No Frills Pamukkale Tours

12/08/2019

Come, Visit and Discover Ephesus, Turkey - Unesco World Heritage Site.
Ephesus Tour Options - No Shopping Stops - History Only.

20/07/2019

Come, Visit and Discover the ancient city of Ephesus, Turkey.

No Frills Ephesus Tours - Certificate of Excellence on TripAdvisor & Top Choice on Lonely Planet 2019 - History Only - No Shopping visits.

Ephesus Shore Excursions / Tours from Kusadasi Port.

www.ephesus.co

Ephesus Shore Excursion from Kusadasi Port.
Fabulous Find
It was great to feel completely confident that touring Ephesus was all that was on the agenda for us...there would be no high pressure shopping stops at jewellery or carpet or ceramic shops. We had an extremely knowledgeable guide who's English was great and who walked us through this beautiful ancient town knowing when to go slow and give some personal time for photos or exploring.
A REALLY great tour which I would HIGHLY recommend.
Amanda P.
Ephesus, Turkey
www.ephesus.co - History Only - No Shopping Stops

08/09/2016

“No Frills Ephesus Day Tours”
I called up Cris of No Frills and asked her about the tours in Ephesus. Cris advised me how to get to Ephesus from Istanbul -- invaluable advice. I got her name from The Lonely Planet. So, from the day No Frills picked us up at the Izmir airport to the day we left, this tour with No Frills was one of the most significant and enjoyable tours we've had in a really long time. I travelled with my brother and sister. The one-day tour of Ephesus was remarkable: We visited the House of the Virgin Mary, the Ruins, the Museum, St John's Cathedral, and a small quaint village that makes wines and soaps -- and where I didn't see tourists. The guide was extremely knowledgeable. We wanted history and she gave it to us. She told us stories too about the specific places we went to. It was an exceptional tour, not only for its being organized but for the pleasure and knowledge that we got out of it. And true to its name, we did not visit any shops, which I really liked.

Visited September 2015

Daily Ephesus & Pamukkale Regular Tour - EVERYDAY - ​( 1st April - 31st Oct ) MINIMUM 4 PASSENGERS REQUIRED

23/12/2015

Turkish officials have enacted sweeping hikes in the price of admission for museums and ancient sites despite a drop in the number of visitors this year, with some tourism operators worried the rise will further detract visitors

22/02/2015

More to Pamukkale than just ‘cotton’

Pamukkale might be one of Turkey’s most famous sites because of its cotton-like travertine pools, but there is much more to visit and see than just the area’s unique waterfall

The most important thing when packing for Pamukkale is your sunglasses. My goodness, the light is so bright. A second crucial piece of your luggage is sunblock, and when I say sunblock, I mean BLOCK! The sunlight reflected by the travertine is so strong that if you walk around for a day without using anything, you might end up with third-degree sunburn. But this is about the most negative thing I will write about Pamukkale – whose name means cotton castle – because it is a beautiful place and is one of the highlights for anyone that goes to Turkey.

I clearly remember the stories of two Dutch friends who made a bicycle tour in Turkey. It must have been around 1987 when they decided to hit the road and ride around Turkey. When they arrived in Pamukkale, they were so surprised about these beautiful, snow-white, travertine pools and at the fact that you could walk around and, even more special, walk in these pools. There was no ticket office and no endless streams of tourists; no, they were all alone in this beautiful, virgin paradise.

Nowadays, the travertine pools are not as white as they used to be. One of the reasons might be the overwhelming number of tourists who visit Pamukkale every year. For that reason, some of the pools are closed to visitors. Another reason might be the watering system in Pamukkale. Whereas 30 or 40 years ago, the water ran freely and found its own way, nowadays there is a system that arranges the water flow into the pools. Compared to the past, fewer hotels still have their own pool and, according to special regulations, those pools are smaller than the ones they built in the past.

