Located about 19 kilometres east of Antalya, you'll find Aspendos. This remarkable theatre is the only one from antiquity that still has its stage structure intact. Originally capable of accommodating 20,000 spectators, its survival is credited to the Seljuks, who repurposed it as a residence. In the 1920s, Kemal Atatürk, revered as the 'Father of the Turks', decided to restore the theatre. Today, Aspendos plays host to major musical events, perpetuating its legacy as a cultural epicentre.

Most probably built in 1420, as a colony of Benedictine refugees from the Friulian monastery of Saint Peter in Rožac (San Pietro di Rosazzo), the entire settlement will later be named after this abbey. Today very little has been preserved of its original appearance.

Perched atop the stark white cliffs of Pamukkale lies Hierapolis — an ancient city that's as rich in history as it is in thermal springs. Once a Phrygian cult centre and later a flourishing Greek city, Hierapolis boasts a well-preserved amphitheatre, an array of atmospheric ruins, and the famed Sacred Pool — a thermally heated delight where you can immerse yourself amidst submerged Roman columns, scattered by an ancient earthquake. Just a stone's throw away, the terraces of Pamukkale steal the show. These gleaming white formations, made of travertine — a sedimentary rock deposited by the mineral-rich hot waters — give the town its name, meaning 'Cotton Castle'. With temperatures ranging from 35°C to a steamy 100°C, these hot springs have been creating an expanding landscape of terraces for centuries, as calcium carbonate from the waters crystallises into the soft gel of travertine. Awarded UNESCO World Heritage status, Hierapolis and Pamukkale offer a unique fusion of cultural history and natural wonder that should not be missed.