Turkey’s otherworldly Cotton Castle with cascading thermal blue pools and hot air balloon rides
TURKEY's stunning Pamukkale is often described as a fairytale landscape by visitors, with its name literally translating to "cotton castle" in the local language.
The town is jam packed with both natural and historical places to explore.
Undoubtedly the most popular tourist site in the town is the waterfall-shaped, terraced thermal pools that look otherworldly with snow-white travertine formations, filled with bright blue waters.
It is from this Unesco World Heritage site that Pamukkale gets its name, with the rock pools looking as if they were sculpted from cotton.
The temperature of the water in the pools ranges from around 35C to 100C meaning not all of them are suitable for a dip, but there are some in which visitors can happily have a paddle.
wrote: "The area is famous for its fairy tale landscape, white travertine pools, and calcite-laden waters from hot springs.
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"If weird and beautiful sights are your thing, this is for you. However, this spot isn’t just a little odd; it is very remarkable. It’s also stunningly beautiful."
Up close isn't the only way to see the thermal springs, with hot air balloon rides providing a bird's eye view of the landscape.
The balloons typically set off first thing in the morning, providing visitors with the chance to watch the sun rise over the top of the pools.
One TripAdvisor reviewer said of the balloon ride: "The view of Pamukkale salt lakes was breathtaking and watching the sun rise from the hot air balloon was unforgettable."
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The balloons don't just fly over the thermal pools, with the nearby ancient city of Hierapolis also high up on the list of attractions in Pamukkale.
The ancient city is home to some incredibly well-preserved Roman and Byzantine ruins, including its amphitheatre, its colonnaded streets, bath-houses and even a gate to the underworld.
It also has an antique roman pool, known as the Cleopatra Pool, with the former Egyptian Queen said to have swam there herself.
The waters in the antique swimming facility are warmed by the thermal spas and are mineral rich, leading some people to suggest they have therapeutic healing properties.
For an extra fee on entry, visitors can take a dip in the pool and even swim between the submerged ancient columns that toppled into the pool after an earthquake.
One visitor wrote: "It is really an exciting experience to swim over ancient columns.
"But more than just swimming, you also get a chance relax in the warm, soothing water or dive down and look for treasures at the bottom of the pool."
Sights such as the city of Hierapolis and the thermal pools at Pamukkale make the town stand out as a unique experience.
Time Out featured it on a list of the most underrated travel destinations, suggesting more people should be visiting the Cotton Castle than currently are.
Another who was incredibly impressed by the destination was travel blogger , who said they wouldn't have believed it was real had they not witnessed it in person.
They wrote: "I’ve been wowed over and over by beautiful landscapes but this one was different.
"It was stunning and surreal, a sight I never would have thought existed had I not seen it for myself."
The nearest airport to Pamukkale is Denizli, with flights available from London from around £54.
A night for two can be booked in a hotel nearby from around £17.
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