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Aspendos boasts the best-preserved Roman theater
in Turkey, and one of the best
in the world.
Located on the Pamphylian plain 47
km east of Antalya and
37 km west of Side (map), Aspendos is
4 km north of the Mediterranean
shore on the banks of the Köprü Çayi
stream.
Once called Belkis, Aspendos
was founded by the Hittites, but it
was Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius (161-180
AD) who ordered its great theater to
be built.
Still used for performances
today, the theater really
allows you to imagine what it was
like to
attend a dramatic performance in Roman times.
The ruined city includes a substantial aqueduct and
less impressive remains of an agora,
basilica and stadium, and you can wander
through the farmers' fields to find
them, though it's the theater that
you really want to see.
There are no hotels or restaurants right
by the theater, just snacks.
Aspendos is crowded with tour groups in
the middle of the day in high summer,
so try to avoid the crowds by coming
early or late in the day, or off-season.
If you do come in high summer, you
can enjoy the Aspendos Opera & Ballet
Festival from mid-June to mid-August,
with performances in the marvelous
theater. What a thrill to see a performance
here!
Aspendos is also a starting-point
for the St
Paul Trail leading north
up onto the Anatolian
plateau by
way of dramatic Köprülü Kanyon
National Park.
Distances & Travel Times
Antalya: 47
km (29 miles) W, 50 minutes
Alanya: 83
km (52 miles) SE, 1.5 hours
Köprülü Kanyon
National Park: 52 km (32
miles) N, 1 hour
Perge: 27
km (17 miles) W, 30 minutes
Selge: 64
km (40 miles) N, 1.5 hours
Side: 37
km (23 miles) E, 40 minutes
Mediterranean
Turkey
Where
to Go
Turkey
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