But still, in spite of all the tourists, Pamukkale is an impressive place to visit. (If you do not want to see so many tourists, this time of the year might be perfect for you.) The area of Pamukkale is not really a green lush area; the main street leading to the travertine is a typical Turkish road. But then, when you get out of your car and start walking around, there will be one surprise after another. If you ask me, I would recommend you stay at least two or three days here. There is enough to do and discover.
Most people only visit the Roman bath and the travertine pools, but there is so much more to see.

When I was there, I walked around the ancient city of Hierapolis and visited the Necropolis of Pamukkale. I love those places because you can wander around and be surprised about the variety of tombs that are seemingly scattered all over the place. Many tourists can’t resist climbing on the tombs, posing together with friends, and I have even seen some people eating lunch on the tombs. For me, a necropolis is a sacred place, as are all graveyards in the world. These are places to show your respect to those who have passed away, even if the tombs are empty. The tombs are more than 1,500 years old, so at least one should respect history and what remains of it. You can find the best examples of the sarcophagus in the museum. Some of them are as beautiful as the sarcophagi in the Mosaic Museum of Hatay.

So we have seen the Roman bath, the Travertine pools, the Necropolis and the museum. You might think it’s time to leave, but there are still a couple of interesting things you can see. Near Pamukkale are a couple of other places that are quite interesting. Whereas Pamukkale is like a bride in white on her wedding day, about eight kilometers away from Pamukkale, in Karahayıt, there is a brownish water spring with nice warm water (actually they call them the Red Springs of Karahayıt). You can have a mud bath or just enjoy the swimming pool that might not look too nice at first sight, but is wonderful once you are in the water. All those springs in an around Pamukkale have curing effects because of the minerals and metals in the water. But for a real water therapy, you need, of course, much more than one or two days. And nobody gives you a guarantee that you will get cured. The necropolis is full of people who went to Pamukkale to get cured but who did not make it…

Then there is the “piece de resistance.” A beautiful but small cave in Kaklık called the Kaklık Mağarası (Caves of Kaklık). Just a 30-minute ride away from Pamukkale, a new world opens up in front of your eyes. While most of the caves people visit are big caves, the Kaklık caves is a small cave but with its own charm. Green stone formations and algae give the cave its own signature. Here as well, the signature of the travertine is obvious, although it is not snow-white like in Pamukkale itself.

I had a great time when I was in Pamukkale and think that everybody who visits Turkey should visit this miraculous place. If you don’t see Pamukkale, you haven’t seen Turkey.

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WILCO VAN HERPEN - http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/more-to-pamukkale-than-just-cotton.aspx?pageID=238&nID=78470&NewsCatID=379

11/02/2015

Pamukkale, a paradise in Turkey

Pamukkale is a place of natural wonder; so much jumps out at the eye that it is difficult to pinpoint one favorite quality of the area

I never wrote about something I observed in Pamukkale in the western province of Muğla. I assume most of you have seen it, or at least have heard about Pamukkale. If you haven’t… Shame on you! This is one of the highlights of this country besides Istanbul, Ephesus, Doğubayazıt, Ani, Cappadocia, Sürmene Monastery, Beypazarı and beautiful Turkish nature… I can fill the whole page of this newspaper with examples; there is so much to see and do in Turkey.

But what I witnessed in Pamukkale, when I was there, was something interesting. I was there with my friend and cameraman Ethem Tosun to make a story for my program “Wilco’nun Karavanı.” We were waiting for the manger Ali, but obviously he was quite busy because we had to wait for him for more than an hour. Don’t get me wrong; this time waiting was not a problem for me. As a Dutch guy, I do not like to be late on any appointment and I expect other people to have the same mentality as me. Well… here in Turkey that’s a bit difficult. Of about 80 percent of the appointments that I have, I am sorry to tell you, I have to wait for the people. Sometimes I have to wait for more than an hour. A funny detail is that it was a Dutch-Turkish photographer friend of mine who made me wait the longest: 1.5 hours (and no excuse or reason for his delay!). But I’ve become accustomed to it; and even I do arrive a bit late to some of my meetings.

