# Perge, Antalya > Perge is an ancient city in Aksu, 15–18 km east of central Antalya: a gate with two round towers, a colonnaded street with a water channel, baths, an agora and one of the best-preserved stadiums in the ancient world. Entry is paid (about €11 for foreign visitors, being checked), open daily 8:00–19:00. Allow 1.5–2 hours; the theatre is closed for restoration. Web page: https://yesgo.io/turkey/antalya/perge - City: [Antalya](https://yesgo.io/turkey/antalya), Turkey - YesGo score: 26/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 1 h 30 min - Entry: About €11 for foreign visitors - With kids: Fine with kids - Entrance fee: About €11 for foreign visitors, paid in lira - Opening hours: Daily 8:00–19:00, ticket office until 18:30 - Closed: Open every day - Theatre: Temporarily closed for restoration - Müzekart: Turkish citizens only - Getting there: AntRay tram to Aksu, then ≈ 2 km on foot or by taxi - Address: Barbaros Mahallesi, Perge Caddesi, Aksu, Antalya - Coordinates: 36.96035, 30.85369 - Facts checked: 30.10.2026 ## Key facts - **Pamphylia** — Perge was one of the region's leading cities, rivalling Side in Roman times (source: English and Russian Wikipedia) - **12,000** — spectators in the stadium — one of the best-preserved in antiquity (source: Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism; Russian Wikipedia) - **3rd century BC** — the Hellenistic gate with its two round towers, the city's emblem (source: Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism; English Wikipedia) - **St Paul** — preached here with Barnabas in the 1st century (source: Acts of the Apostles, chapters 13 and 14; English Wikipedia) - **Apollonius of Perga** — the mathematician of conic sections was born here (source: English and Russian Wikipedia) - **334 BC** — the city welcomed Alexander the Great and his army (source: English Wikipedia) - **Plancia Magna** — a priestess of Artemis who rebuilt the gate court in the 2nd century AD (source: English Wikipedia) - **Since 1946** — excavations — most of the city is still underground (source: English and Russian Wikipedia) - **Water channel** — ran down the main street, feeding fountains, baths and shops (source: Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism; English Wikipedia) - **UNESCO** — Perge is on Turkey's tentative World Heritage list (source: UNESCO World Heritage Centre, Turkey tentative list) ## Perge entrance fee and opening hours Perge is a paid site run by the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism. Its official page says 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 does not list a fee. Russian Wikipedia and travel guides quoting the Turkish museum price table give **about €11** for foreign visitors, charged in Turkish lira at the day's rate — we mark it as being checked, because Turkish site prices change often. The Müzekart museum card is for Turkish citizens only. On a tour, ask whether entry is included; it often isn't. One thing to watch: several guides say Perge closes earlier from 1 November to 31 March, around 17:00–17:30, while the official page showed 8:00–19:00 all year when we checked. In winter, arrive by 15:00 and you're safe either way. > **The theatre is closed for restoration** The big Roman theatre by the entrance is temporarily closed until the works are finished, according to the ministry. You can see it from outside but can't climb the seats. For a theatre, go to [Aspendos](https://yesgo.io/turkey/antalya/aspendos); come to Perge for the streets, the gate, the baths and the stadium, which are all open. ## How to get to Perge from Antalya 1. From Kaleiçi, walk to the İsmetpaşa tram stop (two minutes from the Clock Tower) and board the AntRay T1 tram towards Aksu and Expo. You pay with an AntalyaKart, sold and topped up at machines by the stops. 2. Get off at **Aksu**, roughly 40–45 minutes from the centre. Check the destination board — not every tram runs to Aksu; some branch off to the bus station or the airport. 3. From the stop, it's about 2 km north along a flat road towards the hills — 25–30 minutes on foot. There's no shade at midday in summer, so take one of the taxis that usually wait by the stop. 4. By taxi or car from Kaleiçi it's about 25 minutes east on the D400 highway, turning off at Aksu. There's parking at the entrance. 