312 Best Sights in Turkey

The wooded slopes of Yıldız Parkı once formed part of the great forest that covered the European shore of the Bosphorus from the Golden Horn to the Black Sea. In the waning years of the Ottoman Empire, the park was the private garden of the nearby Çırağan and Yıldız palaces, and the women of the harem would occasionally be allowed to visit, secluded from prying eyes as they wandered among acacias, maples, and cypresses. Today the park is still beautiful, particularly in spring when the tulips and other flowers bloom, and in fall when the leaves of the deciduous trees change color.

At the top of the park (a 15- to 20-minute walk from the entrance) is the relatively modest (by Ottoman standards) Yıldız Şale (Yıldız Chalet), where the despotic Sultan Abdülhamid II (ruled 1876–1909) spent most of his time. It also served as a guesthouse for visiting heads of state, from Kaiser Wilhelm II to Charles de Gaulle and Margaret Thatcher.

The modest home of one of Turkey’s most famous and beloved singers, Zeki Müren, was turned into a museum after his death in 1996. There’s not much signage in English, but the period furniture and personal effects, performance photos, elaborate Liberace-style stage costumes, and Müren’s own paintings speak for themselves. His music plays throughout the building and there’s a vending machine of quirky souvenirs by the reception desk.

Although the prizes at Göreme are the fresco-decorated churches, the outdoor museum at Zelve provides a fascinating look at how people lived in fairy-chimney communities. Zelve was a center of Christian monastic life from the 9th through 13th centuries, and the town was inhabited until the early 1950s, when erosion and cracking caused slabs of rock to fall, forcing villagers to move out. The site is only about 380 meters (2,145 feet) long, but there's plenty to explore. The valley is made up of several uneven, naturally carved rows of fairy chimneys. These—and just about every spare rock face—shelter hundreds of dwellings that vary in size. Some are just simple cavelike openings, and others are multistory houses with rooms on several floors linked by stairs carved deep inside the rocks. There's also a rock-cut mosque and several small churches. Certain structures have collapsed, leaving giant pieces of carved ceiling upside down on the ground. You can probably see the whole place in a little over an hour but could easily linger longer.

Built in 1385 by Artukid Sultan İsa, this medrese (Islamic school) sits up just above the rest of the city, and its crenulated dome forms a Mardin landmark. The compound includes a courtyard (now a tea garden), a mosque, and a tomb intended for the sultan. Head up to the upper terrace for one of the best views of the city.

The Agora of Smyrna was the Roman city's administrative and commercial center; if it looks decidedly unimpressive from the entrance, that's because the best-preserved bit is underground—the basilica basement, separated into four galleries covered by dozens of stone arches. Alas, much of the rest of the site has been closed off for excavations, though there are still some other ruins to satisfy classical history buffs, and an interesting collection of Ottoman gravestones and Roman capitals near the entrance of the grassy, open site, surrounded by ancient columns and brick foundations. There is decent signage in English.

Just near the İzmir Port, the 140-year-old Alsancak Tekel Factory has been restored and transformed into a new culture and arts center, with the three buildings holding the two State Museums moved from elsewhere in İzmir, plus libraries and cultural spaces. The Atatürk Special Library, the Alsancak Public Library, and the Turkic World Music Special Library, as well as cultural and art workshop spaces, an open-air cinema, and exhibition areas occupy the smaller building and  the spacious gardens

The largest, two-story, building is home to the  Archaeology and Ethnography Museum displaying a rich archaeological collection on the ground and first floors. The former Ethnographic Museum's items collected from the İzmir region are held on the second floor. The interesting art collection covering the last two centuries of Turkish modern art held in the İzmir Painting and Sculpture Museum is housed in the second building.

The Museum of Iznik, opened in January 2023, displays archeological finds from the region, some dating back to 6500 BC. The museum is part archeological, part ethnographic, and contains stunning collections of, among other things, ancient earthenware, Greek sculpture, Roman sarcophagi, and Ottoman cultural artifacts, including, of course, Iznik tiles. Arranged chronologically, the museum gives you an excellent sense of the many civilizations who have called this piece of land home.

Founded in the 1990s to revive the art of tile-making, this establishment fashions large orders, often for overseas delivery. Even if you are not commissioning a job, you can see the beautiful craftsmanship, watch artisans producing tiles, and wander in the lavender-fresh gardens. An appointment is necessary to access the grounds.

A magnificent portal marks the entrance to what was formerly the Sahip Ata complex, a group of structures dating from the late 13th century. A bit to the right is the small but interesting Arkeoloji Müzesi (Archaeology Museum), showcasing artifacts from a number of different periods. The most significant room has finds from the 7000 BC Neolithic site of Çatalhöyük, including pottery, jewelry, weapons and tools, and the remains of an infant burial; these are accompanied by quite informative explanations. There are also artifacts from the Bronze Age and Greek and Roman periods; the 3rd-century AD marble sarcophagus depicting the Twelve Labors of Hercules is outstanding.

Around the left-hand corner from the Sahip Ata portal is the Sahip Ata Müzesi (Sahip Ata Museum), housed in the beautifully (but perhaps not that sensitively) restored dervish lodge of the mosque complex. Items on display include carved wooden doors from as early as the 13th century, ceramic fragments, calligraphic works and old Korans, and dervish accoutrements. It's free to visitors.

Turkey's oldest, still-functioning hammam is thought to be Seljuk in origin. The name comes from the eight (sekiz) columns (direk) that support the dome of the hot room. It's a men-only affair, so women in search of a scrub will have to make do with the more modern Meydan Hamamı just off Atatürk Alanı.

Sultan Selim II began this medium-size mosque just across from Rumi's tomb in 1558, when he was heir to the throne and governor of Konya. The structure, completed after he became sultan, is reminiscent of Fatih Camii in Istanbul, with soaring arches and windows surrounding the base of the dome. As of this writing, a restoration of the mosque is expected to be completed in early 2016.