Pergamon Tour from Izmir

Pergamon Day Tour from Izmir: Sample Itinerary

Morning: Pergamon Acropolis (3–4 Hours)

Departure from Izmir hotels at approximately 08:00–08:30. Arrival at Bergama by 09:30–10:00, followed by cable car ascent to the Acropolis (cable car ticket purchased separately, approximately €3). The Acropolis visit covers the Zeus Altar base, the Great Library remains, the Temple of Athena, the Temple of Trajan (ten restored columns), and the 80-degree cliff theatre with its 10,000-seat cavea. Time on the Acropolis is typically 2–2.5 hours, including a guided walk through the Hellenistic and Roman-period structures.

Midday: Lunch in Bergama

Lunch is taken at a local restaurant in central Bergama, typically featuring traditional Aegean cuisine — zeytinyağlılar (olive oil dishes), grilled meats, and seasonal vegetables. Apasas guides recommend local establishments in the old bazaar quarter rather than tourist-oriented restaurants near the site entrance. Lunch is included in the tour price.

Afternoon: Pergamon Asclepion (1.5–2 Hours)

The Asclepion is located 2 km from Bergama town centre, within a colonnaded sacred precinct reached via the Sacred Way — a Roman-era road built for pilgrims arriving from Pergamon. The guided visit covers the incubation hall (where patients received healing dreams), the underground therapeutic tunnel with its acoustic design, the Asclepion theatre (3,500 seats), the temple of Asclepius, and the sacred spring whose water patients drank as part of the treatment protocol. The Asclepion visit concludes by mid-afternoon, with departure for Izmir by 15:00–15:30.

Optional: Red Basilica (Kızıl Avlu)

The Red Basilica (Kızıl Avlu) is the largest Roman-era building in Asia Minor north of Ephesus — a 60-metre-tall red brick temple originally built in the 2nd century AD for the Egyptian deities Isis, Serapis, and Harpocrates, later converted to a Byzantine church. It stands in central Bergama and can be visited before or after the Asclepion without adding significant driving time. Entry is approximately €5 and the visit takes 30–45 minutes.

Why Book Your Izmir Pergamon Tour with Apasas

Apasas Travel is TURSAB-licensed (Licence No. 125485) and has operated Aegean region tours for over 19 years. For Izmir-based Pergamon day tours specifically, Apasas offers:

Hotel pick-up from central Izmir: Transfers arranged from all Alsancak, Konak, Karşıyaka, Bornova, and Balçova hotels. Cruise passengers arriving at Izmir Alsancak Port (Kordon) are picked up directly from the port exit.
Licensed specialist guide: All guides hold Ministry of Culture licences and have site-specific knowledge of Pergamon's Hellenistic and Roman history, Galen's medical work, and the library-parchment connection.
Efficient routing: At 100 km, the Izmir–Pergamon distance is 100 km shorter than the Kusadasi–Pergamon route, providing 1.5–2 additional hours at the site.
No deposit required: Reserve online or by email. Payment is made on the tour day or via secure link after confirmation.
Private tour only: You share the vehicle with your group alone, enabling an unhurried pace at each monument.