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Voykit pocket guide · Türkiye (Turkey)
Burdur
Give Burdur one night as a Lakes District stop for the museum and Lake Salda; two nights only if you add Sagalassos or Kremna by car.
Burdur is a small inland market town on the D650 between Antalya and Afyon, 127 km from the coast. Its own sights fill half a day; the reason to sleep here is the Archaeology Museum, Lake Salda 75 km west and the Roman ruins at Sagalassos and Kremna. Almost everything central is walkable, but outlying sights need a car.
- Country
- Türkiye (Turkey)
- Best months
- Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (inland heat), Dec–Feb (cold, some snow)
- Stay
- 1–2 nights
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 ₺900–1,500 excl. bed · Mid ₺1,500–2,800 excl. bed · High ₺2,800+ 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 |
|---|---|
| Turkish coffee or tea | ₺40–80 |
| Burdur şiş (3–5 strips with pita) | ₺250–400 |
| Kıymalı or peynirli pide | ₺180–300 |
| Ceviz ezmesi walnut pastry | ₺100–200 |
| Museum or cave entry | ₺100–400 |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | ₺300–600 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- ISE · Isparta Süleyman Demirel
- About 30 km east; few scheduled flights, mostly via Istanbul. Check current service.About 19 mi east; few scheduled flights, mostly via Istanbul. Check current service.
- AYT · Antalya
- About 127 km south on the D650; the usual arrival airport, then bus or car, roughly 2 h.About 79 mi south on the D650; the usual arrival airport, then bus or car, roughly 2 h.
Typical fares
- Dolmuş Burdur → Isparta
- about ₺100, 50 min (check)
- Bus Burdur → Antalya
- about ₺300–450, 2 h (check)
- Car hire, one day
- ₺1,200–3,000 plus fuel (check)
Get around
The central sights sit within about 1 km of each other and are walkable. Dolmuşes run along the main streets and to the university. For Lake Salda, Insuyu Cave, Sagalassos and Kremna you need your own wheels or a tour; there is no practical public transport to the ruins.The central sights sit within about 0.6 mi of each other and are walkable. Dolmuşes run along the main streets and to the university. For Lake Salda, Insuyu Cave, Sagalassos and Kremna you need your own wheels or a tour; there is no practical public transport to the ruins.
See and do
Known for
- Burdur Archaeology Museum and its Sagalassos finds
- Lake Salda, the alkaline crater lake
- Burdur şiş meatballs and walnut ezmesi
- Gateway to Sagalassos and Kremna
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Lake Salda | Drive west on the D330 towards Yeşilova, about 75 kmDrive west on the D330 towards Yeşilova, about 47 mi | About 1 h 15 min each way |
| Sagalassos | Car via Ağlasun from the south, or via Isparta from the north | About 1.5 h each way |
| Insuyu Cave | Drive towards Çatağıl, about 15 km southDrive towards Çatağıl, about 9.3 mi south | About 30 min each way |
| Kremna | Car towards Çamlık | About 1 h each way |
| Isparta | Dolmuş from the bus terminal, roughly hourly | About 50 min |
| Antalya | Bus on the D650 | About 2 h |
Sleep
- Downtown around the Grand Mosque
- Walkable to the museum, bazaar and most eating places; the practical base for one night.
- Railway station and Gazi Cd
- Quieter, a few hotels, 5–10 min walk to the centre.
- Yakaköy, 6 km east
- Business hotels by the university campus; only useful with a car.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Merhabamerhaba |
| Thank you | Teşekkür ederimteşekkür ederim |
| How much is it? | Ne kadar?ne kadar |
| Can I pay by card? | Kartla ödeyebilir miyim?kartla ödeyebilir miyim |
| Where is the toilet? | Tuvalet nerede?tuvalet nerede |
| Help | İmdatimdat |
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 region has earthquakes; know the exit route from your building.
- Several mansions and the old hamam are listed as sights but are often shut or under stalled restoration: treat them as a walk-by, not a booked visit.
- Lake Burdur water is salty and alkaline (pH about 9.5) and the shore is not a beach: don't plan a swim day.
- Museum and cave hours change out of season: check before you travel out.
Burdur is a calm small city and street crime is low. The real issues are earthquakes, summer inland heat, and unlit ruin sites with no facilities: go to Sagalassos and Kremna in daylight with water.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Burdur yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Burdur Archaeology Museum and its Sagalassos finds
- Lake Salda, the alkaline crater lake
- Burdur şiş meatballs and walnut ezmesi
- Gateway to Sagalassos and Kremna
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Burdur Museum Directorate (Ministry of Culture and Tourism): kvmgm.ktb.gov.tr/TR-44075/burdur-muze-mudurlugu.html
- Go Türkiye — official tourism portal: goturkiye.com/
- Pamukkale Turizm (intercity buses): www.pamukkale.com.tr/
- Wikivoyage: Burdur, revision 5192129 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5192129
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Burdur
Bu adrese lütfen
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- All emergencies112
No embassies in Burdur; most are in Ankara with consulates-general in Istanbul and Antalya. Check your own country's list.
Prices are 2026 estimates in lira.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/burdur). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.