Perge Ancient City

At Perge you can still stroll along an ancient high street and picture the shops trading. The avenue, lined with columns, stretches for hundreds of metres from the city gate to the base of the acropolis, and a stone channel down its centre once carried a flow of fresh water. The site is big and level, 18 km east of central Antalya and near the airport.

Quick facts

History

People lived at Perge from early times, but it became a major city only under the Hellenistic kingdoms and Rome, when it ranked among the chief towns of Pamphylia. Trade and farmland made it rich. In the 2nd century AD a wealthy woman, Plancia Magna, funded many of its monuments, among them the rebuilt main gate, where statues of her family stood in the courtyard.

The Book of Acts records that Paul and Barnabas came through Perge on their first missionary journey and preached here. In Byzantine times the city faded and its inhabitants moved to the coast at Antalya. Digging since the 1940s has exposed a large part of the city, and many of its marble statues are now displayed in the Antalya Museum.

What to see

• The stadium. Close to the entrance; one of the best-preserved ancient stadiums in Turkey, with a long track and seating for roughly 12,000 people.
• The Hellenistic gate. A pair of tall, round 3rd-century BC towers that flanked the main way into the city, with an oval courtyard behind.
• The colonnaded street. The central avenue, with columns and shopfronts on either side and the water channel down the middle.
• The agora. A square marketplace ringed by shops, with a circular building at its centre.
• The baths. Big Roman baths with pools and heated floors, parts of them still paved in marble.
• The Nymphaeum of Hadrian. A grand fountain at the head of the main street, the starting point of the water channel.

The theatre

According to the official museum site in October 2026, the Roman theatre is closed to the public until restoration is finished. It held over 10,000 spectators, and its stage building carries carved reliefs. On the way to the entrance you can look at it from outside.

A suggested route

Start with the stadium beside the car park and step inside to see the vaulted rooms beneath the seating, which once served as shops. Next, go through the outer gate of the late Roman period to the Hellenistic towers and the oval courtyard of Plancia Magna. Head right to the agora and the large baths, then follow the water channel up the colonnaded street to the Nymphaeum of Hadrian below the acropolis hill. Come back down the opposite side of the street. The whole circuit is roughly two to three kilometres.

Who will enjoy it

Perge is ideal if you want to see how a Roman city functioned: gates, streets, shops, baths and the water system are all easy to follow. It has fewer showpiece monuments than Side or Aspendos, so combine it with one of them.

Best time to visit

November to April brings mild weather and a green site. Summer temperatures regularly go above 35°C, so arrive at 08:00 or in the final two hours before closing. The main street has no shade, and midday light is too harsh for good photos.

Our Antalya Perge, Aspendos & Side Tour with Manavgat Waterfall & Lunch begins at Perge, then goes on to the Aspendos Theatre and Side, eight hours in all, from US$90. Perge is also part of the 3-Day Private Antalya Tour, along with Aspendos, Side, Myra and the old town. If you are tracing the route of St Paul, the Footsteps of St Paul Private Biblical Turkey Tour includes a stop at Perge.

Tips

• Begin at the stadium, go through the gate, walk up the main street to the nymphaeum and return.
• See the statues from this site at the Antalya Museum.
• Pair Perge with the Aspendos Theatre, roughly 30 minutes' drive east.
• Choose shoes with good grip, as the marble paving gets slippery.

Frequently Asked Questions