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Must-include attractions sorted by popularity
Most popular attractions in Turkey
1. Hagia Sophia
Istanbul
Quick facts: An immense dome floats like a giant halo above the vast interior, captivating visitors with its sheer scale and the intricate mosaics that narrate centuries of layered history. Whispering echoes tell stories of emperors and sultans, blending architectural brilliance with religious transformation across ages.
Highlights: A fascinating fact is that the massive dome, measuring approximately 31 meters in diameter, floats above the structure thanks to a ring of 40 windows that flood the interior with ethereal light, creating the illusion of the dome hovering in mid-air. The walls are a breathtaking mosaic mix of Christian iconography and Islamic calligraphy, reflecting its unique history as a cathedral turned mosque, making every corner a blend of two rich cultures.
2. Topkapı Palace
Istanbul
Quick facts: Imagine stepping into the private world of sultans, where a maze of ornate gates, tiled pavilions, and quiet courtyards held the pulse of imperial life. Courtyards open onto sprawling service wings and the imperial kitchens, where massive copper cauldrons and rows of brass implements hint at feasts once prepared for thousands.
Highlights: Four main courtyards unfold like chapters, each shifting from sunlit public reception to intimate gardens framed by Iznik tilework that shimmers under the sun. A pear-shaped gem known as the Spoonmaker's Diamond, weighing about 86 carats, sits under thick glass in the treasury, its facets throwing quick, startling flashes of light across the room.
3. Göreme Open-Air Museum
Göreme
Quick facts: More than 30 rock-cut churches and chapels sit among cone-shaped pinnacles, so wandering here feels like moving through a sculpted, honeycombed world. Vivid frescoes still wrap around columns and ceilings, with saints painted in jewel tones that catch the light even through narrow window slits.
Highlights: Step into the so-called 'Dark Church' and you'll find cobalt blues and cinnabar reds so intense they seem to glow, preserved by a dim slit window that kept the pigments from bleaching. A nearby nunnery chapel hides tiny hand-painted inscriptions in Greek and Armenian that you often only spot by crouching close and angling your head to catch a slant of light.
Book a FREE walking tour in Turkey
The best way to experience a city with a local tour guide.
Tip: We strongly recommend a free walking tour on your first day to get to know the city with a local guide. They usually cover all main attractions and you can ask for personal recommendations based on your interests for the next days. Book early as spaces fill up fast!
4. Pamukkale & Hierapolis
Denizli
Quick facts: Snow-white travertine terraces shimmer like frozen waterfalls, fed by hot, calcium-rich springs that leave behind thick chalky deposits. You can stroll across warm, smooth limestone and explore marble columns, a vast theater, and a necropolis that hint at centuries of thermal bathing and healing.
Highlights: At sunrise the white terraces glow soft pink while steam rises from 35–40°C pools, and bare feet sink into silky mineral-rich water that crunches faintly underfoot. An on-site thermal pool contains submerged Greco-Roman columns, and archaeologists have documented more than 1,200 graves in the nearby necropolis, making the experience feel like swimming through layers of history.
5. Ephesus — Library of Celsus
Selçuk
Quick facts: A soaring marble façade once sheltered roughly 12,000 scrolls, which made it one of the most important libraries in the ancient Mediterranean. Worn footsteps echo on the wide marble steps, and you can still make out carved female statues standing in niches that used to flank the reading hall.
Highlights: A funerary chamber is tucked behind the main wall, holding the sarcophagus of Tiberius Julius Celsus Polemaeanus, so the site doubles as a monumental tomb as well as a library. Conservation teams reassembled thousands of original stone fragments during a re-creation in the 1970s, so when light slants across the façade you can see faint tool marks and subtle color differences that betray the original hands that carved the reliefs.
6. Kaleiçi — Antalya Old Town
Antalya
Quick facts: Narrow cobblestone lanes ripple like a maze, packed with Ottoman-era wooden houses painted in pale blues and ochres. A restored Roman harbor wall and Hadrian's Gate sit within walking distance, so you can hop from ancient ruins to lively cafés in under ten minutes.
Highlights: Listen closely on warm evenings and you'll catch the clink of tea glasses, saz music, and the citrusy scent of orange blossom drifting from hidden gardens. In one tucked-away courtyard a family-run shoemaker still stitches about 20 leather sandals by hand each week, trading neighborhood gossip while customers sip strong cardamom coffee.
7. Mount Nemrut
Kahta
Quick facts: Giant stone heads and seated gods crown a windswept summit, their cracked faces and toppled torsos scattered across terraces like a ruined royal audience. Sunrise draws most visitors, the thin air frosting your breath and the low light carving every weathered detail into stark silhouettes.
Highlights: At roughly 2,150 meters above sea level, three carved terraces stage a dramatic play of shadow and light, with the east terrace glowing pink at dawn while the west turns bronze at sunset. Local guides say King Antiochus I placed a tumulus about 50 meters across at the center and arranged Greek, Persian and Armenian figures around it, so you can almost sense the intended royal spectacle as wind and light animate each carved face.
8. Troy
Çanakkale
Quick facts: Archaeologists have uncovered at least nine successive towns stacked one atop another, so walking the mounds feels like flipping through a layered history book. A life-sized wooden-horse replica looms near battered fortifications, and you can still find fragments of painted plaster and iron nails when you peer into the trenches.
