Turkey Guide
The central and southern Aegean
Aphrodisias
Situated on a high plateau over 600m above sea level, ringed by mountains and watered by a tributary of the Büyük Menderes, Aphrodisias is among the most isolated and beautifully set of Turkey's major archeological sites. Acres of marble peek out from among the poplars and other vegetation that cloaks the remains of one of imperial Rome's most cultured Asian cities. Late afternoon visits have the bonus of often dramatic cloud formations, spawned by the elevation, and the attendant dappled lighting.
A loop path around the site (daily: summer 8am–7pm; winter 8am–5.30pm; 7YTL) passes all of the major monuments, though at the time of writing only the stadium, theatre, odeion, council houses and the temple of Aphrodite have completely unrestricted access.
Practicalities
Aphrodisias is situated 13km southeast of Karacasu, the nearest sizable town, which lies 25km from the E24/320 highway between Aydın and Denizli. From the highway, you'll need to change transport at NAZILLI, whose otogar sits just north of the highway on the west edge of town. If coming by train, exit Nazilli station and turn right onto the main town thoroughfare, or follow the tracks southwest – they pass very near the bus stand. Dolmuşes to Karacasu depart from the rear of the Nazilli otogar; during warmer months the route may extend to Geyre, the village next to the ruins. Best bet for accommodation in Nazilli, if required, is the two-star Metya Hotel ( 
0256/312 8888, 
312 8891; Price: €14-24). In Karacasu there is only the grimmest of dormitories, built directly over the small bus-terminal building.
Whatever happens, try to avoid getting stranded at Aphrodisias – a distinct possibility after 6pm, even in summer. A round trip by taxi from Karacasu will cost you 25YTL, double that if you have to take it all the way back to the Nazilli– Denizli highway. If you are going to get stuck, you're best off doing so at Geyre, next to the ruins, where the simple Chez Mestanpansiyon-campsite ( 0256/448 8046; Price: €14-24), 600m from the site on the main highway, has basic waterless doubles; the more comfortable Aphrodisias Hotel-Restaurant-Camping ( 0256/448 8132, 448 8422; Price: €14-24) is 1km west of Chez Mestan, with good en-suite rooms and a rooftop restaurant.
The other option for visiting the site is to take a tour organized through one of the pensions in Pamukkale, for which the going rate is around 25YTL.