Pamukkale hosts Lykos Half Marathon on 25 October
Published on 10/21/2026 at 10:22 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWSRace route and heritage setting
- The Lykos Half Marathon starts in Pamukkale, Denizli, on 25 October 2026 under its official organiser.
- Hierapolis forms the race setting, with the final 2 km running through the ancient city.
- UNESCO inscribed Hierapolis-Pamukkale on the World Heritage List in 1988.
- Forum Denizli and the Pamukkale event area handle race-kit collection before the event.
Pamukkale and the Lykos Half Marathon come together in Denizli, Turkey, on 25 October 2026, when runners take a course linking the white travertines with Hierapolis. The race is the current travel peg for the World Heritage site, and its route places the ancient city directly within the event setting.
Lykos Half Marathon starts at Pamukkale on 25 October
The Lykos Half Marathon begins on Sunday, 25 October 2026, at the Pamukkale event area, with the races starting between 9am and 9.10am, according to the organiser. The programme includes 5 km, 10 km and 21 km categories, bringing a road-running event to the landscape around the terraces and ruins.
The organiser describes a route through the Pamukkale travertines and Hierapolis, with the final 2 km passing through the ancient city. A race date and venue are given on the event website, which also says that runners can reach the event area independently or use shuttles from Denizli city centre.
Hierapolis gives the race route its heritage setting
Hierapolis-Pamukkale is in Denizli Province and has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1988. UNESCO describes the property as a combined natural and cultural landscape, where calcite-rich springs formed terraces, petrified waterfalls and stepped pools beside the remains of the ancient thermal city.
The link between the race and the site is unusually direct: the course does not merely pass near a landmark, but uses the ancient settlement for its closing section. UNESCO records baths, temples, a necropolis and a theatre among the remains of Hierapolis, while the organiser identifies the final 2 km as a passage through the ancient structures. The UNESCO site description also records the property in Denizli Province.
Visiting Pamukkale: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- The Lykos Half Marathon takes place on 25 October 2026 at the Pamukkale event area, with the route continuing through Hierapolis.
- Race kits are distributed on 23 and 24 October 2026 at Forum Denizli and on 24 October 2026 at the Pamukkale event area; kits are not distributed on race day.
- Pamukkale is in Denizli Province in south-western Turkey. The organiser says that shuttles will run from Denizli city centre to the event area.
- The route includes uneven ground and a final 2 km on cobblestones inside Hierapolis, so the event terrain is not limited to smooth asphalt.
- Turkey's official language is Turkish and its 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 starts on 25 October 2026 at the Pamukkale event area, with starts scheduled between 9am and 9.10am.
What is the route of the Lykos Half Marathon?
The 5 km, 10 km and 21 km courses connect the travertines with Hierapolis, and the final 2 km run through the ancient city.
Where is Pamukkale and how do you get there?
Pamukkale is in Denizli Province in south-western Turkey. The organiser says participants can travel independently or use shuttles from Denizli city centre.
