316 Best Sights in Turkey

Since neither Kaş nor Kalkan have proper beaches, this pretty spot between the two is quite popular. Set in a narrow, steep-sided inlet, there are 186 stairs leading down to it. The position between dramatic cliffs is picturesque, though the beach itself is small and can get crowded in summer. Parking is limited so arrive early to find a space. Amenities: food and drink; parking (free); toilets. Best for: swimming.

The 25-minute ferry ride to the Greek island of Kastellorizo (called Meis in Turkish) gives you a taste of Greece and lets you imagine what Kaş must have been like before the 1923 population exchange, when most residents were of Greek origin. Isolated from the rest of its country, Kastellorizo has escaped major development and maintains the charm of an island that time forgot. Attractions include a small 12th- to 16th-century crusader castle, notable for its crenellated gray-stone walls; a large blue cave with fine stalactites (speedboat trips can be arranged in Meis Harbor when you disembark); the 1835 church of St. Konstantine and Eleni (usually locked), which reused granite columns taken from the Temple of Apollo at Letoon in Lycia; and a mosque converted into a small museum that recounts the island's tragic history. You can get a taste of the island in just an afternoon, but if you want more, overnight at one of the several hotels or pansiyons. If you're day-tripping, don't be alarmed if the ferry operator wants to hold onto your passport when you disembark in Greece—they process the passports in batches to speed things up. If you're not comfortable with this, just ask to have your passport stamped while you watch.

Konak Meydanı marks the start of this energetic marketplace, encircled by Anafartalar Caddesi, that spills into a maze of tiny streets, filled with shops and covered stalls. In the smaller side streets, you'll find tiny districts dedicated to musical instruments, leather, costume jewelry, and accessories, among other things. Begin at a restored Ottoman kervansaray, the Kızlarağası Hanı, completed around 1745. Downstairs, its vaulted shops mostly sell cheesy souvenirs, while the quieter upper floor, where some artisans still have their workshops, is a peaceful spot for a cup of tea or for poking through the antique dealers' old books and records. The nearby, late-16th-century Hisar Camii (one of the largest and oldest in İzmir) is worth a peek, and is surrounded by kebab joints shaded by large trees. Go farther into Kemeraltı and you'll wind up at Havra Sokağı, an outdoor market full of stalls selling spices, fruits, and other foodstuffs. Among this labyrinth of streets you'll also find the crumbling remains of numerous old synagogues, some of which are being restored.

The lively and pleasant waterfront promenade is the most popular section of town and is perfect for a summer stroll; many locals use the sea breeze to fly kites. It starts at the Pasaport ferry pier and stretches north to Alsancak. Along the grassy, waterfront strip are several excellent seafood restaurants and cafés, all with outdoor seating overlooking the Aegean sea. It's fun to tour the area by fayton (horse-drawn carriage); they are stationed in the Cumhuriyet Meydanı, steps from the beginning of the Kordon (be sure to agree to a fair price in advance).

This tiny bay across from the main harbor in Kaş is only accessible by boat (or by hiking), which makes it the perfect retreat from the bustle of the city center. With a small beach with rentable chairs and a small bar to purchase beverages, Limanağzı is a great spot for a casual swim during a long, relaxing day. You can also rent a canoe if you want to paddle around the bay. Amenities: food and drink. Best for: swimming, walking.

The stunningly situated memorial here bears the names of some 5,000 Australian and New Zealand soldiers, buried in unknown graves, who were killed at Gallipoli during the grueling eight-month World War I campaign to defeat the Ottoman forces. Savage hand-to-hand fighting took place on the battlefield where the cemetery was established—thousands were killed on both sides here in four days of fighting—and seven Victoria crosses, the highest award given by the British government for bravery and usually quite sparingly distributed, were awarded after the Battle of Lone Pine. This is the most affecting of all the Anzac cemeteries, and the epitaphs on the tombstones are very moving.

