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Lake Salda & Sagalassos

7 places · 2 routes · Mediterranean Coast

Blue lakes in the mountains behind Antalya: a Mars-like white shore, a Roman city in the clouds and an old town on a lake peninsula.

Today in Lake Salda & Sagalassos: sunrise 07:14 · sunset 18:12 (calculated)

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Salda and Sagalassos1 day · 2 stops Eğirdir by the lake½ day · 1 stops

Open / closed: Istanbul time, Thu 03:15. Ticket = foreign-visitor price. Visit times are our estimates.

  1. Nature · 109 km ~2.9 h by road

    Lake Salda

    Hours not verified Not verified ~1.5–3 h

  2. Nature · 14 km ~26 min by road

    Lake Eğirdir

    Open space Free ~2–4 h

  3. Nature · 27 km ~47 min by road

    Lake Kovada National Park

    Hours not verified Not verified ~1.5–3 h

  4. Culture · 36 km ~1 h by road

    Sagalassos

    Closed now €8 ~2–3 h

  5. Nature · 46 km ~1.3 h by road

    Yazılı Canyon Nature Park

    Hours not verified Not verified ~1.5–2.5 h

  6. Culture · 52 km ~1.5 h by road

    Burdur Museum

    Closed now Not verified ~45 min–1.3 h

  7. Culture · 144 km ~3.8 h by road

    Kibyra

    Closed now Not verified ~1.5–2 h

Also in this area

Caves, waterfalls, gorges, hidden gems and viewpoints within 50 km (straight line) of the places above.

Adventure nearby: Rafting (Köprülü Canyon)

On this map and in our themes: Lake Salda (hidden gem) · Sagalassos (hidden gem)

Local food with a registered name: Burdur Şiş Köftesi

Caves & waterfallsHidden gemsViewpointsAdventureRegional food

Climate: when to go

Monthly averages for Burdur province: warmest in August (average high 33.1 °C), coldest in January (average low -1.0 °C). Averages hide heat waves and cold snaps — check the forecast before you travel.

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Average high7°9°14°18°24°29°33°33°29°22°15°9°
Average low-1°0°2°6°10°14°18°18°13°9°4°1°
Sunshine, hours a day3.75.15.97.28.810.611.510.89.07.25.63.3
Rainy days101010111174447710

Source: Turkish State Meteorological Service (MGM), 1991–2020 climate normals for Burdur province (this month is highlighted). Values are averages for the whole province as MGM publishes them, not for one beach or hill.

Boat trips from here

Lake Eğirdir

Stops are the usual ones — operators vary; rules on the water come from the authorities' own texts. No operators or prices. All boat trips →

Watch

  • This Lake is Too Magical To Exist. Salda, Turkey.

    Walk Turkey · Watch on YouTube (new tab) ↗

Videos by independent creators on YouTube; we don't endorse tours or offers in them. The player loads from youtube-nocookie.com only when you press play.

About Lake Salda

The Lake District lies on the plateau behind the Taurus, two or three hours inland from Antalya. Lake Salda became famous when scientists compared its white hydromagnesite shores with the Jezero crater on Mars; Sagalassos, high on a mountainside above Ağlasun, is one of the most spectacular Roman city sites in Türkiye.

Eğirdir, on a promontory in a much larger lake, is the pleasant place to sleep, with apple orchards, lake fish and a causeway to the island of Yeşilada.

Is Lake Salda worth visiting?

Yes, if you are driving between Pamukkale and Antalya: Salda's colours are striking and Sagalassos is a highlight of any trip. Salda is a protected area, so do not expect a resort beach, and check the current rules on site.

Two days covers Salda, Sagalassos and a night in Eğirdir. It suits road-trippers, photographers and hikers; public transport is thin, so a car helps.

Best for
Road-trippers between Pamukkale and Antalya, photographers, hikers, archaeology lovers.
How long
1–2 days.
Getting there
By car it is about 1½ hours from Pamukkale to Salda and 2–2½ hours from Antalya to Sagalassos or Eğirdir. Buses reach Burdur, Isparta and Eğirdir; Isparta has a small airport. General directions, not checked against timetables.

Best time to go May–Jun · Sep–Oct

Late spring and early autumn are mild and clear. Summer days are warm but nights cool at this altitude; winters are cold, and Sagalassos can be snowbound.

Part of Mediterranean Coast — all destinations, when to go and more places in the region.