5. Head back the same way, Aksu to İsmetpaşa. Going on to Aspendos? A taxi from Perge takes about 40 minutes along the same highway. ## Is Perge worth visiting? Yes, if you want to see a whole ancient city and you're short on time. Perge is the closest major site to central Antalya and the only one you can reach by tram. Nowhere nearby shows so clearly how a Roman city worked: you can walk its main street from the gate to the fountain at the far end. It's skippable if you're after one jaw-dropping view. With the theatre shut, Perge is a spread of ruins on a plain, with no mountains or sea around it. For a single big moment pick Aspendos; for mountains and forest, [Termessos](https://yesgo.io/turkey/antalya/termessos). YesGo's tip: pair Perge with the museum. See the city in the morning, then its statues at the [Antalya Archaeological Museum](https://yesgo.io/turkey/antalya/antalya-museum) after lunch — that's when the stones come alive. ## What to see at Perge - **The Hellenistic gate** — two round three-storey towers from the 3rd century BC, the symbol of Perge. Behind them is an oval court that Plancia Magna lined with niches and statues. - **The colonnaded street** — the main street, with a water channel running down the middle in a chain of little cascades and shops behind the porticoes on both sides. Many columns stand again. - **The nymphaeum** — the monumental fountain at the top of the street, at the foot of the acropolis, where the water started its run. - **The Roman baths** — among the largest in Pamphylia, with hot and cold rooms and the remains of underfloor heating. - **The agora** — a square market surrounded by shops, with a round temple at its centre. - **The stadium** — a long arena for 12,000 spectators near the entrance, one of the best-preserved anywhere. The vaults under the seats once held shops. - **The theatre** — from outside only for now; it's under restoration. - **The view from the acropolis** — the shot on this page: the street of columns, the gate towers and the stadium beyond. ## How long do you need at Perge? Plan on 1.5–2 hours inside. That covers the stadium, the gate, a walk up the colonnaded street to the nymphaeum, the baths and the agora. If you love archaeology and want to climb part of the acropolis, give it three. Add the journey: about an hour each way from Kaleiçi by tram and on foot, or 25 minutes by taxi. Perge on its own fits neatly into a morning, leaving the afternoon for the museum or the beach. Combining it with Aspendos makes a full day. Most organised tours do exactly that, sometimes with a waterfall stop — convenient if you don't have a car, since no public transport reaches the Aspendos gate. ## A short history of Perge People lived here from the Bronze Age, and by the Greek period Perge was one of the leading cities of **Pamphylia**, the coastal plain between the Taurus mountains and the sea. In 334 BC it opened its gates to Alexander the Great. The mathematician **Apollonius of Perga**, who wrote eight books on conic sections — the ellipse, parabola and hyperbola — was born here. The city peaked under Rome in the 2nd century AD, when the local noblewoman **Plancia Magna**, a priestess of Artemis, turned the old gate into a grand court of statues. St Paul and Barnabas passed through on their first missionary journey and, according to the Acts of the Apostles, preached here on the way back. Excavations began in 1946, and the best finds are in the Antalya Archaeological Museum. ## Before you go: checklist - [ ] AntalyaKart with credit for the tram — or a taxi - [ ] I'll reach the ticket office before 18:30 (before 15:00 in winter, to be safe) - [ ] Water, a hat and sunscreen — there's almost no shade - [ ] Shoes with grip for uneven stones - [ ] Lira or a card for the ticket - [ ] 1.5–2 hours set aside on site ## Perge vs Aspendos vs Termessos | | Perge | Aspendos | Termessos | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Best for | A whole city: gate, street, baths, stadium | A complete Roman theatre | A mountain city in the forest | | Where | 15–18 km east, at Aksu | ≈ 40 km east, near Serik | In the mountains north-west | | Public transport | Tram to Aksu + 2 km walk | Car, taxi or tour | Car, taxi or tour | | Time needed | 1.5–2 h | 1–2 h | 2–3 h | | Effort | Flat but a lot of walking | Theatre steps | Uphill hike | | Shade | Hardly any | Hardly any | Some, under trees | No car: Perge. Just the theatre: Aspendos. Prefer hiking: Termessos. One day east of the city: Perge and Aspendos together. ## 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 ## Perge and its statues in one day The ruins of Perge in the morning, their statues at the museum in the afternoon, 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. [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 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 Perge is also spelled Perga, the name used in the Bible and in English Wikipedia. It is not Pergamon (Bergama), which lies far to the north near İzmir. The hotels and resorts called Perge have nothing to do with the site. ## Tips - Arrive at 8:00 opening — cooler air, soft light and few tour groups. - Start at the stadium by the entrance, then go through the gate and up the main street to the fountain — the city makes sense in that order. - Climb a little way up the acropolis slope by the nymphaeum: from there the whole street of columns lines up. - Top up your AntalyaKart in the centre — the Aksu stop may not have a working machine. - After the ruins, visit the Antalya Archaeological Museum, where Perge's statues now stand. - Save the evening for [Kaleiçi](https://yesgo.io/turkey/antalya/kaleici) and sunset at [Hıdırlık Tower](https://yesgo.io/turkey/antalya/hidirlik-tower). ## Questions ### How much is the Perge entrance fee? About €11 for foreign visitors, paid in Turkish lira at the day's rate. The official page doesn't list a price, so we're checking it; the Müzekart is for Turkish citizens only. ### What are Perge's opening hours? Daily 8:00–19:00, last tickets 18:30, per the official page. Some guides list winter hours to 17:00–17:30, so arrive early from November to March. ### How do I get to Perge from Antalya? Take the AntRay T1 tram from İsmetpaşa to Aksu (about 40–45 minutes), then walk about 2 km or take a taxi. A taxi from the centre takes about 25 minutes. ### Can you walk to Perge from the Aksu tram stop? Yes, it's about 2 km on a flat road — 25–30 minutes. In summer heat, a taxi from the stop is the better idea. ### Is Perge worth visiting? Yes, if you want to see a whole Roman city close to Antalya without a car. If you want a single spectacular sight, Aspendos's theatre is stronger. ### How long do you need at Perge? 1.5–2 hours on site; half a day including the tram and walk from central Antalya. ### Is the theatre at Perge open? No, it's temporarily closed for restoration. The rest of the city — gate, street, baths, agora and stadium — is open. ### Can you do Perge and Aspendos in one day? Yes. They're on the same highway east of Antalya, about 40 minutes apart by car. Without a car, a tour or taxi is easiest. ### Where are the statues from Perge? Most are in the Antalya Archaeological Museum. Columns, the gate, the baths and the street plan remain on site. ## How we checked Opening hours, the absence of a closing day, the address, the Müzekart rule, the theatre closure and the stadium capacity come from the site's official page at the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism. That page shows no fee: the €11 figure comes from Russian Wikipedia and a guide citing the Turkish museum price table (DOSIM), so it is marked as being checked. Where sources disagree: hours are 8:00–19:00 year-round on the official page, but 8:00–17:00 or 8:30–17:30 in winter in several guides, and one guide gives 20:00 in summer — we show the official hours and advise arriving early in winter. Distance from Antalya is 15 km in English Wikipedia and 18 km at UNESCO, so we give 15–18 km. The colonnaded street is about 300 m in Russian Wikipedia while the ministry describes a 500 m road from the towers to the fountain, so we give no length. Theatre capacity is 15,000 in Russian Wikipedia and 12,000 in guides; we leave it out while the theatre is closed. The walk from the tram is 1.6–2.4 km depending on the guide, so we say about 2 km; tram and taxi times come from maps and are marked as being checked. ## Sources - Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism: Perge Ören Yeri page — hours, closures, address, Müzekart rules, theatre closure, stadium, street and gate, 30.10.2026 - Russian Wikipedia: Перге — entrance fee, theatre and stadium capacity, street length - English Wikipedia: Perga — history, the gate, Plancia Magna, Apollonius, Alexander the Great - Acts of the Apostles, chapters 13 and 14 — Paul and Barnabas at Perga - UNESCO World Heritage Centre: Turkey's tentative list, Perge - Wikidata Q719815 --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.