Filled with ancient relics left by a procession of empires, and endowed with a spectacle that never fails to impress, Turkey is a fascinating destination that stretches across Asia and Europe.
Its vibrant culture, famous food, and extensive history fascinate everyone who ventures here, while its gorgeous landscapes, from the sunny Mediterranean to the mighty mountains and barren steppes, are tourist attractions in their own right.
Whether you want to enjoy the Byzantine and Ottoman glories of Istanbul on a city break, relax on the beach, delve into history wandering through ruins like Ephesus, or view 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.
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1. Hagia Sophia (Aya Sofya) Mosque
Known as one of the most beautiful buildings in the world, the astonishing Byzantine glory of the Hagia Sophia (Hagia Sophia) Mosque is not only among the best things to do in Istanbul, but also in Turkey.
Built by the Byzantine Emperor Justinian in 537 AD, it is reputed to be the greatest architectural achievement of the Byzantine Empire and remained the largest church in the world for 1,000 years.
The bulk is accentuated from the outside by delicate minarets added after the Ottoman conquest, while the lavish and cavernous interior is a great reminder of the power and strength of ancient Constantinople.
This famous monument is a must for every tourist visiting the country.
2. Ephesus
Not to be missed, the great ruin of Ephesus is the city of monumental monuments and marble colonnaded roads.
One of the most famous ancient cities in the Mediterranean, still standing, it is the place to experience what life was like during the golden age of the Roman Empire.
The city's history dates back to the 10th century BC, but the major monuments you see today all date back to Roman times when it was a thriving trade center.
In particular, the Library of Celsus, the complex of houses with frescoed balconies, and the Great Theatre, allude to the wealth and importance of Ephesus during the Roman period.
A sightseeing trip here will take at least half a day to cover the main sights and longer, if you really want to explore, so be sure to plan your visit so you don't feel rushed.
3. Cappadocia
The surreal, steep rocky valleys of Cappadocia are every photographer's dream.
Cliff hills and hilltops are home to undulating landscapes of wave-like rocks or oddly shaped peaks formed by thousands of years of wind and water.
And if you don't feel like hiking to enjoy the views, this is one of the best destinations in the world for a hot air balloon ride.
Nestled in this unique moon-like landscape are the churches with frescoes carved into the rocks and the architecture cut into the caves of the Byzantine era, when this area was home to Christian monastic communities.
In particular, the multiple cave churches in the Göreme Open-Air Museum and the Ihlara Valley are home to some of the best examples of mid-Byzantine religious art in the world.
The villages of Cappadocia, half dug into the hillsides, where travelers settle to explore the surrounding countryside, are also an attraction in their own right, with their boutique hotels that allow you to sleep in a cave with full contemporary amenities.
4. Topkapı Palace
Incredibly luxurious, Topkapi Palace in Istanbul takes you into the imaginative and luxurious world of sultans.
From here, during the 15th and 16th centuries, the sultans of the Ottoman era built up an empire that extended into Europe and down through the Middle East and Africa.
The interiors, with their sumptuous tiles and lavish jewel-encrusted décor, are an unforgettable peek into the Ottoman power base.
In particular, don't miss the Imperial Council Building, where the Grand Vizier ran the business of the empire; The collection of weapons displayed in the imperial treasury; universal set of miniature paintings; and the impressive harem rooms designed by the famous Ottoman architect Sinan.
The surrounding public gardens were once the only domain of the royal court but are now open to the public and provide a quiet green respite from the city streets.
5. Pamukkale
One of Turkey's most famous natural wonders, the pure white limestone terraces of Pamukkale ("cotton castle" in English) taper down the slope to look like an out-of-place snowfield amidst the green landscape.
Although travertines are in themselves the highlight of a Turkey trip, the vast and rambling ruins of Greco-Roman Hierapolis, an ancient spa town, are scattered across the top of this calcite hill.
After exploring the ancient theater, with its countryside views, remains of the city agora, gymnasium, tombs, and grand gates, you can take a dip in the mineral-rich waters that made the ancient spa town famous, in the antique pool.
Then, walk up the limestone hill, wading in the pools of water on the upper terraces, to the small, modern village of Pamukkale below.
For the best photos, come at dusk when the limestone glows as the sun sinks below the horizon.
6. Antalya
This bustling Mediterranean center has something for everyone.
The two main beaches outside the city are the paradise of the sun in summer and attract vacationers from all over Europe. While the Old Town district, right in the center of town, with its cobbled alleyways surrounded by palaces from the Ottoman era, is a great place to explore.
Known as one of the best museums in the country, the Antalya Museum houses a stunning collection of Hellenistic and Roman marble statues, and there are bags of out-of-town attractions for travelers who want to use Antalya as a base.
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 abundance of ruins.
