Pamukkale hosts Lykos Half Marathon on 25 October
Published on 10/18/2026 at 05:39 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Pamukkale hosts the Lykos Half Marathon on 25 October 2026, bringing a road race to the travertine terraces and the ancient city of Hierapolis. The event is in Denizli, in south-western Turkey, and forms the current reason to plan a visit to the World Heritage landscape.
The race is the second Lykos Half Marathon and is being organised with the support of Denizli Metropolitan Municipality. The official event information places the course in the area between the UNESCO-listed travertine terraces and Hierapolis, linking the sporting programme directly with the archaeological and natural setting.
Lykos Half Marathon brings a race to Pamukkale on 25 October
The main race takes place on 25 October 2026. The organiser’s programme lists a 9am start, following the arrival of runners at the event area and a collective warm-up. The programme also lists a concert from 11.30am to 12.15pm and an awards ceremony at 12.30pm.
Race-kit distribution is scheduled for 23 and 24 October 2026 at Forum Denizli, with an additional collection point at the event area on 24 October. The organiser says kits will not be distributed on race day. A pasta event is listed for 24 October at Pamukkale Natural Park, but the programme states that it is for registered participants.
The official event registration page places the race between the terraces and Hierapolis. The organiser’s race information page confirms the 25 October date and the 9am to 9.10am starting period.
Pamukkale’s terraces and Hierapolis shape the route
UNESCO describes the landscape as a series of terraced basins, petrified waterfalls and mineral formations created by calcite-rich waters from hot springs. The springs emerge from a cliff almost 200 metres high above the plain, giving the site its white travertine appearance.
The adjoining ruins belong to Hierapolis, a thermal spa established by the Attalid kings of Pergamon at the end of the second century BC. The archaeological remains include baths, temples, a monumental arch, a necropolis and a theatre. The combination of the running route and these remains gives the 25 October programme a setting that differs from a city-centre road race. UNESCO’s World Heritage description records the natural and cultural elements together.
The property was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1988. Its importance rests on the connection between the mineral terraces and the ancient settlement rather than on either feature alone. That relationship explains why the event information presents the race as a course between the white formations and the ruins.
Visiting Pamukkale: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- The Lykos Half Marathon takes place on 25 October 2026, with the race starting at 9am in the event area between the travertine terraces and Hierapolis.
- The programme includes a concert after the race and an awards ceremony at 12.30pm; the event information does not announce a general closure of the archaeological site.
- The organiser says participants can reach the event area independently or use shuttle services from Denizli city centre. Race kits are collected before 25 October, not on the morning of the race.
- The setting combines steep natural formations, terraces and archaeological remains. The route therefore passes through a landscape with uneven terrain and heritage areas rather than a conventional urban course.
- The official language is Turkish and the national currency is the Turkish lira.
- Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.
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Frequently asked questions about Pamukkale
When does the Lykos Half Marathon take place at Pamukkale?
The race takes place on 25 October 2026, with the official programme listing a 9am start.
What is Pamukkale?
It is a natural and cultural World Heritage property combining white travertine terraces formed by mineral-rich hot springs with the ruins of Hierapolis.
Where is Pamukkale and how do you get there?
The site is in Denizli Province, Turkey. The race organiser says participants can travel to the event area independently or use shuttle services from Denizli city centre.
