Fernweh: Home
    ExploreTravel GuidesPlan a tripMy tripLast visited
    de|en
    All Places & RegionsAll highlightsAbout FernwehFAQPrivacy PolicyImprint
    ExploreTravel GuidesPlan a tripMy tripLast visited
    • Neighborhoods & highlights
    • Eat & drink
    • Food culture
    • Culture
    • Getting around
    • Accommodation
    • Plan trip
    • Nearby
    Pergamon (Bergama)
    Antoloji / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0

    Turkey

    Pergamon (Bergama)

    CityUNESCOCulture

    Bergama is a small town about 100 kilometers north of İzmir, overlooked by the ruins of ancient Pergamon.

    by Felix Gillen

    1. Home
    3. Destinations
    5. Turkey
    7. Aegean Coast
    9. Pergamon (Bergama)
    Bergama is a small town about 100 kilometers north of İzmir, overlooked by the ruins of ancient Pergamon. You visit for its Acropolis with the steepest theatre of antiquity, the healing sanctuary Asklepieion, and the Red Hall in the town centre. Pergamon became UNESCO World Heritage in 2014.

    Sights in Pergamon (Bergama)

    Discover the most important sights and attractions

    Acropolis of Pergamon
    Museum

    1Acropolis of Pergamon

    The Upper City is situated on an approx. 335-meter-high andesite mountain above Bergama. Here stand the Temple of Trajan at the highest point and the Hellenistic Theater with approx. 10,000 seats, which, at 36 meters high, is considered the steepest of antiquity. The library and the Pergamon Altar also stood here, whose frieze is displayed today in Berlin. Access is by cable car or by road.
    Open in Google Maps
    Asklepieion
    Attraction

    2Asklepieion

    The healing sanctuary at the foot of the Acropolis was dedicated to the god Asclepius. Physician Galen worked here for years. The Asclepieion is part of UNESCO World Heritage Pergamon.
    Open in Google Maps
    Archaeological Museum Bergama
    Museum

    3Archaeological Museum Bergama

    The museum, opened in 1936, displays finds from the Acropolis, the Asklepieion, and other excavations in the vicinity. On display are sculptures of the Pergamene school, a statue of Hadrian, and a section dedicated to the Pergamon Altar with a model. The ethnographic collection features traditional costumes of the Yörük and Turkmen, as well as carpets and kilims from the region. A good introduction before visiting the excavations.
    Open in Google Maps
    Red Hall (Kızıl Avlu)
    Attraction

    4Red Hall (Kızıl Avlu)

    Huge Roman temple complex in the middle of Bergama's lower city, probably built in the first half of the 2nd century AD under Emperor Hadrian. Egyptian gods were worshipped here, likely Isis and Serapis. The complex owes its name to its red brick walls, which still stand about 19 meters high. The Selinus river flows through two ancient tunnels beneath the complex, and a mosque is now located in the northern rotunda.
    Open in Google Maps
    Acropolis Cable Car
    Point of Interest

    5Acropolis Cable Car

    Opened in 2010, the cable car connects the Lower Town to the Acropolis' main entrance. The approximately 700-meter ride takes about four minutes. Those wishing to walk ascend via a road around three kilometers long.
    Open in Google Maps

    Restaurants in Pergamon (Bergama)

    1

    Köfteci Kemal

    Simple Köfte eatery in Bergama's commercial district, serving local grilled Köfte, also rolled in Lavaş. Open only during the day, closed on Sundays.
    Show on Google Maps
    2

    Burak Restaurant

    A Turkish restaurant near the Red Hall, where you pick your dishes at the counter. Serving homemade Turkish cuisine, convenient for lunch between excavations.
    Show on Google Maps
    3

    Flower Lover Kebab Salon

    Family-run kebab eatery in central Bergama, near the Red Hall. Recommended: grilled liver, butcher-style Kasap Köfte, and Piyaz bean salad.
    Show on Google Maps
    4

    Golden Ladle

    A Köfte restaurant in the center of Bergama, primarily known for its local meatballs. It is one of the city's most visited spots. Cards are not always accepted; cash is safer.
    Show on Google Maps

    Food and Drink

    Bergama is known for its Köfte, served with bean salad and Ayran.

    Bergama meatball

    Grilled meatballs, served by small city eateries for lunch and dinner.

    Piyaz

    White bean salad with onions, parsley, and sumac, the standard accompaniment to Köfte.

    Patlıcan çığırtma

    Aubergines, slowly cooked with tomatoes and local olive oil.

    Bergama tulum

    Sheep's cheese, matured in a sheepskin bag.

