WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE SARDIS ANCIENT CITY TOUR – APPROX. 7 HOURS

About this wheelchair accessible Sardis Ancient City tour

The ancient city of Sardis, also known as Sardes, was settled before 1500 BC. Today, this remarkable archeological site is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site and offers you a glimpse into the rich history of the former capital of the ancient Kingdom of Lydia. As you take in the grandeur of the ruins, your guide brings the past to life with fascinating stories and insights.

The tour starts at your cruise port or city center accommodation, where your private driver and licensed guide pick you up in an adapted vehicle, making the trips to Sardis Ancient City and between sites comfortable and relaxing.

Temple of Artemis

Your first stop is one of the most striking monuments in Sardis Ancient City, the Temple of Artemis. This temple dates back to the Hellenistic period and stands as proof of the city’s religious and cultural importance in its time. Constructed in an elegant Ionic style, people believe this temple was built on the site of an even earlier sacred sanctuary.

Although a major earthquake damaged the temple in 17 AD, Roman rulers later restored the temple, preserving its magnificence. Over time, the temple evolved to reflect changing beliefs, including the addition of a small Christian chapel. This highlights the layered and evolving history of Sardis.

Gymnasium Building

This impressive complex is the next stop on your tour. It showcases the grandness of Roman Sardis, with its monumental façade, large marble courtyards, and sophisticated bath facilities. This grand complex once served as both a center for athletic training and a social hub where citizens gathered, relaxed, and led their daily lives.

The Palaestra, a large open courtyard surrounded by columns, was used for exercise and competition, while the adjacent bath structures offered spaces for relaxation and social interaction. Today, it remains one of the most remarkable and best-preserved features of the ancient city and, together with the insights you get from your guide, gives you a sense of its former scale and importance.

Accessibility note: the terrain at the different stops is mostly compacted earth. There may be some uneven spots, but the terrain is generally easily rollable.

Ruins of Sardis Ancient City

Beyond the two main highlights, you can experience the scale and significance of Sardis. As you explore and travel between the locations, you can spot the remains of city walls, gates, a theater, roman roads, and the marketplace, as well as one of the largest synagogues of antiquity.

At the end of your tour, your driver and guide bring you back to your cruise port or city center accommodation in comfort, and you will leave with a clear sense of Sardis’ history and significance, along with the highlights and stories that bring this ancient city to life.