People in Istanbul, although this is a big city and is completely disconnected with nature, still have the idea that they are Mediterranean people (Turkish people always proudly announce that they are Mediterranean people where life is relaxed and laid back). I think that is wrong. This is a huge city and is not connected with the Mediterranean Sea at all. (The reason people come up with for being late is mostly the terrible traffic in this city. For me that is no excuse anymore. We all know about the terrible Istanbul traffic…) So calculate three hours to go from one point in Istanbul to another. I do the same.

So while waiting for Ali and enjoying ourselves at the same time we were also looking for the best locations to film at. The Roman bath of Pamukkale – the beautiful white basins – or the necropolis; in a way it is very easy to make a nice program about Pamukkale.

What we were searching for was the best place to shoot from; where and how would I make my announcements etc. It was another busy day in this paradise of Turkey. Wherever we looked we saw Russian girls. One was even sexier than the next; it was distracting us a lot. I know this isn’t really female-friendly but (unfortunately) this is what happens with men. Anyway, the young girls with their beautiful bodies made beautiful backgrounds (or foregrounds) for some pictures we took at the Roman pool. It was as if Fashion television came to Pamukkale to do a Fashion shooting and we ended up in the middle of it.

Then Ali arrived. Without waiting, he explained why he was late and then went on to daily life. Last year they caught a guy who was taking voyeur-esque pictures of the women in the water. He sent his security to the area and they learned that the guy had taken over 500 pictures. I looked at Ethem and it was as if I was on fire. We had been taking pictures of so many people (girls) as well.

It was almost evening and the sunset. The sunlight got softer minute by minute. This was not planet earth anymore; we were on a different planet. At the end and at the beginning of the day you have the most incredible light to take pictures of Pamukkale. The only problem being that Pamukkale is humongous. You have the graveyard, the Roman pool and, of course, the pools made of travertine; Pamukkale is a real special place to visit.

The weirdest feeling I had while I was walking around occurred during the end of the day. Actually it was not a weird feeling; it was more of a clash of cultures! It was during the early sunset. While walking around, I saw another pair of Russian girls walking in front of me. Just the opposite, a traditional village woman was approaching me! The woman, dressed in traditional village clothing, made such a contrast compared to the Russian woman who did not wear more than a string…

Clash of cultures

We are not always aware of it, but it would be nice if we foreigners would pay a bit more attention and respect to the situation we are in. I have seen groups, including their guide, walking into mosques without covering their hair. For me, that is something not to be done. I think you have to respect the feelings of the local people. In every country, there are numerous unwritten rules that you always obey, so why don’t you obey them here in Turkey?

Do not get me wrong; the picture of the Russian girls combined with the village woman made a beautiful picture. (That is, from a professional point of view). Traditional life versus “modern” life. At least I took my picture of the day and, by the way, the program turned out well. But then again, it is very difficult to make a bad show about Pamukkale, one of the miracles of nature in Turkey.

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WILCO VAN HERPEN - http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/pamukkale-a-paradise-in-turkey.aspx?PageID=238&NID=78158&NewsCatID=379

06/01/2015

22-year-old dream of Ephesus will come true in June !

Ephesus’ dream of entering UNESCO World Heritage List to come true this year

The ancient city of Ephesus in western Turkey is expected to enter the UNESCO World Heritage List this year, after 22 years of efforts.

Dating back to the 6th century B.C., Ephesus hosts around 2 million local and international tourists every year. Although it has been added to the UNESCO tentative list, along with 37 other sites in Turkey, it has failed to be included in the main list so far.

Selçuk Mayor Zeynel Bakıcı said his district was blessed thanks to its history, culture, nature, as well as many archaeological sites.

Bakıcı added that it was a "great deficiency" that the ancient city had not been on the UNESCO list up to now but said his team "believed the problem will be solved this year."

The first submission to UNESCO was made in 1994 but was rejected in 2000 and failed to later get results.