    Culture & History

    Capital of the AttalidsFrom 281 to 133 BC the Attalids ruled a kingdom from Pergamon. Their library of at least 200,000 scrolls was considered the second largest after Alexandria. Most of the frieze of the Pergamon Altar is now in the Pergamon Museum in Berlin.Roman PeriodThe temple of Emperor Trajan was built on the highest point of the acropolis. The physician Galen worked for years in the Asklepieion at the foot of the castle hill. The Red Hall was built in the 2nd century, probably under Hadrian, for Egyptian deities such as Isis and Serapis.World HeritageUNESCO added Pergamon and its multi-layered cultural landscape to the World Heritage List in 2014. It includes the acropolis, the Asklepieion and the Red Hall.

    Getting In & Around

    Getting ThereBuses run from İzmir Bus Station to Bergama; the journey takes about 1.5 hours, depending on the connection. By car, it's roughly 100 kilometers.On SiteThe Red Basilica, Archaeological Museum, Asklepieion, and the cable car's lower station are all reachable on foot from the center. The cable car spans about 700 meters; it may close temporarily in strong winds. If this happens, you can drive or take a taxi to the Acropolis via the road.TipOrder: The Acropolis in the morning, then the Red Basilica and Asklepieion in the lower city.Best to check: Confirm the cable car's current operating status once you're there.

    Accommodations in Pergamon (Bergama)

    Find perfect stay in Pergamon (Bergama)

    Booking.com* (Affiliate link)
    Search Hotels
    Agoda* (Affiliate link)
    Search Hotels
    Airbnb
    Vacation Rentals

    * Affiliate link: if you book through it, we earn a small commission. The price stays the same for you.

    Campgrounds in Pergamon (Bergama)

    Find perfect campground in Pergamon (Bergama)

    Search via Google Maps
    Campgrounds nearby (15km)
    Camping.info
    Find Campgrounds
    Park4Night
    RV Parks & Camping

    Plan your trip to Pergamon (Bergama)

    Save places, build a route and plan your city trip, all in one place.

    1. 1
      Sunrise over alpine peaks and a sea of clouds
      1234

      Round trip

      12 days · 4 stops

      Saved

      Pick a route

      Pick a ready-made one or save places and plan your own.

      Open bookmarks
    2. 2

      Trip to Pergamon (Bergama)

      Live
      • 1Acropolis of Pergamon3 days
      • 2Asklepieion4 days
      • 3Archaeological Museum Bergama5 days
      Budget

      Plan your trip

      The planner sorts stops, days and budget. Plan together in real time.

      Start trip planning
    3. 3
      9:41 No signal
      Pergamon (Bergama)
      Available offline

      Use it on the road

      Download the guide to your phone and use it on site, even offline.

    Nearby

    Lesbos (Lesvos)

    Lesbos (Lesvos)

    Lesbos, at approximately 1,630 square kilometers, is Greece's third-largest island and still thrives on olive oil, ouzo, and sheep's cheese. Between Mytilini in the east and the Petrified Forest in the west lie extensive olive groves, two large bays, and a landscape that becomes increasingly barren and volcanic towards the west.You'll come for the ouzeries of Mytilini and Plomari, the mountain villages around Olymbos, the birdwatching at the Gulf of Kalloni, and the UNESCO Geopark in the west. For the entire island, you'll need at least a week.
    North Aegean Islands

    North Aegean Islands

    The North Aegean Islands lie close to the Turkish coast and are among Greece's least crowded island groups. Lesbos, Chios, Samos, Ikaria, and Limnos are large enough for their own mountain ranges, wine regions, and port towns that remain inhabited even in winter. You travel here for mastic, ouzo, hot springs, and empty pebble coves, not for a postcard backdrop.
    Izmir

    Izmir

    İzmir, with around 4.5 million inhabitants in its province, is Turkey's third-largest city and the gateway to the Aegean coast. You'll come for the Kemeraltı bazaar district, the Kordon promenade, and its cuisine featuring Boyoz, Kumru, and Meze. The historic center is around Konak Square, with the Alsancak entertainment district to its north, and Karşıyaka across the bay.
    Molyvos (Mithymna)

    Molyvos (Mithymna)

    Molyvos, officially Mithymna, is the best-known town on the north coast of Lesbos. Stone houses with red tiled roofs stretch from a small fishing harbour up to a medieval castle, from which the view extends across the strait to the Turkish coast.You come for the castle, the harbour tavernas, and the combination with Petra, Eftalou, and the beaches of the north coast. The town is ideal as a base for exploring the north of the island.
    Aegean Coast

    Aegean Coast

    The Turkish Aegean coast stretches from Pergamon in the north to the Bodrum Peninsula in the south and is rich in ancient sites. Here are three World Heritage Sites: Ephesus, Pergamon, and Hierapolis-Pamukkale, plus seaside resorts like Alaçatı and Bodrum. İzmir, Turkey's third-largest city, is a hub with an airport and rail connections to the hinterland.

    Sources & method

    • Photos: Wikimedia Commons, Google Maps. Each photo carries its credit.
    • Place data such as addresses and ratings comes from Google Maps.
    • The content is based on web research from public, traceable sources. How the content is made · The role of AI