Pergamon Travel Guide

Pergamon, in the modern town of Bergama, about 100 km north of Izmir, was the capital of the Attalid kings in the 3rd and 2nd centuries BC. They built a royal city on a steep hill above the plain and filled it with temples, palaces, a great library and an altar so richly carved that it now stands in a museum in Berlin. The site has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2014.

Why visit Pergamon

Pergamon is the most dramatic setting of any ancient city in western Turkey. The theatre is cut into the hillside at a steep angle, with around 10,000 seats and a view straight down the valley. Above it stand the columns of the Temple of Trajan, partly restored. Below the acropolis, the Asclepion was one of the most famous medical centres of the ancient world, where patients came for treatments involving sleep, water and diet. Galen, the most influential doctor of antiquity, was born in Pergamon and worked here. In the town, the Red Basilica, a huge brick temple built for Egyptian gods, later housed one of the Seven Churches of Revelation.

How much time you need

Plan a full day: 2 hours on the acropolis, 1 to 1.5 hours at the Asclepion, and time for the Red Basilica and the Bergama Museum. If you are short of time, a half-day can cover the acropolis and Asclepion with a guide and a car.

Best time to visit

April to June and September to October. Summer temperatures often climb above 35°C, and the acropolis is exposed. Spring is especially good, when the hills are green. Winter is mild but wet.

Getting there

Most visitors come from Izmir, about 1.5 to 2 hours by road, or from Kusadasi port, about 2.5 to 3 hours. Cruise passengers can visit on our Pergamon acropolis and Asclepion tour from Kusadasi port. From Istanbul, fly to Izmir (about 1 hour 10 minutes) and drive north, or travel overland as part of a route through Gallipoli and Troy.

Top experiences

• The cable car up to the acropolis, which saves a steep climb.
• The foundations of the Altar of Zeus, whose carved friezes are displayed in the Pergamon Museum in Berlin.
• The theatre, one of the steepest built in the ancient world.
• The sacred way, tunnel and treatment rooms of the Asclepion.
• The Red Basilica in the old town, and the Ottoman houses around it.

Where to stay

Bergama has a few small hotels, but most visitors stay in Izmir, Ayvalik (a coastal town about 45 minutes north with good fish restaurants) or continue south to Selcuk for Ephesus.

What to eat

Bergama kofte (grilled meatballs) is the local speciality. The region is olive country, and Ayvalik's olive oil and its toasted sandwich, Ayvalik tostu, are well known.

Practical tips

• Wear good shoes; the acropolis paths are uneven.
• Bring water and sun protection from May onwards.
• Pergamon is part of many Seven Churches routes. See our Seven Churches of Revelation 5-day tour.

It also sits on the way between Troy and Ephesus, as on our 3-day Gallipoli, Troy, Pergamon and Ephesus tour. See all Pergamon tours.