Things to Do in Gölhisar: 7 Places to Visit

Places to Visit in Gölhisar

• 1 Historic
• 1 Ancient City
• 5 Nature

1 🌳 Nature

Yapraklı Dam (Yapraklı Barajı)

A dam in the south-west of the district, built on the streams feeding the Dalaman River. It is used for freshwater fishing and irrigation.

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2 🏛️ Historic

Kibyra Ancient City (Kibyra Antik Kenti)

Kibyra, near Gölhisar, was a large city of 100,000 people in ancient times. It is an important archaeological site with a stadium for 25,000 spectators, a theatre, an agora and mosaics. Famous for its gladiator fights, the city was the centre of the Conventus Cibyraticus in the Roman period.

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i Photo: Mercakir (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Source

3 🌳 Nature

Gölhisar Lake (Gölhisar Gölü)

Gölhisar Lake, near the district, is an ideal area for birdwatching and nature photography. Various bird species can be seen around the lake.

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4 🌳 Nature

Gölhisar Plateaus (Gölhisar Yaylaları)

The plateaus in the higher parts of the district are ideal for nature walks in summer, with cool air and rich vegetation. The ecosystem, with its endemic plant species and butterfly diversity, interests natural scientists.

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5 🏺 Ancient City

Kibyra

A Lycian ancient city west of Gölhisar, on the foothills of the Akdağ massif, on hills overlooking the Gölhisar plain.

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6 🌳 Nature

Böğrüdelik Plateau (Böğrüdelik Yaylası)

At 1,700 metres, a pasture and picnic area. It has a natural water source that emerges from the flank of the mountain, and in summer it is used as a picnic and rest area.

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7 🌳 Nature

Kocayayla

At 2,100 metres, a flat area with a natural lake and pasture, located on the mountain peaks to the west of the district.

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While you are in Gölhisar, you can also see the highlights of Burdur province. These places are in other districts; Gölhisar is about 55 km from the provincial centre.

• Salda Lake — At Yeşilova, covering about 44 km² and up to 184 metres deep, this is the fourth deepest lake in Türkiye, famous for its turquoise water and white beaches made of hydromagnesite.
• Sagalassos — The capital of Pisidia, 7 km north-east of Ağlasun at an altitude of 1,450–1,700 metres; it is known for its 9,000-seat theatre, one of the highest-altitude ancient theatres in the world, a Roman bath with two storeys still standing, and rock-cut tombs.
• Antonine Fountain — A monumental fountain 28 metres long and 9 metres high, built in the Upper Agora of Sagalassos in the time of Marcus Aurelius (AD 161–180); it is dedicated to Dionysus and decorated with stone in seven different colours.
• Kremna — A Pisidian city at Bucak, overlooking the Aksu valley and built on a rocky ridge that rises 250 metres above the plateau and exceeds 1,200 metres in altitude; its name means 'rocky cliffs'. It became a Roman colony in the time of Augustus.
• Burdur Museum — Opened in 1969 in the library building of the Bulguroğlu (Pirkulzade) Madrasa and expanded with new halls in 2006, the museum holds more than 57,000 works, among which the Sagalassos statues and the finds from Hacılar Mound stand out.
• Hacılar Mound — A mound 26–27 km south-west of Burdur; in James Mellaart's excavations of 1957–60, 12 layers from the Late Neolithic and Early Chalcolithic periods were identified.

Practical Information for Visiting Gölhisar

Suggested time

1 day

Best time to visit

Spring and autumn

Places to visit

7 places

• 🍽️

  Gölhisar Kavurması (Gölhisar braised meat)

  Gölhisar Kavurması was registered as a protected geographical indication on 9 January 2023 (TÜRKPATENT registration no. 1309). Product group: dishes and soups. Registered by: Gölhisar Municipality.

• 🥣

  Tandır Çorbası (slow-cooked lamb soup)

  Prepared by slow-cooking lamb and vegetables in a tandır oven, tandır çorbası is one of Gölhisar's traditional flavours.

• 🧀

  Höşmerim (fried cheese and flour dessert)

  Made by frying fresh cheese and flour in a pan, höşmerim is the essential sweet for special occasions in Gölhisar.

Culture, Local Products and Economy of Gölhisar

• ⚔️

  Kibyra Gladiator Heritage

  Kibyra, the ancient city, was famous for its gladiator fights. The gladiator reliefs and mosaics found in the stadium are tangible evidence of this tradition.

Local Products

• Gölhisar Honey (Gölhisar Balı) — Flower honey from the rich vegetation, Gölhisar's most valued natural product.

Economy

Gölhisar's economy is based on agriculture and livestock. Cereals, sugar beet and vegetable growing are carried out. Thanks to the ancient city of Kibyra, the district has potential for cultural tourism.

How to Get to Gölhisar

Gölhisar is 55 km from Burdur city centre. There are regular minibus services from Burdur.

Get directions on Google Maps Getting to Burdur

Gölhisar: Frequently Asked Questions

Continue Your Trip

• 🍽️ What to Eat in Gölhisar Famous dishes and local products →
• 🗺️ Things to Do in Burdur The province's 12 best places and all its districts →

Other Districts of Burdur

• Burdur Central District 5 places Burdur Grand Mosque, Burdur Lake and İnsuyu Cave
• Ağlasun 6 places Sagalassos Ancient City, Sagalassos Antoninus Fountain (Nymphaeum) and Ağlasun Plateaus
• Altınyayla 4 places Altınyayla Plateaus, Altınyayla Grand Mosque and Balboura Ancient City
• Bucak 5 places İnsuyu Cave, Kremna Ancient City and Bucak Plateaus
• Çavdır 3 places Çavdır Plateaus, Çavdır Grand Mosque and Çavdır Forests
• Çeltikçi 2 places Rural landscape of Çeltikçi and its surroundings and Çeltikçi Plain
• Karamanlı 2 places Karamanlı Lavender Fields and Karamanlı Grand Mosque
• Kemer 2 places Kemer Plateaus and Elmacık Vertebrate Fossil Bed
• Tefenni 8 places Tefenni Plain (Tefenni Ovası), Tefenni Grand Mosque (Ulu Camii) and Tefenni Plateaus (Yaylaları)
• Yeşilova 5 places Salda Lake, Salda Lake White Islands and Yeşilova Plateaus