Private Aphrodisias Tour from Pamukkale or Kuşadası
The city of the marble carvers, with its stadium, its theater and the Sebasteion, on a private day out.
Photo: Turkey Your Way
- Duration
- Full day (about 7–9 hours)
- Region
- Aegean, Pamukkale
- Walking
- Moderate
- Starts
- Morning, from your hotel
Best for Returning visitors
Tour code PAM-D02
The essence
A private Aphrodisias tour takes you to a Roman city that grew rich on marble. A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2017, it grew rich on the quarries northeast of the city and from the art of its sculptors. First, your driver picks you up in Pamukkale or Kuşadası. Then your guide walks you through the temple of Aphrodite, the theater, the agora and the baths, and into the museum full of the city's own statues.
Highlights
- A UNESCO World Heritage site since 2017
- The temple of Aphrodite, older than the city around it
- The theater, the agora and two bath complexes
- The museum of Aphrodisias sculpture
- Pick-up in Pamukkale or Kuşadası
Program
-
Morning
Pick-up
Your driver collects you from your hotel in Pamukkale or Kuşadası.
Opening hours & dress code -
Late morning
The Aphrodisias tour begins
The temple of Aphrodite and the streets around it.
Opening hours & dress code -
Midday
Theater and agora
Then the theater, the agora and the baths.
Opening hours & dress code -
Afternoon
The museum
The statues and reliefs carved in the city's workshops.
Opening hours & dress code -
Late afternoon
Back
The drive back to your hotel.
In depth
On Turkey’s Aegean coast lies Ephesus. Inland is Aphrodisias, a Roman city in a green valley, where the sculptors who carved its statues worked from their own quarries. A private Aphrodisias tour gives you a full day there with your own guide.
The City of Marble on the Aphrodisias Tour
UNESCO listed Aphrodisias in 2017. The city lies in the upper valley of the Morsynus River, in ancient Caria, and its wealth came from the marble quarries northeast of the city and from the art of its sculptors. So the site is two things at once: a city and the workshop that decorated it.
The temple of Aphrodite
First, your guide takes you to the temple of Aphrodite. The temple dates from the 3rd century BC, and the city around it was built a century later.
Theater, agora and baths
Then you walk through the civic heart of Aphrodisias: the theater, the agora and two bath complexes. Your guide shows you how the streets were laid out around them.
The museum
Finally, you visit the museum, where statues and reliefs from the city’s own workshops stand indoors.
From our guides
Our suggestion In the museum of Aphrodisias, see the marble in the early afternoon, when the light on it is best.
From Pamukkale or Kuşadası
Your driver picks you up in Pamukkale or Kuşadası and brings you back the same day. You can pair Aphrodisias with the terraces of Pamukkale, or with our Pamukkale tour from Kuşadası. For another day in the area, our Pamukkale day tour from Istanbul goes to Hierapolis and the travertines.
Would you like to see Aphrodisias at your own pace? Let us know whether you stay in Pamukkale or Kuşadası, and we will plan the drive to Aphrodisias from there.
Before you go
-
- Open
- Town, island and beaches open at all times; the national park keeps its own hours
- Entry
- No ticket needed for the town; we arrange your entry to the national park
-
- Entry
- Ticketed site and museum
Hours can change on religious holidays. Your guide confirms them the day before.
What’s included
Included
- A professional licensed guide, in the language you ask for
- A private vehicle and driver for the day, with pick-up from your hotel
- A 10 GB eSIM for one traveler in your group, our gift, valid for 30 days (data only)
Not included
- Entrance tickets, unless agreed in your program
- Meals and drinks
- Tips
“From the pick up to the drop off, the entire experience was top notch”
From your guide
What to wear
Comfortable shoes and a hat. Much of the site is in the open sun.
Best time
Spring and autumn. In summer, we start early so the walk is cooler.
Photos
In the museum, the light on the marble is best in the early afternoon.
Practical
Updated:
- Starts
- Morning, from your hotel
- Ends
- Your hotel
- Meeting point
- Your hotel in Pamukkale or Kuşadası
- Walking
- Moderate: about two hours on uneven paths.
- Accessibility
- Tell us your needs. Parts of the site are uneven, but the museum is easier to visit.
- Cancellation
- In extreme heat, we change the order of the day.
Frequently asked questions
Why take an Aphrodisias tour?
UNESCO listed Aphrodisias in 2017 for its marble quarries and the work of its sculptors.
Can we combine the Aphrodisias tour with Pamukkale?
Yes. Aphrodisias fits on the way to or from Pamukkale; see our Pamukkale tours.
How long do we spend at Aphrodisias?
Usually three to four hours with the site and the museum.
Can children join the Aphrodisias tour?
Yes. Children are welcome, and we shape the day at the theater, the agora and the museum for families.
How much walking is there?
Moderate: about two hours on uneven paths.
What should I wear?
Comfortable shoes and a hat. Much of the site is in the open sun.
What is your cancellation policy?
Every trip with us is private, so we agree the cancellation terms with you by email before you book, and you find them in writing in your booking confirmation. The deposit is non-refundable.
