My route
Sign in
WorldTurkeyAntalyaAspendosMy routeRoute

Aspendos: the Roman theatre near Antalya

The Roman theatre of Aspendos from above: tiers of seats, the tall stage building, orchards and rocky hills behind
Photo: Saffron Blaze, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

The essentials in 10 seconds

Entry
€15 for foreign visitors per guidebooks; no price on the official page
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Opening hours
Daily 8:00–19:00, ticket office until 18:30
officialConfirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Time on site
A typical visit without queueing. In high season add 15–30 minutes.
2 h
With kids
Fine with kids
Closed
Open every day
officialConfirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Müzekart
Turkish citizens only
officialConfirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Museum Pass
Covered by Museum Pass The Mediterranean and Türkiye, per guidebooks
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Getting there
Car or taxi ≈ 40–60 min; bus to Serik, then dolmuş or taxi
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Address
Belkıs Mahallesi, Serik, Antalya
officialConfirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Coordinates
36.93889, 31.17222YesGo MapGoogleApple

Key facts

2nd century ADthe theatre was built under Antoninus Pius and Marcus Aurelius
2 sourcesTurkish Ministry of Culture and TourismEnglish and Russian Wikipedia
Zenonthe architect, a native of Aspendos, named in an inscription
2 sourcesTurkish Ministry of Culture and TourismEnglish and Russian Wikipedia
12,000–15,000spectators — sources give different figures
2 sourcesTurkish Ministry of Culture and TourismEnglish Wikipedia
13th centurythe Seljuks turned the stage building into a palace, which saved it
2 sourcesTurkish Ministry of Culture and TourismEnglish Wikipedia
45–48 kmby road east of Antalya, on the Eurymedon (Köprüçay) river
2 sourcesYolcu360 guideRome2rio route planner
Aqueductamong the largest surviving in Asia Minor
SourceEnglish and Russian Wikipedia
465 BCAthens destroyed a Persian fleet at the Eurymedon
2 sourcesEnglish WikipediaThucydides, History
333 BCthe city submitted to Alexander the Great
2 sourcesEnglish WikipediaArrian, Anabasis of Alexander
Eurymedon Bridgea 13th-century Seljuk bridge on Roman foundations nearby
SourceEnglish and Russian Wikipedia
Every dayno weekly closing day
SourceTurkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism

Aspendos tickets and opening hours

Aspendos is a paid site run by the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism. According to its official page it is open every day, 8:00–19:00, with the last tickets sold at 18:30. There is no weekly closing day.

The official page shows no fee. Two independent guides for this year give the entrance fee as €15 for foreign visitors, and the ticket office may charge the lira equivalent at the day's rate. We mark the figure as being checked until the ministry publishes it. The Müzekart museum card is for Turkish citizens only; for foreign visitors, the same guides list Aspendos under Museum Pass The Mediterranean and Museum Pass Türkiye. On an organised tour, ask whether the entry ticket is included; tour listings often say admission is extra.

Hours differ between sources too. The ministry lists one schedule, 8:00–19:00, with no seasonal split, while the Yolcu360 guide gives summer evening hours to 21:00 (Turkey's night-museum programme) and winter hours to 18:00. Visiting in the shoulder or winter season? Check the ministry website before you set off.

Is Aspendos worth visiting?

Yes — especially on a first trip to Turkey or if you like the ancient world. Few Roman theatres survive this complete: the stage wall still rises to its full height, so it reads as a building rather than a ruin. Even without much interest in history, the scale lands the moment you walk in.

It's less essential if you've already seen the theatres at Side or Perge and hate the heat: beyond the theatre and aqueduct, the city itself is far more ruined than Perge. The best answer is to do both in one day — Perge sits on the same road, closer to Antalya.

Kids usually love it — climbing the tiers and testing the echo. Pushchairs struggle: the steps are high and the acropolis path is rocky.

How to get to Aspendos from Antalya

Step-by-step directions are below; the map shows where you arrive.

Loading the map…

destinationStreet view

Where are you starting from?

We’ll draw it on the map on foot and by taxi; metro and buses open in your maps app. Your location isn’t stored.

More tips

  1. Easiest: drive or take a taxi from Kaleiçi east on the D400 towards Side; near Serik, turn off for Belkıs and Aspendos. About 48 km, 40–60 minutes each way depending on traffic.
  2. By public transport, walk from Kaleiçi to the İsmetpaşa stop and ride the AntRay T1 tram to Otogar, the main bus station.
  3. At the Otogar, take a bus to Serik (about 40 minutes), or a bus towards Manavgat and Side and ask the driver to drop you at the Aspendos turn-off.
  4. From Serik, Wikivoyage reports a dolmuş to Aspendos roughly every two hours — check the times locally; otherwise take a taxi.
  5. From the highway turn-off it is about 4 km to the theatre — around 45 minutes on foot in the heat, so a taxi is wiser in summer.
  6. Arrange your return taxi in advance: there may be no cabs waiting at the gate.

