# Aspendos: the Roman theatre near Antalya > Aspendos is an ancient city near Belkıs, in the Serik district, 45–48 km by road east of Antalya — famous for one of the best-preserved Roman theatres anywhere, stage wall and all. Entry is paid (guidebooks give €15 for foreign visitors); the official page lists daily hours of 8:00–19:00, last tickets 18:30. Allow an hour for the theatre, two with the aqueduct and acropolis. Web page: https://yesgo.io/turkey/antalya/aspendos - City: [Antalya](https://yesgo.io/turkey/antalya), Turkey - YesGo score: 22/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 2 h - With kids: Fine with kids - Entry: €15 for foreign visitors per guidebooks; no price on the official page - Opening hours: Daily 8:00–19:00, ticket office until 18:30 - Closed: Open every day - Müzekart: Turkish citizens only - Museum Pass: Covered by Museum Pass The Mediterranean and Türkiye, per guidebooks - Getting there: Car or taxi ≈ 40–60 min; bus to Serik, then dolmuş or taxi - Address: Belkıs Mahallesi, Serik, Antalya - Coordinates: 36.93889, 31.17222 - Facts checked: 30.10.2026 ## Key facts - **2nd century AD** — the theatre was built under Antoninus Pius and Marcus Aurelius (source: Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism; English and Russian Wikipedia) - **Zenon** — the architect, a native of Aspendos, named in an inscription (source: Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism; English and Russian Wikipedia) - **12,000–15,000** — spectators — sources give different figures (source: Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism; English Wikipedia) - **13th century** — the Seljuks turned the stage building into a palace, which saved it (source: Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism; English Wikipedia) - **45–48 km** — by road east of Antalya, on the Eurymedon (Köprüçay) river (source: Yolcu360 guide; Rome2rio route planner) - **Aqueduct** — among the largest surviving in Asia Minor (source: English and Russian Wikipedia) - **465 BC** — Athens destroyed a Persian fleet at the Eurymedon (source: English Wikipedia; Thucydides, History) - **333 BC** — the city submitted to Alexander the Great (source: English Wikipedia; Arrian, Anabasis of Alexander) - **Eurymedon Bridge** — a 13th-century Seljuk bridge on Roman foundations nearby (source: English and Russian Wikipedia) - **Every day** — no weekly closing day (source: Turkish 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. > **No bus goes to the gate** Antalya's city transport doesn't reach Aspendos. A car, taxi or tour is far easier — about an hour each way. By public transport you only get as far as Serik or the highway turn-off, still about 4 km short. In summer there is almost no shade on site, so bring water and a hat. ## 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](https://yesgo.io/turkey/antalya/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 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 - [ ] Transport there and back — car, taxi or tour - [ ] I'll reach the ticket office before 18:30 - [ ] Water, a hat and sunscreen - [ ] Shoes with grip for the stone steps - [ ] Cash and a card for the ticket and taxi - [ ] About two hours set aside on site ## Aspendos vs Perge vs Termessos | | Aspendos | Perge | Termessos | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Best for | A complete Roman theatre | A big city plan: streets, gates, baths | A mountain city in the forest | | Where | 45–48 km east, near Serik | On the way to Aspendos, near Aksu | In the mountains north-west | | Time needed | 1–2 h | 2–3 h | 2–3 h | | Effort | Theatre steps, acropolis path | Flat but a lot of walking | Steep uphill hike | | Shade | Hardly any | Hardly any | Some, 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. - [Hadrian's Gate](https://yesgo.io/turkey/antalya/antalya-hadrians-gate) — YesGo score 48/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 20 min · Free - [Yivli Minaret](https://yesgo.io/turkey/antalya/yivli-minaret) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 20 min · Free - [Hıdırlık Tower](https://yesgo.io/turkey/antalya/hidirlik-tower) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · Free, outside only - [Kaleiçi](https://yesgo.io/turkey/antalya/kaleici) — YesGo score 40/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · Free, open 24/7 - [Antalya Museum](https://yesgo.io/turkey/antalya/antalya-museum) — YesGo score 35/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · Closed: demolished, new one being built - [Perge](https://yesgo.io/turkey/antalya/perge) — YesGo score 26/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · About €11 for foreign visitors - [Aspendos](https://yesgo.io/turkey/antalya/aspendos) — YesGo score 22/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · €15 for foreigners, checking - [Termessos](https://yesgo.io/turkey/antalya/termessos) — YesGo score 21/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · Paid, price being verified ## A day east of Antalya Perge in the morning, Aspendos after lunch, then the old town and sunset at Hıdırlık Tower. 1. [Perge](https://yesgo.io/turkey/antalya/perge) — YesGo score 26/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · About €11 for foreign visitors 2. [Aspendos](https://yesgo.io/turkey/antalya/aspendos) — YesGo score 22/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · €15 for foreigners, checking 3. [Kaleiçi](https://yesgo.io/turkey/antalya/kaleici) — YesGo score 40/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · Free, open 24/7 4. [Hıdırlık Tower](https://yesgo.io/turkey/antalya/hidirlik-tower) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · Free, outside only ## Good to know The Aspendos Arena near the ancient city is a modern concert hall, not the Roman theatre, and the many hotels called Aspendos have nothing to do with the site. In summer the theatre itself hosts an opera and ballet festival — on performance nights people come for the show, not the sightseeing. ## Tips - 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](https://yesgo.io/turkey/antalya/kaleici) — 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. ## How we checked Opening 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. ## Sources - 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 --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.