Backpacking Turkey: 02 Selcuk
Stay Here.
We had a day of bus travel from Fethiye in order to get to Selçuk but we tied this in with a stop over in the wonder that is Pummukale-Hierapolis. Turns out this was our only option to get to Selçuk as there were no buses going there so it worked out rather well.
It looked like white paint spilling over the ledges at Pammukale.
Once in, our first stop as part of this so-called "tour" was walking around the Cleopatra thermal pools. If you want to swim in them, you have to pay however you can walk through it for free and fill your water bottle with the natural mineral water. It tastes absolutely disgusting... but is apparently quite good for you.
Our prime reason for visiting however was not to swim with the hoards of other tourists in the thermal pools, but to do it in the white terraces of Pammukale. It is made from calcium carbonate which hardens into travertine creating the white effect you see. A stark contrast to the dusty, dry surroundings if you visit in Summer. This lends to its name meaning "cotton palace" where there are streams of the mineral water flowing between the ledges and even though it is heated, it is refreshing given how hot it is in Turkey.
After relaxing in the pools and admiring the model shots being taken, we walked around the ancient ruins of Hierapolis which were thought to be founded by the god Apollo by the ancients inhabitants. The area is well preserved with a large amphitheatre which, if you climb, will give you a decent view over the ruins.
We piled back into our air-conditioned mini-bus and made our way to Selçuk which is about two and a half hours away to the west.
You visit here to see the incredible ruins of the Greek city Ephesus (Efes) which has recently been added to the UNESCO World Heritage List and for good reason. It is one of the best retained sites, especially the Library of Celsus (the second and third pictures below). It is an amazing structure where you can imagine back in the day, it would have been even more impressive. You can also see the ruins of the Temple of Artemis which is considered one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world.
Ephesus is easy to reach by minibus at the main bus depot in Selçuk, with buses coming every 15 minutes or so, then it's a short, dusty walk up to the main entrance.
Another site worth seeing whilst in Selçuk is the Basilica of St John; the apparent burial site of John the Apostle although his remains have not been found. You can walk to it from the town centre and only takes an hour or so to wander around.
Given it was Summer and it was hot work wandering the sites, we decided to visit Pamucak Beach to cool off. It is a long, sandy beach which doesn't get too busy. The water was calm and refreshing with little fish that liked to follow me as I paddled around in the shallows. It is a short bus ride away from the Selçuk main bus depot however note, the buses returning back to Selçuk are not very regular. I remember waiting for a very long time and considered hitch-hiking in order to get back the the hotel.
Corn on the cob vendor at Pamaucak... not something I really crave when on a beach.
We only spent just the one night and one full day in Selçuk to take it all the sites. After the beach trip, the hostel was nice enough to let us use the shower as we prepared ourselves for a very, very long overnight bus to Göreme for the famed Cappadocia region. A place I was very excited to visit.
This is the second post of my time back-packing around Turkey for two weeks.
I have labelled them in the order of my itinerary and where we stayed for the night to give you an idea if you wanted to do this yourself or visit certain places but you are not sure how long to stay for.
Other posts can be found below:
Backpacking Turkey: 1. Fethiye.
Backpacking Turkey: 3. Cappadocia (Kapadokya)