On the eastern edge of town, the highway goes right past Mamure Kalesi—a spectacular castle with 39 towers, first constructed in Roman times to protect the city from seaborne raiders. It was expanded by the Seljuks, who captured it in the 13th century, and later rebuilt by the Karamanoğulları, who controlled this part of Anatolia after the Seljuk Empire collapsed. Note the inscription to the Karamanoğulları prince, İbrahim Bey II, dating from 1450. The place is so impressively preserved you'd think it was a modern reconstruction. As of late 2021, the castle was closed for restorations.

When the Sufi mystic and philosopher-poet Mevlâna Celaleddin Rumi died in 1273, he was buried in Konya beside his father, and a great shrine was erected above them. Today, the museum is one of the most visited sites in Turkey, attracting more than 2 million people a year. The interior resembles that of a mosque, with its intricately painted domes, ornate chandeliers, and Islamic inscriptions on the walls. The main hall contains many dervish tombs, all of them with carved stone turbans wrapped in cloth atop the sarcophagi. The place is usually filled with Muslim pilgrims standing with their palms outward in prayer. Next to the mausoleum is a courtyard with a large şadırvan, or ablutions fountain, around which are rooms that formerly served as dervish cells. These have been turned into a museum, with each room illustrating a different aspect of life in the dervish brotherhood. A separate structure, the matbah, or kitchen, shows mannequins of dervishes engaged in the preparation and serving of food—activities that took on an almost ritual significance in the dervish hierarchy.

The region's most famous mountain is actually an extinct volcano covered with snow even in summer and soaring dramatically 16,850 feet above the arid plateau and dominating the landscape. According to Genesis, after the Great Flood, "the waters were dried up from off the earth; and Noah removed the covering of the ark, and looked, and behold, the face of the ground was dry." The survivors, as the story goes, had just landed on top of Mt. Ararat. Many other ancient sources—Chaldean, Babylonian, Chinese, Assyrian—also tell of an all-destroying flood and of one man who heroically escaped its consequences. The truth is that people have been searching for the actual ark since medieval times, and nothing has ever been found. The mountain can be easily viewed from Doğubeyazıt, although actually climbing it requires a permit that can only be obtained by a licensed agency and usually takes at least a few days to acquire. Be prepared for a lot of walking on gravel, and be forewarned that the summit is often shrouded in clouds. Local tour offices will take you on a day trip that includes a visit to a village at the base of the mountain, which is the closest you can get to Ararat without a permit.

If you want to take a dip in the iconic sandbar that lies across the mouth of the lagoon, then you must first enter Ölüdeniz Nature Park. To do so, go down to the seafront, turn west, then left at the fork where you can see the toll booth; the charge is 27 TL per car or 9 TL per person on foot (kids are half price or free, depending on age). The setting is absolutely beautiful, which means you should expect crowds. Pretty much the entire pebbly beach is taken up by densely packed lounge chairs and umbrellas, either of which can be rented for 25 TL. Just around the corner, a concession rents pedalos and kayaks for about 50 TL per hour. The sea gets deep quickly here, and there are several diving platforms anchored a short swim out. Amenities: food and drink; parking; showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: swimming.

Shaded by tall firs and amid flowering oleander bushes, the ruins are next to a river in a mountain gorge, so they're delightfully cool in summer, the perfect time to explore. Many tombs are scattered about the ancient city. In the center of the northern half of the site is the large cathedral complex, once the main temple, which includes a much-photographed, 18-foot-high gate dedicated to Marcus Aurelius in AD 171 and mistakenly referred to by signs as a temple. Note how some walls around the site have clearly been rebuilt in later centuries with narrow arrow slits. At the beach entrance is a poetic inscription on a sarcophagus in memory of an ancient ship's captain, along with a carving of his beached boat—not that different from today's gulets. From here you can also climb to a small acropolis and some medieval fortifications where citizens in ancient times would keep a lookout for ships and pirates.

The southern side of the ancient city is best reached by crossing the riverbed (sometimes dry in summer) by the land-side ticket office and heading east toward the beach along a well-beaten path that starts with a remarkable row of tombs. Farther along are shipping quays, warehouses, and a gorgeously overgrown theater, some of which lie half-buried in what feels like the floor of a jungle. Farther south along the beach are the walls of a medieval castle and church.

