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Voykit pocket guide · Türkiye (Turkey)
Bergama
Give Bergama one night and a full morning: Acropolis at opening (08:30), Asklepion and Red Basilica after lunch, then leave.
Bergama is the modern town under Pergamon, a Hellenistic capital and UNESCO World Heritage site 120 km north of Izmir. The Acropolis sits on a steep hill above town, the Asklepion and Red Basilica are walkable from the centre, and almost everything closes by 17:30. One night covers it; a rushed day trip from Izmir costs 2 hours each way.
- Country
- Türkiye (Turkey)
- Best months
- Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (mid-30s °C, no shade on the Acropolis)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- TRY
- Money
- Currency is the Turkish lira (₺, TRY). About ₺56 to €1 in late September 2026 — check; inflation was still in the double digits, so prices rise several times a year.
- Daily spend
- Budget ₺1,200–2,000 excl. bed · Mid ₺2,000–3,500 excl. bed · High ₺3,500+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Turkcell, Vodafone and Türk Telekom sell tourist SIMs at airports (passport needed); they are dearer than in town shops — check.
- Emergency
- All emergencies 112
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 230 V · 50 Hz · Standard European two-pin; UK and US plugs need an adapter.
- Tipping
- Lokanta / simple café: Leave the coins or round up.; Sit-down restaurant: 5–10% in cash, even if the card machine does not offer a tip; check for a 'servis' charge first.; Taxi: Round up to the next ₺10–50.; Hamam: 10–15% to the attendant (tellak/natır).; Guide / driver day: €10–20 for a guide, €5–10 for a driver per day.; Hotel porter / housekeeping: ₺50–100.
- Water
- Tap water is treated and chlorinated but tastes of it; locals buy bottled or 19-litre dispenser water. Restaurants charge for bottled water.
- Toilets
- Western toilets in hotels, malls and restaurants; squat toilets (alaturka) in older mosques and bus stops. Public toilets (WC) cost ₺10–30 — carry coins or small notes. Most toilets have a bidet spray; paper goes in the bin in older buildings.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee or tea | ₺40–80 |
| Lahmacun or pide | ₺80–150 |
| Kebab plate in a lokanta | ₺200–350 |
| Beer: draught in a bar / can at a market | ₺120–180 / ₺60–90 |
| Short taxi in town | ₺150–250 |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | ₺200–400 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- ADB · Izmir Adnan Menderes
- About 2.5–3 h to Bergama by IZBAN train to Aliağa plus bus 835; check current times
Typical fares
- Cable car, Acropolis, one way
- ₺250 one way, ₺300 return (2023 price; check)
- Taxi, town centre → Acropolis gate
- usually cheaper than the cable car; agree the fare first
- Bus 835, Aliağa → Bergama
- every 30 min; izmirimkart only, no cash
Get around
The centre is walkable: Red Basilica, the Archaeology Museum and the Asklepion are all in town. The Acropolis entrance is 3 km uphill by road; a cable car runs from near the lower exit to the main gate, and a short taxi is usually cheaper than the cable car. Local Eshot buses (835 from Aliağa, plus 831/832/833 north) use the Son Durak terminus; you need an izmirimkart, as buses take no cash.The centre is walkable: Red Basilica, the Archaeology Museum and the Asklepion are all in town. The Acropolis entrance is 1.9 mi uphill by road; a cable car runs from near the lower exit to the main gate, and a short taxi is usually cheaper than the cable car. Local Eshot buses (835 from Aliağa, plus 831/832/833 north) use the Son Durak terminus; you need an izmirimkart, as buses take no cash.
See and do
Known for
- Pergamon Acropolis (UNESCO World Heritage)
- Asklepion healing complex
- Red Basilica (Kızıl Avlu)
- Library of Pergamon and the Altar of Zeus
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Dikili | Dolmuş or bus north on the coastal road | About 45 min |
| Ayvalık | Bus or car via D550 | About 1.5 h |
| Izmir | Bus 835 to Aliağa, then IZBAN train | About 2 h |
| Assos | Car or bus via D550 and Ayvacık | 2.5–3 h |
Sleep
- Old Town around Red Basilica
- Pensions and small hotels in Ottoman houses, 5–10 min walk to the museum and basilica; the base for a one-night stop.
- Cumhuriyet Cd / town centre
- Hotels, cafés and bars on the main street; buses and the Son Durak terminus are close.
- Near the Acropolis
- A couple of hotels on the hill road; quieter, but you still need a taxi or car to the gate.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Merhabamer-ha-BA |
| Thank you | Teşekkürlerteh-shek-kewr-LER |
| How much is it? | Ne kadar?neh ka-DAR |
| The bill, please | Hesap, lütfenheh-SAP lewt-FEN |
| Where is the bus stop? | Otobüs durağı nerede?o-to-BEWS doo-ra-UH neh-reh-DEH |
| Can I pay by card? | Kartla ödeyebilir miyim?KART-la ur-deh-yeh-bee-LEER mee-yim |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake; 'Merhaba' (hello) or 'Selamün aleyküm' in conservative areas; cheek kisses between friends of the same sex; avoid: Offering a hand to a conservative woman first — wait for hers
- Mosques: Covered clothing, headscarf for women, shoes in hand, quiet voice; avoid: Walking in front of people praying; visiting during Friday midday prayer
- Hospitality: Accept tea or at least a sip; bring sweets or pastries to a home; avoid: Refusing food repeatedly; showing the soles of your feet
- Politics and history: Listen; let hosts raise it; avoid: Opinions on Atatürk, the Kurdish issue, Armenia or Cyprus with people you just met
- Ramadan: Eat discreetly in conservative towns during the day; avoid: Eating, drinking or smoking in front of fasting people in small towns
- Gestures: A slight upward head nod with a tut means 'no'; avoid: The OK hand sign (can be read as rude) and a thumb between fingers
- Dress in town: Shorts are fine in Istanbul and resorts; longer clothes in the interior and east; avoid: Swimwear away from the beach
- Names: First name plus Bey (men) or Hanım (women): 'Ahmet Bey'; avoid: Using the surname alone
Scams and watch-outs
- The inter-city otogarı is 7 km west of town on the highway: arrange the onward bus, dolmuş or taxi before you arrive.
- Some inter-city buses drop passengers beside the highway instead of entering the otogarı; crossing it on foot is dangerous.
- Taxi drivers may claim bus 835 is not running; check the Eshot real-time tracker before agreeing to a fare.
- Acropolis tickets are sold only at the top gate by the cable-car station.
- Summer heat and no shade on the Acropolis: carry water and go at opening.
Bergama is a safe small city; the real risks are traffic on the highway, summer sun on the exposed Acropolis, and stray dogs that occasionally snarl. Keep usual care of valuables.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Bergama yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Pergamon Acropolis (UNESCO World Heritage)
- Asklepion healing complex
- Red Basilica (Kızıl Avlu)
- Library of Pergamon and the Altar of Zeus
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism — museum and site tickets: muze.gov.tr
- Wikivoyage: Bergama, revision 5162490 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5162490
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Bergama
Bu adrese, lütfen
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- All emergencies112
No embassies in Bergama; the nearest consulates are in Izmir, embassies in Ankara.
Acropolis tickets are sold only at the top gate by the cable-car station.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/bergama). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.