Thermal Pamukkale Spa Tour

From the valley floor the hillside looks like a glacier that wandered a few hundred kilometres too far south. It is not ice. Spring water saturated with dissolved calcium rises through the rock, loses its carbon dioxide as it spills down the slope, and leaves the mineral behind as travertine, a white shelf that has been building terrace by terrace for thousands of years.

Visitors follow the designated route barefoot. This is not a quirk: shoes scuff and stain fresh travertine, and the whole surface sits under UNESCO protection. The stone is ridged and slightly rough underfoot, the shallow pools are warm rather than hot, and the walk always takes longer than planned because everybody stops constantly to photograph it.

On the plateau above the terraces stands Hierapolis, a Roman spa city that grew rich on exactly the same water. People came here to be cured and, when the cure failed, to be buried, which is why the necropolis outside the walls is one of the largest in Anatolia. The theatre cut into the slope survives in remarkable condition, and the colonnaded main street still runs the length of the site.

The antique pool at the heart of Hierapolis is fed by the same thermal source and floored with marble columns dropped by an ancient earthquake. The water is warm and faintly effervescent, and swimming among the stonework requires a separate ticket bought on site. The day also takes in Karahayıt, where iron-rich springs stain the rock rust red: same geology, completely different colour.

• A full-day excursion with hotel pickup and a return the same evening
• Air-conditioned transport, a professional English-speaking guide, all entrance fees, lunch at a local restaurant, bottled water and insurance
• Pack a swimsuit and small towel if you intend to use the pool, plus a bag for wet things
• Shade is scarce on the plateau, so a hat, sunscreen and water are not optional in summer

The drive inland from the coast is a long one, so this works best as a committed single day rather than something squeezed between a beach morning and a dinner reservation.