This 3-km (2-mile) swath, with a line of fir trees behind it and an amphitheater of mountains (including the 7,500-foot peak of Mt. Olympos/Tahtalı Dağı) surrounding it, is one of the wonders of Turkey. Although it has escaped the ravages of industrial tourism, there are several good beachfront restaurants where you can eat during the day or spend an evening. Keep an eye out for the nests of Caretta caretta turtles, who regularly lay their eggs on the beach. The surface here consists mostly of smooth white and multicolor pebbles mixed with some light gray sand, so prepare to recline on a lounger rather than a beach towel. Note that Olympos and Çıralı are separated by a 21-km (13-mile) drive around the mountain but only a short walk along the beach. If it's crowded near Olympos, stroll up toward Çıralı, where you're likely to find a patch of beach all to yourself, even in high season. Amenities: food and drink; parking (free); toilets. Best for: swimming; walking.

On the Datça Peninsula, this quiet, escape-from-it-all beach—a mix of sand and pebbles—is one of the region's best. The rolling landscape of pine-crowned hills and olive groves gives way to the deep blue waters of the Aegean Sea. Amenities: Food and drink, parking (free). Best for: solitude, swimming, walking.

Beyond the ruins of Patara is a superb 18-km (11-mile) sweep of sand dunes, surely one of the finest beaches on the Turquoise Coast. Despite its popularity with Turkish families and tourists from Kalkan and Kaş, you don't have to walk far to find solitude here. Note that umbrellas should only be planted within 20 yards of the sea to prevent disturbing the nests of Caretta caretta turtles. In summer, be prepared for intense and unobstructed sun. Amenities: food and drink; parking (free); showers, toilets. Best for: walking; swimming.

The most dramatic of the remains of Pergamum are at the Acropolis. Take a smooth, 15-minute ride on the teleferik, which includes sweeping views on its way up the hill, or follow signs pointing the way to the 6-km (4-mile) road to the top, where you can park. After entering through the Royal Gate, bear right and proceed counterclockwise around the site.

At the summit, the partially restored, 2nd-century AD Temple of Trajan is the very picture of an ancient ruin, with burnished white-marble pillars high above the valley of the Bergama Çayı (Selinus River). Nearby are the ruins of the famous Library (Atheneum), built by Eumenes II (197 BC–159 BC) and containing 200,000 scrolls. On the terrace below, you can see the scant remains of the Temple of Athena.

Climb down through a stone tunnel to reach the Great Theater, carved into the steep slope west of the terrace that holds the Temple of Athena. On a nearby terrace, the Altar of Zeus was once among the grandest monuments in the Greek world. If you're prepared for a long and rather steep descent, there's more to see on the slope leading down toward the town.

The ruins of Phaselis, the ancient port city with a majestic setting at the edge of three smalls bays, are as romantic as the reputation of its ancient inhabitants was appalling. Demosthenes the Greek described them as unsavory, and Roman statesman Cicero called them rapacious pirates. Since the first Greek colonists from Rhodes bought the land from a local shepherd in the 7th century BC for a load of dried fish, classical literature is replete with the expression "a present from the Phaselians," meaning a cheap gift. Still, the setting is beautiful, and Alexander the Great spent a whole winter here before marching on to conquer the east.

A broad main street is lined by some remarkably well-preserved buildings and cuts through the half-standing walls of the Roman agora. The street is also bookended by bays, each with translucent water that's ideal for swimming. A small theater with trees growing among the seats has a divine view of Mt. Olympos, and fine sarcophagi are scattered throughout a necropolis in the pine woods that surround the three bays. The ruins are poetic and impressive, ideal for a picnic or a day at the beach. Weekends or any day during peak season, however, the site can be crowded; it can be downright depressing when tour yachts from Antalya arrive with loudspeakers blaring.

