Denizli – Turkey [Experiences]

I stayed in Denizli for a few days and visited museums, hotels and used various services. I would like to write down my experiences here with the hope that you will not make the same mistakes as me.

Do not look for a cheap hotel but rather take something from the middle class. I booked a cheap hotel in Denizli and got a room, i have never seen anywhere else before. Do not trust that your hotel is listed in Booking.com. I had booked my hotel room there as well.

I booked a room in Altın Pansiyon – Denizli Hotel because it was cheap and central at the same time, but I experienced when I wanted to check in there that this was not such a good idea. You can read my experience here:

I later booked a room in Esin Otel which was a bit more expensive and I was reasonably happy with the service, the hygiene and the location.

It would be best if you would get a rental car. Since the road network in Denizli is not yet so well developed, it can be that you drive from one sight to the other like 45 minutes. Driving these routes by taxi in the long run would, in my opinion, go beyond the scope.

The problem here is not only the taxi costs but also the taxi drivers. The taxi drivers in Turkey do not like to pick you up from a long distance.

I had a taxi driver ( Murat Yılmaz ) and he picked me up from everywhere and drove me everywhere. He was always on time and even on the day of departure, we had agreed to meet at 3am in front of the hotel and he was 02:59 in front of the hotel.

If you need a taxi driver I would recommend him to you. We worked so that I sent him a location on WhatsApp and he picked me up from where I am right now.

In Denizli it is almost like any other city in Turkey. Mostly meat-based main courses are offered. These are excellent, but for a vegetarian / vegan there is little choice (fries, soup, salad). However, you can not complain that Denizli has a lack of choice regarding food and drink. In the city you can find restaurants, snacks or a kiosk every few minutes. And the selection in the mentioned shops is massive.

For eating, drinking and smoking shisha there is a street, which one does not recognize immediately and which we have found only after a recommendation. I share with you the route of this road, so you know where exactly this is.

I usually packed enough that I did not have to do laundry in my hometown (Nevşehir) for a week. But then it came that I had to wash a piece of clothing and wanted to wear it the same evening.

Unfortunately I could only test a laundry (Denizli Express Dry Cleaning) and there I had bad experiences. I strongly assume that was because I’m from Germany.

I had to pay 50 Turkish Lira for a piece of laundry, which of course is outrageously expensive even for German conditions.

I had hair and beard styled and my wife needed some care products. The typical Turkish shops had the care products, but these were sometimes X times more expensive than in Germany. That’s why we did not buy them. In the end, however, we found something and I also had my hair cut.

During a walk, my wife discovered a Rossmann and of course immediately went in. There she has found and bought everything she needs. It was not cheaper than in Germany (about 10% more expensive) but still cheaper than any other stores we had looked at before (+ 100% more expensive).

Another day, I was traveling with my uncle to look for a barber to have our hair cut. We went in the first one and waited about 10 minutes for the barber. He did not come.

So we went to the next hairdresser and there I came directly into it. But the barber worked so slow that my uncle left while my hair was cut.

I found this place the best place to go in Denizli. Due to its views, its prices and the opportunities that it offers I think this place is better than Pamukkale, Laodikeia or Hierapolis.

Here you can be sure that you will not be ripped off by someone but you can enjoy Turkey as it usually is.

Denizli has reminded me of his architecture and people very much of my hometown (Nevşehir). Unfortunately, it has also reminded me of the exploitation of tourists (including Turkish tourists) very much to my hometown.

Denizli itself does not seem to get that many tourists but the tourists are mostly in Pamukkale or the other historical places. Food was cheap but everything else was in my opinion a bit overpriced for Turkey.

However, we were there for a wedding and spent most of our time with the family. My wife and I noticed the warmth of the family members and we felt right at home with them. I am grateful to the families we have stayed with for their hospitality and helpfulness and would like to go back anytime to see the rest of Denizli and meet the family again.