The theatre at Aspendos is the best-preserved Roman theatre in existence: room for 15,000 spectators, 40 rows of seating still intact, the covered gallery running round the top and, above all, the complete two-storey stage building, with its niches, columns and pediments, which almost every other ancient theatre in the world has lost. It stands 45 kilometres from Antalya, on the plain of Pamphylia, and it is the archaeological outing almost everyone makes from the coast.
An hour is enough to see it, it combines easily with Perge and Side in a single day, and in summer it is still used for opera. Here is what you need to know.
A little history
Aspendos was a Greek and later Roman city that grew rich trading salt, oil and horses along the Eurymedon River, which in those days was navigable all the way up to the city. The theatre was built in the 2nd century AD, in the reign of Marcus Aurelius, by the architect Zeno, son of Theodorus, whose name is carved in an inscription. Legend has it that the king promised his daughter to whoever built the most useful work for the city: one man built the aqueduct, Zeno the theatre. Unable to choose, the king proposed cutting his daughter in two; Zeno gave up his claim, and so she was given to him.
In the 13th century the Seljuks turned the theatre into a caravanserai and summer palace, repaired it and added the brickwork and tiles you can still see at the top of the stage building. That is why it has come down to us intact. Atatürk visited in 1930 and ordered it to be restored for performances.
What to see at Aspendos
The stage building
A two-storey wall with niches for statues, Ionic and Corinthian columns and, in the centre of the pediment, a relief of Dionysus, the god of theatre. Above it are traces of the wooden roof that once sheltered the stage and helped the acoustics. It is the image in every photograph, and in person it is even more imposing.
The seating and the acoustics
You can climb up to the covered gallery at the top, whose arches run all the way round the theatre. A whisper or a coin dropped in the orchestra can be heard in the back row; every guide does the test, and it never fails.
The Seljuk additions
High on the stage wall are brick zigzags and traces of turquoise tiles from the Seljuk palace: two civilisations on the same wall.
The aqueduct and the upper city
Behind the theatre, on the hill, are the agora, the basilica, the nymphaeum and the city’s stadium. In the distance runs the Roman aqueduct, a kilometre of arches with two pressure towers that raised the water to the acropolis, one of the best-preserved aqueducts in Türkiye. You can see it from the road on the way back.
Tips for your visit
Allow an hour. The tiers are high and steep, with no handrail at the top, and the floor of the orchestra is bare earth.
- Go first thing in the morning or late in the afternoon: in summer the theatre is an oven at midday, and the coaches arrive between 10:00 and 14:00.
- Wear closed shoes for climbing the tiers, and bring a hat and water.
- With children, the acoustics test and the upper gallery are the highlight of the day.
- If you are coming in summer, check the festival dates: seeing an opera here is one of the great experiences of a trip to Türkiye.
Tickets and prices
At the time of writing (2026), entry costs €16 under the official 2027 tariff. On my tours the ticket is either included or your guide takes care of it.
Where it is and how to get there
Aspendos lies 45 kilometres east of Antalya, just off the Alanya road, with a signposted turn-off at Serik: about 45 minutes by car. Without a car, a tour is the easiest option: public minibuses only stop on the main road, several kilometres from the theatre.
Visiting Aspendos on my tours
It is the centrepiece of the archaeology day from Antalya, with Perge in the morning and Side at sunset, on my ten-day Turquoise Coast tour. For the rest of the city and the coast, read what to see and do in Antalya.
If you are staying on the coast and would like a day of Roman ruins, message me and plan your tailor-made trip.