TURKEY
Packed to the brim with ancient monuments left over from a parade of empires, and endowed with showcase scenery that never fails to impress, Turkey is a dazzling destination that straddles Asia and Europe.Its vibrant culture, famous food, and vast history wow all who venture here, while its glorious landscapes, from the sun-soaked Mediterranean to the mighty mountains and arid steppe, are tourist attractions in themselves.Whether you want to lap up the Byzantine and Ottoman glories of Istanbul on a city break, laze on the beach, delve into history wandering through ruins such as Ephesus, or see some of the world’s most surreal panoramas in Pamukkale and Cappadocia, this country offers visitors a wide range of things to do.
For ideas on the best places to visit read our list of the top tourist attractions in Turkey.
1. Hagia Sophia (Aya Sofya) Mosque
Renowned as one of the most beautiful buildings in the world, the spellbinding Byzantine glory of the Hagia Sophia Mosque (Aya Sofya) is not only one of the top things to do in Istanbul, but also in Turkey.Built by the Byzantine Emperor Justinian in 537 CE, it is renowned as the Byzantine Empire’s greatest architectural achievement and has remained the world’s largest church for 1,000 years.
2. Cappadocia
The surreal, swooping rock valleys of Cappadocia are every photographer’s dream. Cliff ridges and hill crests are home to rippling panoramas of wave-like rock or wacky-shaped pinnacles that have been formed by millennia of wind and water action.And if you don’t feel like hiking for the views, this is one of the world’s top destinations to take a hot-air balloon ride.Nestled in this unique lunar-like landscape are the frescoed rock-cut churches and cave-cut architecture of the Byzantine Era, when this area was home to monastic Christian communities.
3. Pamukkale
One of Turkey’s most famous natural wonders, the pure white travertine terraces of Pamukkale (“Cotton Castle” in English) cascade down the slope looking like an out-of-place snowfield amid the green landscape. Although the travertines are themselves a highlight of a Turkey trip, the vast and rambling ruins of Greco-Roman Hierapolis, an ancient spa town, lie scattered across the summit of this calcite hill.
4. Antalya
The two main beaches outside of town are sun-sloth heaven in summer and attract holidaymakers from across Europe. While the old town area, snug right in the center of town, with its cobblestone alleyways rimmed by creaky Ottoman-era mansions, is a wonderful place to explore.In particular, Antalya is an easy base for day trips to some of Turkey’s most famous Greco-Roman ruins, including Aspendos and Perge, which are just outside the city, and the town of Side, with its glut of ruins.
5. The Blue Mosque
This famous mosque (officially called the Sultanahmet Mosque), facing the Hagia Sophia Mosque across Sultanahmet Park in Istanbul, is one of Turkey’s most visited monuments. Built by Sultan Ahmed I, the mosque was designed to mimic the Hagia Sophia by the architect Sedefkar Mehmet Ağa, a disciple of the Ottoman era’s most renowned architect, Sinan.
6. The Bosphorus
One of the world’s great waterways, the Bosphorus Strait separates Europe from Asia and connects the Black Sea with the Sea of Marmara (and hence, out to the Mediterranean).Cruising along the Bosphorus, whether by hopping local ferries, on a tourist ferry cruise, or a private boat, is one of the great tourist attractions of an Istanbul stay. This is the most relaxing sightseeing opportunity in Istanbul.
7. Ephesus
Not to be missed, the mighty ruin of Ephesus is a city of colossal monuments and marble-columned roads.One of the most complete, still-standing famed cities of antiquity in the Mediterranean region, this is the place to experience what life must have been like during the golden age of the Roman Empire.
8. Topkapı Palace
Sumptuous beyond belief, Istanbul’s Topkapı Palace takes you into the fantastical, opulent world of the sultans. It was from here, during the 15th and 16th centuries, that the sultans of the Ottoman era carved out an empire that would extend up into Europe and down through the Middle East and into Africa. The interiors, with their decadently exuberant tiling and lavish jeweled decor, are an unforgettable peek into the Ottoman’s power base.
9. Cruising the Mediterranean
Turkey’s Mediterranean coastline has ruins galore and many things to do, but for many people, it’s all about soaking up the sun while enjoying the gorgeous coastal views.Cruising on a yacht is the number one activity for visitors to Bodrum and Fethiye for good reason. The steep forest-clad slopes, hidden coves sporting tiny white-sand beaches, and hundreds of scattered islands are the perfect place for exploring by sea. Even diehard landlubbers will be impressed.
10. Mount Nemrut
The top sightseeing drawcard for eastern Turkey, Mount Nemrut’s summit funerary mound is scattered with the broken remnants of once mammoth statues, which guarded it. This weird and lonely place has to be one of Turkey’s most peculiar archaeological sites. The giant stone heads of long-forgotten gods stare out from the summit, casting an eerie atmosphere over the barren mountaintop.