias. I didn’t personally stay there, but it looks like it has a nice outdoor pool and the reviews are great.
I think you’d be more comfortable staying in Pamukkale, where there are numerous hotels, restaurants and tourist services. That’s where I stayed, and I would recommend my hotel: Venus Suites Hotel in Pamukkale. They had a nice breakfast buffet, convenient free parking, comfortable rooms and an outdoor swimming pool.
Other Things To Do Near Aphrodesias
- You can easily visit Aphrodisias, Tripolis and Laodicea on the drive between Izmir (or Kusadasi) and Pamukkale. Of course, while you’re in Izmir or Kusadasi you’ll want to spend one day at Ephesus, another amazing archeological site.
- Anatolia Restaurant is five minutes west of the site entrance. We stopped for cold drinks and ended up buying several pieces of embroidered lace jewelry from the old woman who lives there.
- Obam Restaurant is thirty minutes north of Aphrodisias and it’s where Rick Steves tour groups stop for lunch when they’re in the area. Minimal English is spoken but they easily accommodated the vegetarians in our family with salads and mezze.
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