The name means "brilliant" or "diamond" and this beach outside Çiftlikköy certainly has seawater that's as clear as glass, gentle and shallow (you can sit in the water and read a book!). The waters are warmer here than at nearby beaches such as Altınkum, and mercifully free of seaweed or sea urchins. The pale, fine sand is usually clean, the beach peaceful, and there are changing rooms. You can snorkel, but kitesurfing is prohibited. If you want shade, you'll have to rent a beach chair and umbrella from the snack shack. There are many motels and pensions near this area, as well as a campground. Amenities: food and drink; parking; toilets. Best for: sunbathing; swimming; walking.

Sedir (Cedar) Island, also known as Cleopatra Island, is about a 30-minute drive north of Marmaris, and then a boat ride into the Gulf of Gökova. Here you can explore the ruins of ancient walls and a Roman theater, but you can't walk or lounge on the island's beach, which is now fully protected. Local tour guides will tell you that its rare sand–made from tiny egg-shaped, luminously white pearls–was brought here by Marc Antony for Cleopatra. Enjoy views of it while swimming before the impressive escarpments of Mt. Kavak. Various Marmaris-based tour operators run day trips here; prices run around 140 TL a head. Alternatively, drive to Çamlı village and catch one of the "dolmuş boats" (80 TL return) that shuttle back and forth to the island.

Step through the impressive, pre-Justinianic marble portal (its huge blocks likely plundered from the nearby Temple of Artemis) to approach the basilica, which sits below the crenellated walls of the Fortress of Ayasuluk, likely covering the site of the most ancient settlement in Selçuk. In the 6th century AD, after earthquakes destroyed the modest church believed to mark the grave of St. John the Evangelist, Byzantine Emperor Justinian and his wife Theodora commanded that a grand marble basilica be erected over the site on Ayasuluk Hill, its eleven domes grand enough to rival the imperial pair's other legendary building project, Hagia Sophia. The basilica's barrel-vaulted roof collapsed after another long-ago earthquake, but the ruined church is still an incredibly evocative sight, with its labyrinth of halls and marble courtyards, and occasional mosaic fragments. Both the basilica and the fortress, the work of Byzantine, Seljuk, and Ottoman builders, provide stunning views of the Plain of Ephesus and the İsa Bey Mosque. Come by in the early morning or late afternoon when there are rarely crowds; if arriving later in the day, be sure to visit the fortress first---it closes earlier than the basilica area.

On a hilltop opposite Istanbul University is one of the city's most magnificent mosques, considered one of the architect Sinan's masterpieces. The architectural thrill of the mosque, which was built between 1550 and 1557 and fully restored in 2010, is the enormous dome, the highest of any Ottoman mosque. Supported by four square columns and arches, as well as exterior walls with smaller domes on either side, the soaring space gives the impression that it's held up principally by divine intervention. Except for around the mihrab (prayer niche), there is little in the way of tile work—though the intricate stained-glass windows and baroque decorations painted on the domes more than make up for that. The tomb of Sinan is just outside the walls, on the northern corner, while those of his patron, Süleyman the Magnificent, and the sultan's wife, Roxelana, are in the adjacent cemetery. Stroll around the beautiful grounds, and don't miss the wonderful views of the Golden Horn.

Clinging to the side of a sheer cliff, the Sumela Monastery (also known as Meryemana, which is Mother Mary in Turkish, because it was dedicated to the Virgin Mary) is stunning to behold. Orthodox monks founded the retreat in the 5th century, living in clifftop caves surrounding a shrine that housed a miraculous icon of the Virgin Mary painted by St. Luke. The labyrinth of courtyards, corridors, and chapels date from the time of Emperor Alexius III of Trebizond, who was crowned here in 1340—the monastery continued under the Sultans, remaining until the Greeks were expelled from Turkey in 1922. Although the icon and other treasures have been removed, extensive frescoes done between the 14th and 18th century remain. Though sections have been chipped away or scribbled over with graffiti, they are impressive nonetheless in their depictions of Old and New Testament images—look for an Arab-looking Jesus, an almost African Virgin, and a scene of Adam and Eve, expelled from Eden, taking up a plough.