What to see at Aspendos

  • The theatre — climb to the top tiers first for the full stage wall and the river valley, then stand in the orchestra and whisper: the acoustics still carry.
  • The acropolis — the flat hill behind the theatre, with the remains of a basilica, the agora and a nymphaeum (a monumental fountain). A short walk up from the theatre.
  • The aqueduct — a line of tall arches across the plain north of the city. Water came down from the hills through a channel, with a pressurised siphon on the final stretch. Best seen from the acropolis.
  • The Eurymedon Bridge over the Köprüçay on the access road — a 13th-century Seljuk bridge on Roman piers, with two sharp bends.
  • The view from the top — the shot on this page: the curve of seats, the stage and the orchards behind.

A short history of Aspendos

Aspendos was one of the main cities of ancient Pamphylia, on a river navigable from the sea. Near the mouth of the Eurymedon around 465 BC, Athens under Cimon destroyed a Persian fleet; in 333 BC the city submitted to Alexander the Great after trying to back out of a deal.

The theatre came in the Roman heyday of the 2nd century AD, under Antoninus Pius and Marcus Aurelius. An inscription names its architect, Zenon, a local man. It survived because the Seljuks of the 13th century turned the stage building into a palace and kept repairing it instead of quarrying it for stone. Today it is on Turkey's tentative list for UNESCO World Heritage, together with the aqueducts.

Before you go: checklist

Ready: 0 of 6

Tick what is ready — your ticks stay in this browser.

Aspendos vs Perge vs Termessos

Aspendosyou are hereA complete Roman theatre45–48 km east, near Serik1–2 hTheatre steps, acropolis pathHardly any
PergeA big city plan: streets, gates, bathsOn the way to Aspendos, near Aksu2–3 hFlat but a lot of walkingHardly any
TermessosA mountain city in the forestIn the mountains north-west2–3 hSteep uphill hikeSome, under trees

One day: Perge and Aspendos together. Just the theatre: Aspendos. Prefer hiking: Termessos.

Antalya's ancient sites compared

Every historic site around Antalya rated by YesGo. Tap a column heading to sort.

Hadrian's Gate4820 minFree41.7 km
Yivli Minaret4520 minFree42.0 km
Hıdırlık Tower4430 minFree42.2 km
Kaleiçi402 hFree42.2 km
Antalya Museum351 h 30 minClosed: demolished, new one being built44.2 km
Perge261 h 30 minAbout €11 for foreign visitors28.4 km
Aspendosyou are here222 h€15 for foreigners, checking—
Termessos213 hPaid, price being verified63.1 km

A day east of Antalya

Perge in the morning, Aspendos after lunch, then the old town and sunset at Hıdırlık Tower. Add them to your route in one tap — YesGo fits in the timing and transfers.

  1. Perge1 h 30 min · About €11 for foreign visitors
  2. 492 min walk from the previous stopAspendosyou are here2 h · €15 for foreigners, checking
  3. 731 min walk from the previous stopKaleiçi2 h · Free, open 24/7
  4. 3 min walk from the previous stopHıdırlık Tower30 min · Free, outside only

4 places · about 26 h 26 min with walks · 1226 min on foot in total

Go · my route

How to do it right

  • Arrive at 8:00 opening — cooler air, softer light and few people before the tour coaches from Side and Belek.
  • Walk up to the acropolis even briefly: the view of the aqueduct is worth the detour.
  • Combine it with Perge — same highway, closer to Antalya.
  • Stand in the middle of the orchestra and speak softly — the acoustics still work.
  • Stop at the Eurymedon Bridge on the way back; it's by the road and free.
  • Save the evening for Kaleiçi — the old town by the harbour is the best cure for a hot day at the ruins.

Questions

How much is the Aspendos entrance fee?

Two guides give €15 for foreign visitors, sometimes charged in lira at the day's rate. The official page shows no price, so we're still checking it. The Müzekart is valid only for Turkish citizens.

What are the Aspendos opening hours?

Per the official page, daily 8:00–19:00, with the ticket office closing at 18:30 and no weekly closing day. Some guides list shorter winter hours, to 18:00 — check before an off-season visit.

How do I get to Aspendos from Antalya?

By car, taxi or tour — about an hour. By public transport: AntRay tram to the Otogar, a bus to Serik, then a dolmuş (roughly every two hours) or a taxi; the theatre is about 4 km from the highway turn-off.

