Yesilova: what to see, where to stay and how to get around
Lake Salda fills a deep basin in the hills just west of Yeşilova, and it looks unlike any other lake in Turkey: white mineral shores and water that shifts from turquoise to deep blue. Scientists study it for what it may say about Mars. This short loop goes around the south and west sides of the lake. Half a day; bring a swimsuit for the public beach, and respect the fenced areas of white shore.
The ten best sights in Yesilova
1Lake SaldaThe reason to stop here: turquoise water and white shores ten minutes from town
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2Salda public beach
The official swimming beach; walking on the white shore elsewhere is restricted
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3Salda Lake Nature Park
Pine woods and picnic tables on the south shore
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4Salda Viewpoint
The view over the whole lake from the west side; best in the morning
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5Salda Ski Centre
A small ski slope above the lake, open only in snowy winters
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6Lake Yarışlı
A shallow salt lake on the road to Burdur; a quick stop
7Lake BurdurA big salt lake; water birds in winter
8AcıgölA white salt flat in summer, north of Yeşilova
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9İnsuyu Cave
A walk-through cave south of Burdur, cool all year
10Hacılar HöyükA Neolithic mound — only for the curious; the finds are in Burdur
Scan with your phone camera to open the map there
What is an audio walk?
Tours in Yesilova →A guide in your headphones: open the walk on our site, walk from stop to stop, and at each one your phone tells its story. No guide, no group, and free. This is the first walk in Yesilova:
Free walking tours in Yesilova
The white lake
Lake Salda fills a deep basin in the hills just west of Yeşilova, and it looks unlike any other lake in Turkey: white mineral shores and water that shifts from turquoise to deep blue. Scientists study it for what it may say about Mars. This short loop goes around the south and west sides of the lake. Half a day; bring a swimsuit for the public beach, and respect the fenced areas of white shore.
- Yeşilova · Lake Salda was declared a Special Environmental Protection Area in 2019, after building work on its white shore caused a national outcry. Since then access to much of the shore is controlled.
- Salda public beach · The white 'sand' is not sand but hydromagnesite, a magnesium carbonate mineral, which is why it stays bright white and gives the water its colour.
- Salda Lake Nature Park · Salda has no river flowing out of it, and its water is strongly alkaline and rich in magnesium, which is why few fish live in it.
- Lake Salda · In 2019 NASA scientists studied Salda as a stand-in for Jezero crater on Mars, where the Perseverance rover was about to land, because both have similar carbonate minerals along old shorelines.
- Salda · In the shallows around the lake are mounds called microbialites, built up layer by layer by colonies of bacteria — a living version of some of the oldest fossils on Earth.
- Salda Viewpoint · Salda is one of the deepest lakes in Turkey, at around 180 m. From up here you can see where the pale shallows drop off into the dark blue of the deep water.
Salt lakes and the first farmers
East of Salda the land drops into a basin of salt lakes, and on its edge stood one of the early farming villages of Anatolia. This loop runs out to Burdur and back, past three lakes, a Neolithic mound, a museum and a cave. A full day of about 220 km; the museum is the one stop to give real time to.
- Lake Yarışlı · Like most lakes in this basin, Yarışlı has no outlet: water arrives and only evaporates, so the salts stay behind and the lake turns salty.
- Hacılar Höyük · The British archaeologist James Mellaart dug this mound from 1957 to 1960 and found a farming village of the 7th and 6th millennia BC, with painted pottery and clay figurines of women.
- Lake Burdur · Lake Burdur is one of the most important wintering grounds in the world for the white-headed duck, an endangered diving duck with a blue bill.
- Burdur Museum · Many of the statues dug up at Sagalassos, the mountain city excavated by Belgian archaeologists since 1990, are shown here, among them colossal marble figures of emperors.
- İnsuyu Cave · The cave once held a chain of underground lakes; as groundwater has been pumped for farming, their level has dropped sharply over the past decades.
- Acıgöl · Acıgöl means 'bitter lake'. Its brine is worked for sodium sulphate, used in detergents and glass, and the evaporation pans make the shore look white in summer.
South to Kibyra
Kibyra was the leading city of a small league in the hills south of Salda, and it is now one of the emptiest ancient sites in the region. This route drives south to the plain of Gölhisar, walks the ruins on the hill above it and comes back by the west side of Salda. About 150 km in all; go in the morning, as the site has almost no shade.