The first, lower, parking lot is beside the river (and the Sumela Restaurant). From there a well-worn trail to the monastery is a rigorous 40-minute uphill hike. Farther on is a second, upper parking lot, at the level of the monastery, a 15-minute walk away on a level path. Most organized day excursions from Trabzon drop you at the upper lot and collect you from the lower one. An extensive restoration process was completed in 2021 and the monastery was reopened, but as of December 2021 it was again under restoration and closed to visitors. Though still visible from the outside, visitors should call in advance and inquire about the restoration status.

Over 1,000 meters (3,500 feet) above sea level, this compelling site is nestled inside the Mount Güllük-Termessos National Park, where golden eagles and fallow deer can sometimes be spotted. The attractions start right by the parking area, with a monumental gate that's part of an ancient temple dedicated to the Emperor Hadrian. The steepness of the path that leads up to the craggy remains of the city walls makes it clear just why Alexander the Great declined to attack. On the way, you'll pass a gymnasium, a colonnaded street, a bath complex built of dark-gray stone, and then, up and around, a 5,000-seat theater with a truly spectacular setting on the edge of a sheer cliff. From this staggering height you can see the sea, the Pamphylian plain, Mt. Solymos (now called Mt. Güllük), and the occasional mountain goat or ibex.

Farther around is the well-preserved bouleuterion (where the city council met), the very overgrown agora (market), and some huge underground cisterns. Termessos has one more wonder: several vast necropolises, with nearly 1,000 tombs scattered willy-nilly on a rocky hill. A signposted alternate route back to the parking lot takes you past several rock-cut tombs; you can access another large collection of them via a path from the ticket office.

Urfa's fantastic archaeological museum reopened in 2015 in an imposingly large building amid leafy open space. It still has an impressive collection covering the area's long history, interspersed with lifelike recreations of the living conditions in prehistoric times. Especially interesting are sculptures from Göbekli Tepe and the full-size re-creation of one of its temples, but the star of the show is a white, alien-looking statue with obsidian eyes, found in the Gölbaşı lake in 1993. Nearly 13,500 years old, it is the world's oldest full-size man-made human figure. There are also Hittite sculptures from the area, a collection of exquisitely carved antique wooden doors, and a classical sculpture garden.

Also included in the ticket price is entry to the neighboring Haleplibahçe Mosaic Museum, which houses an incredible array of mosaics that would have once formed part of a Roman-era palace. These include mosaics depicting the life of Achilles, including his mother holding him by the heel and dipping him into the waters of the River Styx. and a magnificent scene of Amazon queens hunting wild beasts.

This vast palace on Sarayburnu (Seraglio Point) was the residence of sultans and their harems in addition to being the seat of Ottoman rule from the 1460s until the mid-19th century, when Sultan Abdülmecid I moved his court to Dolmabahçe Palace. Sultan Mehmet II built the original Topkapı Palace between 1459 and 1465, shortly after his conquest of Constantinople. Over the centuries, it grew to include four courtyards and quarters for some 5,000 full-time residents. The main entrance, or Imperial Gate, leads to the Court of the Janissaries, also known as the First Courtyard. The modestly beautiful Aya Irini (Church of St. Irene) is believed to stand on the site of the first church of Byzantium (separate admission). You will begin to experience the grandeur of the palace when you pass through the Bab-üs Selam (Gate of Salutation). Enter the Harem (separate admission) on the other side of the Divan from the Outer Treasury. The Treasury contains the popular jewels, including the 86-carat Spoonmaker's Diamond, the emerald-studded Topkapı Dagger, and two uncut emeralds (each weighing about 8 pounds!). Save time by using a Museum Pass or booking a timed ticket online in advance.

Written about in Homer's epic, the Iliad, and long thought to be a figment of the Greek poet's imagination, Troy was, nevertheless, found and subsequently excavated in the 1870s by Heinrich Schliemann. Although the wooden horse outside is a modern nod to Homer's epics, the city walls are truly ancient.

The richness of your experience at Troy will depend on your own knowledge (or imagination) or the knowledge and English-language skills of a guide. You might find the site highly evocative, with its remnants of massive, rough-hewn walls and its strategic views over the coastal plains—where the battles of the Trojan War were supposedly fought—to the sea. Or you might consider it an unimpressive row of trenches with piles of earth and stone.