7. Cruising the Mediterranean
Turkey's Mediterranean coast has abundant ruins and many things to do, but for many people, it's all about soaking up the sun while enjoying the gorgeous coastal scenery.
Sailing on a yacht is the number one activity for visitors to Bodrum and Fethiye and for good reason. Steep forested cliffs, hidden coves with small white sandy beaches, and hundreds of dotted islands are ideal for exploring by sea. Even fanatical landowners will be impressed.
One of the most popular trips is known as the Blue Cruise and goes from Fethiye south down the coast to disembarking near Olympos, home to the famous natural phenomenon Chimaera.
8. Mount Nemrut
The highest card sightseeing attraction in eastern Turkey, the funeral mound at the summit of Mount Nemrut is littered with the broken remains of the colossal statues that guarded it.
This strange and lonely place has to be one of the most unusual archaeological sites in Turkey. The giant stone heads of long-forgotten deities stare down from the summit, casting an eerie atmosphere over the barren mountaintop.
The work of building the summit is the work of Antiochus I, ruler of the Commagene kingdom, located here in the buffer zone between the Roman and Parthian empires.
Antiochus I dedicated this large funerary mound to himself as a display of its importance, raising an artificial summit 50 meters high on top of Mount Nemrut and then decorating it with statues of him and various deities.
The most popular time to visit is sunrise, so you can watch the statues loom in the dark.
9. Ölüdeniz
Impossible turquoise blue water. examines. A lush green forest falling from a cliff to a white sand beach. examines. The sheltered inlet of Oludeniz, just a short ride from Fethiye, is Turkey's most famous beach, and with landscapes that may have also fallen from a postcard perfect, it's easy to see why its popularity hasn't waned.
If the beach is too crowded, it's time to go sky high and experience the amazing aerial views on a tandem paragliding off the mighty Babadag (Mount Baba) peak, which rises behind the beach.
Oh, did we mention that Oludeniz is one of the best paragliding destinations in the world? examines.
10. Aspendos
Just south of the tourist city of Antalya, the greater part of the Roman theater in Aspendos celebrates the pomp and ceremony of Marcus Aurelius' reign.
The heavily restored 15,000-seat theater, considered the best surviving example of an ancient ancient theater still standing in the world, is one of the famous attractions of antiquity.
Although theater is the main reason to visit here (and for most visitors on a half-day trip from nearby Antalya or Side, theater is all they see) Aspendos offers plenty of ruins to explore.
There are the remains of an aqueduct, agora, stadium, and a Byzantine-era cathedral, all scattered over the vast hilly area surrounding the theatre.
11. Patara
With such a long coastline of the Mediterranean, there is a beach for every kind of sunflower in Turkey, but Patara is among its most famous stretches of sand.
The beach stretches for 18 kilometers along the shoreline, and offers plenty of space, so even in the height of summer you can still find a quiet place away from the crowds.
Adding to the experience, right behind the sand are the vast ruins of ancient Patara, which include a colonnaded street, a restored bouleuterion (the city's parliament), and a 5,000-person theater.
Once full of sun, sand, and a swim, wander behind the dunes and explore the crumbling remains of this once thriving Lycian city.
12. Pergamum
Turkey has an abundance of Greco-Roman ruins, but none can be placed as romantically as ancient Pergamum in modern Bergama.
Once home to one of the most important libraries of the ancient world (which rivals the Library of Alexandria in the lead), and home to the famous medical school run by Galen, the surviving temple remains of Galen now preside dramatically across a hilltop.
It is a great place for atmospheric exploration. The Acropolis with its hillside theater preserves most of the remains and offers sweeping panoramic views across the countryside.
Below, the Asklepion area is home to the ruins of the city's famous medical center.
This is a great place to visit if you want to get a real sense of life in the classical era.
13. The Blue Mosque
This famous mosque (officially called the Sultan Ahmed Mosque), which faces the Hagia Sophia across Istanbul's Sultanahmet Park, is one of Turkey's most visited monuments.
Built by Sultan Ahmed I, the mosque was designed to imitate Hagia Sophia by architect Sedefkar Mehmet Ağa, one of the pupils of the most famous architect of the Ottoman era, Sinan.
With six slender minarets and a sprawling courtyard complex, everything about the Blue Mosque is widespread but best known for its indoor prayer hall covered in tens of thousands of Iznik blue tiles (for which the mosque earned its nickname), lit by shards of light from 260 windows.
Non-worshipping visitors are welcome to visit outside prayer times. Everyone must cover the knees and shoulders, and females must wear it.
14. Troy
One of the most famous ancient monuments in Turkey, this site is believed by many to be the Trojan Iliad of Homer.
Whether or not the Trojan legends were in the Trojan War, the multi-layered and mobile ruins here reveal an extensive history of occupation, abandonment, and re-occupation that dates back to the early Bronze Age.