“It was a great deficiency that Ephesus is not on this list. But we know where this deficiency comes from. This is why we are now collectively working with the Culture and Tourism Ministry, municipality, museum and the excavation team, as well as with academics. Now all the changes and rearrangements that UNESCO had asked for have been done," Bakıcı said.

"We have finished the reconstruction plan for protection and the land management plan has been approved. Unless something very important goes wrong, the ancient city of Ephesus will become a part of the UNESCO World Heritage permanent list. The 22-year-old dream of Ephesus will come true in June,” he added.

Selçuk is home to the 8,500-year-old ancient city of Ephesus, as well as one of the seven wonders of the world, the Temple of Artemis; the Virgin Mary House; the Church of Saint John, and Şirince village.

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İZMİR – Anadolu Agency

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07/12/2014

Pamukkale - Ancient City of Hierapolis

Every year thousands visit Pamukkale, the UNESCO-recognized thermal spring of Turkey, to search for a cure. The mineral-rich waters heal the body, while the ...

17/10/2014

Pamukkale - TURKEY

Pamukkale most visted among Turkey's ancient sites

With its unique beauty and iconic white travertine stones, Pamukkale is the most visited among the ancient sites Turkey has to offer

A “white haven” in the western province of Denizli, Pamukkale, which means “Cotton Castle” in Turkish, ranks first this year among Turkey’s ancient sites in terms of the number of visitors and earnings.

Pamukkale, which offers a unique beauty with its white travertine created by carbonate minerals left from the flowing water, draws interest from visitors throughout the year. This year, the number of visitors increased by 9.6 percent in Pamukkale compared to last year and rose to number one among 78 tourist sites in the country.

Denizli Culture and Tourism Director Mehmet Korkmaz said the city had 10 different tourism varieties, including thermal health, culture, faith, sports, shopping, plant, botanic, ornithology and ecotourism, and it serves tourism throughout the year with a bed capacity of 18,700 and an international airport.

The city is also one of the leading tourist destinations thanks to Pamukkale, which is unique in the world and listed on the UNESCO World Heritage list, said Korkmaz.

“The Culture and Tourism Ministry is responsible for the operation of 313 museums and sites countrywide. Among these places, 125 are free of charge for visitors and 110 museums and 78 sites have entry fees. Pamukkale is one of those 78 sites. Considering the data of the last eight months recently revealed by the ministry, the Pamukkale site surpassed the ancient site of Ephesus and ranked first among historic sites. We are the number one in the country as a result of our service. The Culture and Tourism Ministry, Denizli Governor’s Office Culture and Tourism Directorate promote Denizli and especially Pamukkale in all national and international fairs. This promotion plays a great role in drawing more visitors,” he added.

As of the end of September, the number of people visiting Pamukkale was 1,542,328, an increase of 9.6 percent on last year, said Korkmaz.

In terms of foreign tourists visiting the region, he said they mostly hosted visitors from Russia and Germany, but also welcomed many visitors from the U.K., Japan, South Korea, China and other Far Eastern countries.

"Pamukkale has large numbers of visitors from nearly 20 countries. They here for faith, thermal health and culture tourism. The most important reason why Russians come to the region is Pamukkale and to experience thermal waters,” Korkmaz said.

Hagia Sophia first among museums

According to the Culture and Tourism Ministry’s data, when it comes to the museum category, Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia ranks first among the most visited museums in Turkey.

The revenue from both museums and tourist sites across the country totaled 280 million Turkish Liras in the first eight months of the year. While Hagia Sophia raked in over 40 million liras, it was followed by Topkapı Palace Museum, and the ancient sites of Pamukkale’s Hierapolis and İzmir’s Ephesus.

In terms of visitor numbers, Topkapı Palace Museums ranks first with 236,205 visitors, followed by the Hagia Sophia, Mevlana Museum, Pamukkale Hierapolis and Ephesus.