Is there a bus to Aspendos?

Not from Antalya to the gate. Buses go to Serik, and buses towards Manavgat and Side can drop you at the D400 turn-off; from Serik there is an infrequent dolmuş, otherwise a taxi.

Is Aspendos covered by the Museum Pass?

Guidebooks list it under Museum Pass The Mediterranean and Museum Pass Türkiye; we haven't seen it confirmed on the official pass page yet, so we mark it as being checked.

Can I see Aspendos on a day tour from Antalya or Side?

Yes — the most common tours combine Perge, Aspendos and Side, often with the Manavgat waterfall, and last most of a day. Check whether entry tickets are included.

Is Aspendos worth visiting?

Yes, for the theatre alone — few Roman theatres survive with their full stage wall. If you've seen Perge and Side and dislike heat, it's the one to skip.

How long do you need at Aspendos?

An hour for the theatre, about two with the acropolis and aqueduct. With the drive from Antalya, plan half a day.

Is Aspendos an amphitheatre?

No — it's a Roman theatre: a half-circle of seats facing a stage. An amphitheatre is an oval arena for games, though many people use the word for Aspendos.

Can you visit Aspendos and Perge in one day?

Yes. They're on the same highway, with Perge closer to Antalya — Perge in the morning, Aspendos after lunch.

Have you been? Was it worth your time?

1 — no, 5 — absolutely

Your vote counts towards the YesGo score.

Sources and fact-check

  • Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism: Aspendos Ören Yeri page — hours, closures, address, Müzekart rules and history, 30.10.2026
  • Karekod: Müze ve Ören Yerleri Fiyatları 2026 — foreign-visitor fee, 30.10.2026
  • Yolcu360: Aspendos Antik Kenti — fee, seasonal hours, distance, 30.10.2026
  • Wikivoyage (German): Aspendos — bus to Serik, dolmuş, distance from the turn-off
  • Lonely Planet: Aspendos — the highway turn-off and the walk in
  • Rome2rio: Antalya to Aspendos — road distance and driving time
  • Chasing the Donkey and the Turkish Airlines blog — Museum Pass The Mediterranean
  • English Wikipedia: Aspendos; Theatre of Aspendos; Eurymedon Bridge (Aspendos)
  • Russian Wikipedia: Аспендос; Wikidata Q633757
  • Thucydides, History, Book I — the Battle of the Eurymedon
  • Arrian, Anabasis of Alexander, Book I — Aspendos and Alexander
YesGo editorial team · facts checked 30.10.2026 ·
How we checkedOpening hours, the absence of a closing day, the address and the Müzekart rule come from the site's official page at the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism (30.10.2026). That page shows no fee; two independent guides, Karekod and Yolcu360, give €15 for foreign visitors, so we show it marked “verifying”. Museum Pass The Mediterranean coverage is reported by Chasing the Donkey and the Turkish Airlines blog but not yet seen on the official pass page — also “verifying”. Hours differ: the ministry lists 8:00–19:00 year-round, Yolcu360 gives summer to 21:00 and winter to 18:00; we show the official hours with a seasonal warning. Bus route: the bus to Serik is in Wikivoyage and Rome2rio; the two-hourly dolmuş from Serik only in Wikivoyage, hence “check locally”; the 4 km from the turn-off in Wikivoyage and Lonely Planet. Distance: 35 km (Russian Wikipedia) and 40 km (English Wikipedia) are straight-line; by road it is 45 km (Yolcu360) to 48 km (Rome2rio), and we give the road figure. Capacity is 15,000 at the ministry (12,000 in a caption on the same page), 12,000 in English Wikipedia and 17,000 in Russian Wikipedia, so we show 12,000–15,000; construction dates are 138–164 at the ministry and 161–180 in English Wikipedia, so we say 2nd century under Antoninus Pius and Marcus Aurelius.

Top YesGo picks: Antalya

Hadrian's Gate

Antalya, Turkey

20 min · Free

Yivli Minaret

Antalya, Turkey

20 min · Free

Hıdırlık Tower

Antalya, Turkey

30 min · Free, outside only

Kaleiçi

Antalya, Turkey

2 h · Free, open 24/7

Antalya Museum

Antalya, Turkey

1 h 30 min · Closed: demolished, new one being built

Düden Waterfalls

Antalya, Turkey

1 h · Lower free, Upper ≈ 60–70 TL

Perge

Antalya, Turkey

1 h 30 min · About €11 for foreign visitors

Tünektepe

Antalya, Turkey

1 h 30 min · Closed: cable car not running

All places: Antalya →