Pergamon Acropolis

Tickets and tours: all the options

There are two main tickets in Bergama: one for the acropolis on the hill and a separate one for the Asklepion, the healing sanctuary on the opposite side of town. The Red Basilica in the town centre has its own small fee, and the cable car up the hill is paid separately. All are sold at the gates, and the Museum Pass Turkey for the Aegean region covers the archaeological sites, which is worth it if you are also visiting Ephesus.

Tours fall into a few kinds. The most common is a guided day trip from Izmir, about 100 km south, with transport, a guide and usually lunch included; entry tickets are sometimes extra. Private day tours with a driver-guide leave from Izmir, the cruise port at Kusadasi or the airport, and there are long fly-in days from Istanbul that combine Pergamon with Ephesus. Multi-day packages add Sardis and Pamukkale.

Independent travel is easy if you have a car, and possible by bus. The site has few explanatory panels, and the ruins on the hill are scattered across several terraces, so a guide makes a real difference here. For most visitors the sensible choice is a guided day from Izmir that covers both the acropolis and the Asklepion. Those staying in Bergama itself can manage happily on their own.

A short history

Pottery shows that a small Greek settlement existed on the hill by the late 8th century BC. After Alexander, the general Lysimachus left his treasure here with Philetaerus, who broke away in 281 BC and founded the Attalid dynasty. His successors defeated the Galatians, allied with Rome and, under Eumenes II after 188 BC, rebuilt the city as a second Athens with new walls, the library, the altar and terraced sanctuaries. Attalus III left the kingdom to Rome in 133 BC. Roman Pergamon spread into the plain, with the Asklepion and the Red Basilica. German excavations began in 1878 under Carl Humann and still continue. The city joined the UNESCO list in 2014.

Getting there

Bergama lies about 100 km north of Izmir, the nearest large city and airport. Buses run from the main Izmir bus station to Bergama several times an hour and take about 1 hour 45 minutes. The Bergama bus station is on the main road about 7 km from the centre, so take a local minibus or taxi into town. The cable car to the acropolis leaves from the lower station on the northern edge of the old town, a few minutes on foot from the Red Basilica, and climbs to the gate in a few minutes. A taxi can also drive you up the winding road to the upper car park. By car from Izmir, follow the D550 north for about 1 hour 30 minutes.

Rules and what to bring

Do not climb on the re-erected columns or the walls of the theatre, and keep to the paths on the slopes, which are steep and slippery with loose stones. Drones need a permit. Bring water, a hat and sunscreen: there is little shade on the hilltop and only a small kiosk near the upper gate. Wear shoes with grip for the marble steps of the theatre. Toilets are at the cable car stations and the upper entrance.

When to go

The hilltop is exposed and very hot from June to August, when temperatures in the Bergama plain often pass 35 degrees. In summer, come at opening around 8 am or after 4 pm, when the theatre is in shade and the light over the plain is warmer. Organised tours from Izmir usually reach the acropolis in the late morning and the Asklepion after lunch, so independent visitors who reverse the order meet fewer groups.

April, May, early June, September and October are the best months: mild days, green hills in spring and clear views. Winter is quiet but can be wet and windy on the top, and closing time is earlier. Cruise passengers from Dikili and Izmir occasionally add a surge at midday. Allow two to three hours for the acropolis alone, and a full day to add the Asklepion and the Red Basilica without rushing.