Sardis was the capital of the Lydians, who are credited with inventing coins. See the Temple of Artemis and a Roman gymnasium with a restored synagogue. Burial mounds at Bin Tepe lie to the north.

Inscribed 2025ManisaCultural

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Discover the Wonders of Sardes Ancient City, Manisa | Turkey | Things To Do In Turkey (ConnollyCove). Watch on YouTube.

Plan your visit

  • Getting there: Fly to İzmir (ADB). Sardis is at Sart, about 10 km west of Salihli and 90 km east of İzmir, roughly 75 to 90 minutes by car. A hire car or taxi is best, especially for Bin Tepe. Salihli or Manisa work as bases.
  • How long: Allow about 1.5 hours, more with Bin Tepe.
  • Best time: Sardis joined the Ministry's night-museum programme in 2025, so ask locally about evening opening.
  • Tickets and hours: Hours are reported as 08:00 to 17:00 daily, so confirm before you go. Check the current price and hours on the official page.
  • Tip: Hire a car or taxi to link Sardis with the spread-out Bin Tepe mounds.
  • Tip: Ask locally which Bin Tepe mounds can be visited, and check train and minibus times.
  • Nearby: Bin Tepe mounds are 7 to 17 km north of Sardis. Salihli is about 10 km east.

UNESCO listingOfficial visitor pageDirections in Google Maps

Header photo: The Temple of Artemis at Sardis — Photo: simonjenkins' photos via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0

More UNESCO sites in Turkey

Previous: Pergamon. Next: Aphrodisias. See the full list of all 22 UNESCO sites in Turkey.

Inscription details checked on 8 November 2026 with UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Prices, hours and transport change, so check the official page before you go.