Highlights: Heinrich Schliemann's dramatic excavations brought to light 'Priam's Treasure', a hoard of gold and silver that later sparked international debates over ownership. Step into the trenches as morning light warms the stones, the air smells of baked clay and wild thyme, and the nine major habitation layers reveal different colors and textures that make the past feel unexpectedly tactile.
9. Sumela Monastery
Maçka
Quick facts: Perched on a sheer limestone cliff about 300 meters above a lush valley, the monastery looks as if someone carved rooms straight out of the rock. You can still spot vividly colored frescoes inside tiny chapels, and the narrow stone stairways make exploring feel a little adventurous.
Highlights: One chamber stacks frescoes in three distinct tiers, some human-sized figures reach over two meters tall, making the painted saints seem to loom from the cliff face. A faint, steady drip from a nearby spring and the smell of wet stone and beeswaxed candles create a cool, churchy atmosphere that makes the wall colors feel unexpectedly alive.
10. Bodrum Castle
Bodrum
Quick facts: Massive stone walls tumble down to a busy harbor, their towers pocked by cannon shot and salt-weathered masonry that hints at naval battles and trade. Inside, a world-class underwater archaeology collection displays thousands of shipwreck finds, from amphora fragments to bronze anchors.
Highlights: Artifacts from the Uluburun shipwreck, recovered by archaeologists, include thousands of glass beads, dozens of Canaanite jars and a cargo linked to the 14th century BCE, giving you a direct tactile connection to Bronze Age sailors. Climbing the battlements at sunset rewards your nose with salt and tar, your ears with gull calls, and your eyes with eight stone towers catching molten light above the harbor.
Additional popular things to do in Turkey
Curated tours, tickets, and activities recommended by travelers
Traditional Sweet Dishes
Baklava
Layers of thin phyllo pastry, chopped pistachios or walnuts, and sweet syrup make baklava instantly recognizable, it became widely popular in the Ottoman court and remains a centerpiece of celebrations.
Künefe
Künefe is a hot dessert of shredded kadayıf pastry layered with melted cheese and drenched in syrup, it is especially associated with the Hatay region and prized for its contrast of crunchy and gooey textures.
Lokum (Turkish Delight)
Lokum is a gelatinous, rosewater or citrus flavored candy often studded with nuts, it has been made in Turkey for centuries and is commonly given as a traditional gift.
Traditional Savory Dishes
Döner Kebap
Döner is sliced meat cooked on a rotating vertical spit, it originated in Ottoman-era Bursa and later became one of Turkey's most famous street foods around the world.
Adana Kebab
Adana kebab is a spicy hand-minced lamb skewer named after the city of Adana, it is known for its bold red pepper seasoning and smoky char from open-fire grilling.
Börek
Börek is a flaky savory pastry made from yufka or phyllo and filled with cheese, meat, or vegetables, it traces back to Ottoman cuisine and is eaten for breakfast, snacks, and gatherings.
Traditional Beverages
Çay (Turkish Tea)
Çay is strong black tea brewed in a double teapot and served in tulip-shaped glasses, it is central to Turkish hospitality and social life across the country.
Turkish Coffee
Turkish coffee is finely ground, unfiltered coffee brewed to produce a thick, strong cup with grounds in the bottom, it is recognized by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage and often used for fortune telling.
Ayran
Ayran is a simple salted yogurt drink that is refreshingly cooling, it is commonly paired with grilled meats and is considered one of Turkey's national drinks.
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Day trips
Cappadocia (Göreme / Nevşehir)
Fairy chimneys, cave churches, hot-air balloons at sunrise.
Google MapsSafranbolu
Well preserved Ottoman town, cobbled streets, traditional houses.
Google MapsHattusa (Boğazkale)
Ancient Hittite capital, impressive ruins and rock reliefs.
Google MapsBeypazarı
Historic market town, traditional architecture, local cuisine.
Google MapsComments (5)
Skip restaurants on Sultanahmet square, walk two blocks off the tourist strip for authentic food and half the price. Ask locals for recommendations.
Coastal towns are beautiful, yet July felt like a festival every day. Beaches packed, prices up, and sleep was noisy. Go shoulder season.
Buy an Istanbulkart at the airport, reloadable and much cheaper than single fares. Ferries beat rush-hour traffic and give great views.
Cappadocia balloon sunrise is unreal, but overall Turkey surprised me: amazing food, chaotic bazaars, friendly people. Ten days felt right.
Loved the kebabs and çay, but Istanbul can be overwhelming with crowds and noisy nights. Taxis sometimes try to overcharge, so haggle.
Getting there
Airports
Train stations
High-speed trains to Istanbul, Konya, Sivas; regional connections
Marmaray commuter line, links to European rail services and buses
From Esenboğa, take the Havaş shuttle or taxi to central Ankara, allow 30-60 minutes.
Click to get eSim for Turkey
The easiest and most affordable way to get mobile internet wherever you travel.
Rent a car in Turkey
Visa & entry
EU countries, United States, United Kingdom, Japan, South Korea, Canada, Australia, Gulf states
Many African countries, some South Asian countries; check nationality-specific rules
Many travelers can use Turkey's e-Visa system; check requirements and apply before travel.