- Gölhisar · The town's name means 'lake fortress', and Strabo wrote that the people of the Kibyra region spoke four languages: Pisidian, Solymian, Greek and Lydian.
- Lake Gölhisar · The plain around the lake was the land of the Kibyran Tetrapolis, a league of four cities led by Kibyra, in which Kibyra had two votes and each of the others one.
- Kibyra agora · After an earthquake in 23 AD the emperor Tiberius granted the city three years without taxes, and in gratitude Kibyra took the name Caesarea.
- Kibyra stadium · Strabo noted a peculiar skill of Kibyra: its craftsmen could engrave iron with ease, and the city was known for its ironwork.
- Kibyra · In 2009 archaeologists uncovered a large mosaic of the head of Medusa in the city's odeon, now one of the highlights of the site.
- Salda Viewpoint · The lake's colour comes from its pale carbonate bottom: in the shallows light bounces off the white floor, while further out the depth swallows it and the water turns dark blue.
Getting to Yesilova and getting around
- Denizli Çardak Airport · The nearest airport, about 40 minutes north; mostly flights to Istanbul
- Burdur Bus Station · The regional bus hub, an hour east; minibuses to Yeşilova run from here
- Burdur Station · Few passenger trains; check the timetable before counting on it
Cheap eats in Yesilova
The country around Salda is farming land of apples, wheat and sheep, and Yeşilova is a small town with little to choose from. The lakeside restaurants grill meat and serve salads; for more, Burdur is an hour east and has its own famous kebab and walnut sweet. Prices are village prices.
- Tost Dünyası · Toasted sandwiches in Yeşilova, about 100-180 lira
- Sultan Pınarı · Grills by the Salda shore, about 300-500 lira
- Salda Lake Restaurant · Lunch with a lake view, about 300-500 lira
- Ekrem Coşkun Döner · Döner in Burdur, about 200-300 lira
- Toros Lokantası · Ready dishes in Burdur, about 150-300 lira
Museums in Yesilova
- Burdur Museum · Sagalassos statues and Hacılar finds; an hour
- Burdur Natural History Museum · A small natural history collection in Burdur
- Kibyra · Stadium, odeon and the Medusa mosaic
- Hacılar Höyük · The Neolithic mound itself; little to see
Nature and day trips near Yesilova
- Lake Salda · Turquoise water and white shores
- Lake Burdur · Water birds in winter
- Lake Yarışlı · A salt lake on the road east
- Acıgöl · Salt flats north of Yeşilova
- Salda Viewpoint · The whole lake from the west
Things to do in Yesilova with kids
- Salda public beach · Shallow, clear water for paddling
- Salda Lake Nature Park · Picnic under the pines
- İnsuyu Cave · A cool walk underground on a hot day
- Salda Ski Centre · Snow play in winter, when there is snow
Where to eat in Yesilova
- Kahyaoğlu Et Lokantası · Meat restaurant in Burdur
- İstasyon Park Restoran · Dinner in the park by Burdur station
- Salda Lake Restaurant · Sunset over the lake with dinner
- Sultan Pınarı · Grills on the south shore
- İkinci Bahar · A meal in Gölhisar on the Kibyra day
Frequently asked questions about Yesilova
What is there to see in Yesilova?
The top sights in Yesilova are Lake Salda, Salda public beach and Salda Lake Nature Park. The full list on this page has 10 sights, each with a photo and a short note.
How many days do you need in Yesilova?
Three to four days are enough to see the best of Yesilova without rushing, including at least one walking tour.
Is there a free walking tour in Yesilova?
Yes. sleepntrip has 3 free audio walks in Yesilova, with no guide and no group: your phone tells the story at every stop. The first one: The white lake.
How do you get to Yesilova and get around?
The main ways are Denizli Çardak Airport, Burdur Bus Station and Burdur Station. Full details are in the transport section on this page.
Where to stay in Yesilova, and for how much?
sleepntrip shows only rooms in Yesilova that meet nine conditions: a good location, high guest scores, cleanliness, and a price of up to $80 a night for two. Pick your dates and see what is free.
Looking for a hotel in Yesilova for your dates?
Only rooms that meet nine conditions, up to $80 a night.