Pamukkale is about 13 miles (20 km) north of Denizli in Turkey, not far from the airport at Izmir.  Pamukkale means ‘cotton fortress’, so named because according to legend, this is where the Titans spread out their cotton crop to dry.

Pamukkale is actually a huge white cliff beneath a volcanic plateau, from which water pours in every direction.  The water appears as though milk because it is full of calcium carbonate and other minerals, which creates terraces and basins.  The terraces appear completely white as the water coats everything in white mineral deposits.

Visitors to this natural wonder are no longer allowed to climb around Pamukkale but you can still swim in the warm-water milky pools at nearby hotels.  The ancient Greeks and Romans thought the water had healing properties and so the Hierapolic city was built here around 190BC, a gorgeous maze of arches, hot baths, temples and columns.  The stone theatre has seats for 15,000 peopls.  Hierapolis was abandoned in the fourteenth century, having been hit by several earthquakes, but you can still visit the mass of ruins.

If you’re looking for a unique holiday, Pamukkale’s natural beauty is well worth a visit.