Well restored Antonin fountain in the ancient city of Sagalassos near Ağlasun town in Burdur district of Turkey.

Emreturanphoto/Getty

Sagalassos

Top choice


The sprawling ancient city ruins of Sagalassos, dating from 1200 BC, are set high amid the stark and jagged peaks of Ak Dağ (White Mountain). Rarely troubled by crowds or tour buses, Sagalassos makes a great day trip from Eğirdir or Antalya and is a place to linger and appreciate. It takes roughly two to three hours to explore. Highlights include a 9000-seat Roman theatre and the outstanding Antonine Nymphaeum. Signage is excellent with detailed representations of the various structures.

Although repeatedly devastated by earthquakes over the centuries, the ancient city was never pillaged, and reconstruction is slowly moving ahead. The Antonine Nymphaeum, a huge fountain complex wrought from seven different kinds of stone, is ornately decorated and some 9m high and 28m wide. The impressive restoration is a massive structure supported by rows of thick columns (including bright-blue marble ones in the centre), through which huge sheets of water gush into a lengthy receptacle.

Sagalassos sprawls uphill across steep terrain, so good walking shoes are a must. Even on hot and sunny days, the treeless and exposed site is often windy, and clouds can suddenly arrive (bring an extra shirt or sweater). In summer, go early or late to avoid the midday sun. The ticket office closes at 5pm from October to April.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Mt Davraz

15.21 MILES

Davraz Dağı (2653m), rising between three lakes, has great skiing from mid-December to March. A day-long section of the St Paul Trail leads between here…

2. Lake Kovada National Park

19.53 MILES

Surrounding a small lake connected to Lake Eğirdir by a channel, this national park is good for hiking, picnicking and flora, especially at the nearby…

3. Altınkum Beach

21.62 MILES

Pebbly Altınkum Beach is 3.5km northwest of central Eğirdir. There's a small admission fee. It's not a particularly pretty beach. In high summer, dolmuşes…

4. Belediye Beach

22.27 MILES

Sandy Belediye Beach is at Yazla, less than 1km from Eǧirdir centre on the Isparta road. There are changing cabins and simple restaurants.

5. Pınar Pazarı

22.36 MILES

On Sundays between August and October, you can buy apples, cheese, yoghurt or even a goat at this village market run by the Yörük Turks, who descend from…

6. Bedre Beach

22.45 MILES

To sunbathe on a sandy beach, head 11km out of the centre on the road from Eğirdir to Barla. Bedre Beach is best, with 1.5km of sand. You can walk or…

7. Hızır Bey Cami

22.67 MILES

Originally a Seljuk warehouse (built 1237), this simple stone structure in the centre became a mosque in 1308 under Hamidoğulları emir Hızır Bey. It…

8. Dündar Bey Medresesi

22.68 MILES

In 1281 Hamidoğulları emir Felekeddin Dündar Bey turned this grand stone structure in the centre – then a 67-year-old Seljuk caravanserai – into a medrese…

  • placement: superzone
  • path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [1, 1],
  • targeting:
    {
      "url": "turkey/lake-district/attractions/sagalassos/a/poi-sig/1248983/1319708",
      "position": "superzone"
    }