A site plan shows the general layout of the city, which is surprisingly small, and marks the beginning of a signposted path leading to key features from several historical periods. The best-preserved features are from the Roman city, with its bouleuterion (council chamber), the site's most complete structure, and small theater.

Süleyman the Magnificent commissioned Sinan to build this grandiose stone palace overlooking the Hippodrome in about 1520 for his brother-in-law, the grand vizier Ibrahim Pasha, and it is one of the most important surviving examples of secular Ottoman architecture from its time. It now houses the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts, which has an exceptional collection of Islamic art and artifacts dating from the 7th through 20th century, including lavishly illustrated Korans and other calligraphic manuscripts; intricate metalwork; wood and stone carvings; an astrolabe from the 1200s; colorful ceramics; religious relics and artifacts, including an elaborate hajj certificate and device for determining the direction of Mecca; and one of the world's most highly regarded troves of antique carpets.

The highest fairy chimney in Cappadocia, Uçhisar Kalesi has the most spectacular views in the area, save those from a hot-air balloon. Called "Uçhisar Castle" in Turkish, the giant rock outcrop was used as a fortress in the late Byzantine and early Ottoman periods, and it was later inhabited by locals. The striking formation is riddled with rock-cut dwellings, giving it a Swiss-cheese look, but it was evacuated in the 1960s when erosion put everything in danger of collapse, and the structure was declared a disaster zone (residents were moved to safer homes in the surrounding area). The top of Uçhisar Kalesi—reached by a steep climb on recently installed steps with good traction—is a beautiful spot to watch the sunset. On a clear day, you can see all the way to Mt. Erciyes, 57 km (36 miles) away.

The major problem with the site of Byzantium was the lack of fresh water. So, for the city to grow, a great system of aqueducts and cisterns was built, the most famous of which is the Basilica Cistern, whose present form dates from the reign of Justinian in the 6th century. A journey through this ancient underground waterway takes you along dimly lit walkways that weave around 336 marble columns rising 26 feet to support Byzantine arches and domes, from which water drips unceasingly. The two most famous columns feature upturned Medusa heads. The cistern was always kept full as a precaution against long sieges, and fish, presumably descendants of those that arrived in Byzantine times, still flit through the dark waters. A hauntingly beautiful oasis of cool, shadowed, cathedral-like stillness (with Turkish instrumental music playing softly in the background), the cistern is a particularly relaxing place to get away from the hubbub of the Old City. Come early to avoid the long lines and have a more peaceful visit. This site is closed for renovations as of spring 2022. Check the website for updates.

Juxtaposing simple form, inspired stone carving, and spectacular tile work, this mosque is among the finest in Turkey. Work on the building was completed in 1420, during the reign of Mehmet I Çelebi (ruled 1413–21). Its beauty begins in the marble entryway, where complex feathery patterns and calligraphy are carved into the stone; inside is a sea of blue and green İznik tiles. The central hall rests under two shallow domes; in the one near the entrance, an oculus sends down a beam of sunlight at midday, illuminating a fountain delicately carved from a single piece of marble. The mihrab (prayer niche) towers almost 50 feet and is covered with stunning tiles and intricate carvings. On a level above the main doorway is the sultan's loge, lavishly decorated and tiled.

What claims to be the largest mosaic museum in the world houses a stunning collection of Roman-era mosaics rescued from a nearby archaeological site called Zeugma, which was previously submerged under the waters of a man-made lake. The intricate mosaics—some portraying scenes from Roman mythology, others more artistic geometric designs—are dazzling to behold. The fragment of a mosaic depicting a young woman with an enigmatic gaze (called "The Gypsy Girl") is quickly earning Mona Lisa–like iconic status across Turkey. Many of the mosaics depict less common myths, such as that of Achilles, hidden by his mother before the Trojan War and disguised in women's clothing but tricked into showing interest in a sword, and Parthenope and Metiochus, the Romeo and Juliet of the ancient world. Destruction by illegal excavations is also highlighted, and several of the mosaics on display did time in private collections in the United States before being recovered.