DENİZLİ – Anadolu Agency - http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/pamukkale-most-visted-among-turkeys-ancient-sites.aspx?pageID=238&nID=73058&NewsCatID=379

16/10/2014

Church in ancient city of Laodecia to open to tourism
One of the “Seven Churches of Asia” mentioned in the Bible, the Laodicean Church in the ancient city of Laodicea will be opened to tourism at the end of this year.

The head of the excavations at the ancient site in the western Turkish province of Denizli, Professor Celal Şimşek, said this year’s excavations continued in the northern part of the holy agora, a special area of the temples.

Şimşek said works had been conducted in a structure called the “C structure.” “We have completely opened the peristillium (courtyard) of the structure. There is both a settlement and a graveyard from the early Bronze Age in the western side. This area dates back 5,000 years and we excavated there. This year we also restore the Septimius Severus fountain.”

He added that the Laodicean Church was also one of the most important restoration areas in Anatolia as it was one of the Seven Churches of Asia mentioned in the Bible. He said they had unearthed the church and were carrying out detailed and unique restoration work.

“This project is set to be finished by the end of the year. The world is really waiting for this church to be opened, because it is one of the seven oldest churches in Anatolia. The church is a very special structure with wall coverings, wall paintings and geometrical mosaics. When works are done, it will be one of the first in Turkey in terms of its restoration and roof,” Şimşek said, adding that they had started covering the 2,000 square meter roof of the church with a project approved by the Aydın Regional Board of Protection.

Faith tourism to be revived

The excavations head said he expected 80 percent of visitors coming to Laodicea to be pilgrims. “The opening of this church to the world tourism will bring more visitors to the region. Especially 2 million people visiting Pamukkale will also come here to see the church,” he added, touching on the importance of faith tourism to such ancient sites in Turkey.

As part of the project, a church book and brochures about the ancient city in seven languages are set to be completed within two months.

“The opening of this church is very important because it is nearly a 1,700 year-old unique structure. The city completely collapsed in an earthquake in the 7th century A.D. and was abandoned. The church has survived so far because there were no settlements around it,” Şimşek also added.

DENİZLİ – Anadolu Agency - http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/church-in-ancient-city-of-laodecia-to-open-to-tourism-.aspx?pageID=238&nID=73011&NewsCatID=375

07/01/2014

Top 10 Archaeological Finds in 2013

Hierapolis and the Gateway to Hell

Italian archaeologists excavating the Phrygian city of Hierapolis in southwestern Turkey have uncovered the remains of Pluto’s Gate, a site considered an entrance into the underworld in the Greco-Roman period. The apostle Philip preached and died at Hierapolis, a thriving Roman city that became an important Christian center.
Shrouded in misty poisonous vapors, Pluto’s Gate, or the Plutonium, was a cave entrance sacred to Pluto, the Roman god of the underworld. According to the first-century geographer Strabo, the site was home to rituals in which any animals entering the enclosure “meet with sudden death” (see more below). Hierapolis archaeologist Francesco D’Andria reconstructed the route of the area’s thermal spring to discover Pluto’s Gate, which was destroyed by Christians in the sixth century. The Plutonium’s infamous mystique is not just the stuff of legend; during the excavation, several birds were killed by carbon dioxide emissions as they approached the Plutonium cave’s entrance

This is not the first astounding discovery at D’Andria’s excavation at Hierapolis, located next to the often-visited hot springs and travertines at the World Heritage Site of Pamukkale. According to the apocryphal Acts of Philip, the apostle Philip preached and converted many Hierapolis residents, yet he was martyred there nonetheless. An octagonal church was built in Hierapolis to memorialize the saint, and a sixth-century bread stamp depicts Philip standing at the very site. The publication of D’Andria’s article “Conversion, Crucifixion and Celebration” in the July/August 2011 issue of Biblical Archaeology Review was followed by the discovery of a small church that D’Andria believes to be the tomb of St. Philip

read more: http://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/news/hierapolis-and-the-gateway-to-hell/