In August, the crowds were pretty thick. It was the busiest / most popular sight we saw in Turkey. We suppose it is also so popular because it is a cruise boat excursion. Almost everyone was with a guide. The only escape was in the area surrounding the Nymphaneum. There wasn't many sites to see except for some pretty battered ruins, but we were able to walk 5 minutes away from the throngs of tourists and sit down for a quiet picnic.