Isparta sits at 1,035 metres in the western Taurus mountains — a plateau city surrounded by lakes and rose gardens. Turkey’s rose oil industry is centred here: each May, vast fields of Damask roses are harvested at dawn, and the rose water and attar produced are used in perfumery worldwide.
The province contains three significant lakes, the outstanding Roman ruins of Sagalassos, and cool summer temperatures that make it an excellent inland alternative to the crowded coast.
- Region
- Mediterranean highlands
- Altitude
- 1,035 m
- Rose harvest
- Late May–early June
- Known for
- Rose oil, Lake Eğirdir, Sagalassos
Lake Eğirdir
Lake Eğirdiris one of Turkey’s largest freshwater lakes, sitting at 920 metres in the Taurus mountains. The old town extends onto a small peninsula into the lake — Ottoman-era houses, apple orchards and local fish restaurants.
The lake is famous for fresh trout and is surrounded by Taurus mountain scenery. The St. Paul’s Trail long-distance hiking route passes through here.
Sagalassos — the Roman city in the mountains
Sagalassosis one of Turkey’s most spectacular and least-visited Roman cities — dramatically sited at 1,500 metres in the Taurus mountains. The excavated city includes a monumental nymphaeum, a bouleuterion (council house), a theatre and vast colonnaded streets, all in an extraordinary state of preservation.
Visited by only a fraction of the tourists who go to Ephesus, Sagalassos delivers a more adventurous and less crowded Roman archaeology experience.
The rose gardens
The Damask rose fields bloom for only a few weeks in late May and early June. Harvesting starts before dawn to catch the flowers at maximum fragrance. A rose water distillery in Güneykent welcomes visitors during the harvest season.
The town of Keçiborlu and the Gülbirlik cooperative are the centres of the rose oil industry — producing genuine Turkish gül yağı (rose attar) for the global perfumery market.
Isparta in pictures
Frequently asked questions
Isparta
3The rose harvest is in late May and early June — typically the last week of May and first week of June, depending on the season. This is the best time to see and smell the fields.
Sagalassos is 35 km from Isparta city — accessible by car or tour from Burdur, Isparta or Antalya. There is no regular public bus to the site itself.
Definitely for travellers who enjoy off-the-beaten-track Turkey. Sagalassos rivals Ephesus in quality while seeing a fraction of the visitors; Lake Eğirdir is genuinely beautiful.