Perga Archaeological Site

Address: Perga ruins, near Aksu, Antalya Province, Turkey

Admission: Site access generally free; museum fees may apply in Antalya for artifacts

Perga (Perga) is an ancient Greco-Roman city in Antalya Province, Turkey, known for its substantial Hellenistic and Roman ruins. The site lies near the modern town of Aksu and was an important urban center in the region of Pamphylia.

Surviving remains include a monumental city gate and colonnaded avenue, visible sections of a large Roman theatre with stone seating, portions of bath complexes and an agora area. The archaeological footprint is arranged along the original street plan so visitors can walk between the major public monuments on a compact site.

Perga originated in the Bronze Age and expanded significantly in the Hellenistic period before becoming a Roman municipal center; it retained civic importance through late antiquity. Excavations and restorations carried out in the 20th and 21st centuries have exposed the main public buildings and parts of residential quarters.

The ruins sit a few kilometres inland from the Mediterranean coast on the plain east of Antalya, close to the modern town of Aksu and roughly a short drive from Antalya city. The landscape is flat agricultural land with the Taurus Mountains visible to the north.

• Climate and best visiting times: The site is exposed and can be very hot in summer; early morning or late afternoon visits are more comfortable and better for photography.

What to See#

• City gate and colonnaded street: A wide colonnaded street and entrance gate with Hellenistic foundations that lead into the main urban area of the site and frame the approach to the theatre and agora.
• Roman theatre: A multi-level Roman theatre with surviving stone seating and orchestra area that dominates the city’s public quarter; excavations have exposed adjacent civic buildings and stage structures.
• Agora, baths and stadium areas: Ruins of bath complexes, an agora and a stadium area that mark the city’s layout from Hellenistic through Roman periods and show the typical public amenities of a Roman provincial capital.

Perga is about 17 km east of Antalya city center, near the modern town of Aksu. From Antalya take the D400/E87 eastbound and follow signs for Aksu/Perga; local dolmuş (shared minibuses) and tour buses run from Antalya in high season.

• Visit early morning before the crowds from Antalya day-trips arrive to photograph the colonnaded street in empty light.
• Bring sunscreen and a hat: there is minimal shade among the ruins.
• Compare the site's plan with a map of Roman Perga - the stadium sits surprisingly close to the city center and gives scale to the ruins.