Ruins include well-preserved city walls and fortifications, remains of a palace, megarons (Messenian hall complexes) and houses, along with a later Roman-era sanctuary and ruins of the Odeon.
Just down the road from the site of Troy, the New Troy Museum is one of the best museums in Turkey.
The extensive and carefully assembled collection inside tells the story of Troy, from its first occupation to modern times, including the legends that surround the site; Controversial and devastating excavations of early archaeological work here; and the story of the lost cache of gold, silver, and copper artifacts (known as the Prium Treasure) currently kept in the Pushkin Museum in Moscow, which were discovered at the site and illegally smuggled out of Turkey by Heinrich Schliemann.
15. Ani
The ruins of the mighty Silk Road city lie in deserted Ani on the plains that meet modern Turkey's border with Armenia.
Once the capital of the Armenian kingdom, the golden age of Ani ended in the 14th century after Mongol raids, earthquake destruction, and conflict on the trade route played their part in the city's decline.
The beautiful red brick buildings still crumbling among the steppe grass have an enchanting effect on everyone who visits them.
Don't miss the Church of the Redeemer and the Church of St. Gregory, where elaborate stone masonry and remains of frescoes are still visible; the monumental building of the cathedral of Ani; and Manuchehr Mosque, built by the Seljuk Turks when they captured the city in the 11th century, and was thought to be the first mosque built in what would become Turkey.
16. Safranbolu
Turkey's most conservative Ottoman city is a great place to photograph of narrow, winding alleyways dotted with meticulously restored wooden mansions that were once home to wealthy merchants and are now converted into boutique hotels and restaurants.
There is little to do in the city. Alternatively, this is a place to stroll the streets and enjoy the old world atmosphere.
It is also famous for its sweets and traditional crafts and there are plenty of nice shops where you can buy a unique souvenir.
If you are going on a domestic flight from Istanbul, this is a great place to stop for the night and experience the historical atmosphere.
17. The Bosphorus
The Bosphorus Strait is one of the largest waterways in the world, separates Europe and Asia and connects the Black Sea with the Sea of Marmara (and thus, exits to the Mediterranean).
Sailing along the Bosphorus, whether by taking local ferries, taking a cruise ferry ride, or by private boat, is one of the great attractions to stay in Istanbul. This is the most relaxing sightseeing opportunity in Istanbul.
On board, it's all about enjoying the scenery from the water, with a beach front lined with Ottoman mansions; villas; the wooden palaces to Rumeli Castle built by Mehmed the Conqueror; and (in the far north along the strait), the walls of the Anatolian Citadel of the Byzantine era.
18. Gaziantep Zeugma Mosaic Museum
Gaziantep is one of the highlights of southeastern Turkey for a few days of eating Gaziantep's famous baklava and wandering the alleys of the old city district, but its most famous attraction is the Gaziantep Zeugma Mosaic Museum.
The museum contains one of the largest and most important mosaic collections in the world.
Almost all of the floor mosaics from the Hellenistic and Roman era shown here are originally from the Greco-Roman ruins of the city of Zeugma, which is now half-submerged due to the construction of the Perisic Dam. The mosaics, cleverly curated and displayed so that they can be seen from their best angles, provide visitors with an artistic sense of the Greco-Roman era.
Although there are many huge mosaics here, the most famous mosaic in the collection, known as the Gypsy Girl, is one of the smallest. It is most displayed in its darkroom, so that the piece's intricate artistry can be better appreciated.
19. Göbeklitepe
One of Turkey's most important ancient ruins, the hilltop site of Göbeklitepe, near Şanlıurfa, has grabbed hundreds of titles worldwide, earned UNESCO World Heritage status, (and provided inspiration for Netflix series The Gift) since it opened a year ago.
This small site of towering T-pillars, engraved with animal figures and anthropomorphic details, dates back to the Pre-Pottery Neolithic and is believed by archaeologists to be the world's first religious sanctuary.
Although it may not have a great success factor in Turkey's many archaeological sites in the Bronze Age and ancient Greco-Roman sites, the importance of Göbeklitepe to our understanding of early human history made it one of the most popular tourist attractions in southeastern Turkey.
20. Sumela Monastery
Sumela Monastery (Monastery of the Virgin Mary), with its stunning and lonely location, built on a cliff, is a magnet for visitors along the Black Sea coast.
Walking around this deserted religious complex, with its church interiors dotted with dazzling and vibrant frescoes, is a must for anyone making the long trip to the northeastern region of Turkey.
The monastery was first opened during the Byzantine era and ceased to function as a religious center in 1923, when the monks were forced to leave as part of the Greco-Turkish population exchange.
Today, wandering in its empty cells, it is easy to imagine the secluded life of the monks who once lived here.
The article was inspired by the platform PlanetWare