Aphrodisias is the city of Aphrodite, the Roman Empire’s school of sculpture and one of the most complete, and least visited, ancient sites in Türkiye. It lies in a valley in Aydın province, about two hours from Pamukkale, and it has what other sites lack: an intact stadium for 30,000 people, a temple, a theatre, an odeon, baths, a museum full of statues and a rebuilt monumental gateway.
It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2017 and is one of my favourite day trips in western Türkiye, because you can see all of it, with no queues and poplar trees for shade.
A little history
The sanctuary of the local mother goddess, identified with Aphrodite, drew pilgrims from the Hellenistic period onwards. In the 1st century BC the city sided with Rome and with Augustus, whose family claimed descent from Aphrodite, and in return it was granted privileges, the status of a free city and a steady flow of commissions. Working the white and blue-grey marble of the nearby quarries, the workshops of Aphrodisias produced sculpture for the whole empire, signed by their makers and easy to recognise.
The city lived on into Byzantine times, when the temple became a cathedral, and then declined through earthquakes and invasions. A village, Geyre, grew up on top of the ruins. It was moved in the 1960s, when the Turkish archaeologist Kenan Erim of New York University began the excavations that are still going on today.
What to see in Aphrodisias
The Tetrapylon
The monumental gateway, with four rows of four columns, curved pediments and reliefs of Eros and Nike, was rebuilt from its original blocks in 1991. It was the entrance to the sanctuary, and it is the first photo everyone takes on the site.
The Temple of Aphrodite
Fourteen Ionic columns still stand from the 1st-century temple. In the 5th century it became a Christian basilica and was, in effect, turned inside out: its columns were moved to line a nave. Next to it is the Bishop’s Palace.
The stadium
The best-preserved stadium of the Roman world: some 270 metres long, with 30 rows of seating intact for 30,000 spectators, both curved ends complete and the access passages still in place. You can walk its whole length and climb to the top rows. Athletic games were held here and, later, gladiator fights, in a smaller arena partitioned off at one end.
The Sebasteion
A sanctuary of the imperial cult, with two three-storey porticoes decorated with reliefs of the emperors portrayed as gods and of the peoples they conquered. The original reliefs are in the museum, in a hall built specially for them; on site, parts of the façades have been reconstructed.
The theatre, the odeon and the Hadrianic Baths
The theatre is cut into the hill of the prehistoric acropolis, and the inscriptions on its walls tell the story of the city. The odeon, small and elegant, stands beside the agora, and the Hadrianic Baths still have their marble halls.
The museum
This is where the local school’s sculptures are kept: portraits, philosophers, gods, an Apollo, sarcophagi and the Sebasteion hall, with its reliefs displayed in their original order. It is one of the finest museums of Roman sculpture anywhere, and it stands in the middle of the countryside.
Tips for your visit
Allow two and a half hours. The site is large and flat, with dirt paths between the poplars and a few stretches in full sun.
- A tractor pulling a trailer runs from the car park to the entrance and saves you the walk; it’s part of the charm.
- Leave the museum for the end, when you know where each piece came from. In summer it also doubles as a refuge from the heat.
- Bring a hat, water and closed shoes. With children, the stadium and the tractor ride are what make the day.
Tickets and prices
At the time of writing (2026), a ticket for the museum and the site costs €13 under the official 2027 rates. On my tours, the ticket is either included or bought by the guide.
Where it is and how to get there
Aphrodisias lies next to the village of Geyre, in Aydın province, about 100 kilometres from both Pamukkale and Denizli (two hours by road) and about two and a half hours from Kuşadası. Without a car, a tour is the only realistic option: there is no practical public transport.
How we visit it on my tours
It has its own full-day trip, the Aphrodisias tour from Pamukkale, and it is paired with the travertine terraces on the Pamukkale and Aphrodisias day tour. For the terraces and the ancient city beside them, read my guide to Hierapolis.
If Pamukkale is on your route and you have a day to spare, tell me about your tailor-made trip: Aphrodisias is the best way to spend it.