Top 100 places to visit in Turkey
100 must-see places and attractions in Turkey, from famous landmarks to hidden gems, each with a map and photos.
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100 places
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1Religious site
Hagia Sophia
6th-century Byzantine cathedral turned mosque, whose vast dome shaped religious architecture for centuries.
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2Archaeological site
Göreme Open-Air Museum
Cluster of rock-cut monasteries and churches with Byzantine frescoes in Cappadocia's fairy-chimney landscape.
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3Archaeological site
Ephesus
Vast Greco-Roman city with the Library of Celsus, a great theatre and marble streets.
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4Nature & national park
Pamukkale and Hierapolis
White travertine terraces of mineral pools beside the ruins of the Roman spa city of Hierapolis.
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5Castle & palace
Topkapi Palace
Ottoman sultans' palace for nearly four centuries, with courtyards, the Harem and imperial treasures.
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6Religious site
Blue Mosque
Early 17th-century Sultan Ahmed Mosque, known for its six minarets and blue Iznik tiles.
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7Market & shopping
Grand Bazaar
One of the oldest and largest covered markets, with thousands of shops in vaulted streets.
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8Historic site
Basilica Cistern
6th-century underground reservoir of marble columns, including two Medusa-head column bases.
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9Archaeological site
Mount Nemrut
Mountaintop tomb-sanctuary of King Antiochus I, with colossal stone heads of gods and kings.
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10Archaeological site
Göbekli Tepe
Prehistoric hilltop sanctuary of carved stone pillars dating back around 11,000 years.
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11Religious site
Süleymaniye Mosque
Sinan's 16th-century masterpiece for Suleiman the Magnificent, on a hill above the Golden Horn.
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12Lake & river
Bosphorus
Strait dividing Europe and Asia, lined with palaces, fortresses and wooden waterside mansions.
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13
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14Landmark
Anıtkabir
Monumental mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, founder of the Turkish Republic, with a museum.
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15Coast & beach
Ölüdeniz
Sheltered lagoon and beach beneath Babadağ mountain, a popular paragliding landing spot.
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16Castle & palace
Dolmabahçe Palace
19th-century Ottoman palace on the Bosphorus combining European styles, where Atatürk died.
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17Religious site
Sumela Monastery
Greek Orthodox monastery built into a sheer cliff face in a forested valley.
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18Archaeological site
Ani
Ruined medieval Armenian capital of churches and walls on a plateau at the Armenian border.
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19Archaeological site
Aspendos
Roman theatre of the 2nd century AD, among the best preserved of the ancient world.
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20Old town & city
Kaleiçi
Antalya's walled old quarter of Ottoman houses, Hadrian's Gate and a Roman harbour.
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21Museum & gallery
Mevlana Museum
Mausoleum of the Sufi mystic Rumi and former lodge of the whirling dervishes.
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22Museum & gallery
Istanbul Archaeological Museums
Three museums holding the Alexander Sarcophagus and finds from across the former Ottoman lands.
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23Landmark
Galata Tower
Medieval Genoese stone tower with a viewing gallery over the Golden Horn and old city.
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24Religious site
Chora Church
Byzantine church, now the Kariye Mosque, with outstanding 14th-century mosaics and frescoes.
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25Market & shopping
Spice Bazaar
17th-century covered market near Eminönü selling spices, sweets, dried fruit and tea.
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26Archaeological site
Pergamon
Hellenistic acropolis with a steep theatre, plus the Asklepieion healing centre below.
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27Archaeological site
Aphrodisias
Well-preserved city of the goddess Aphrodite, with a large stadium and a museum of sculpture.
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28Historic site
Derinkuyu Underground City
Multi-level underground city carved into soft rock, once able to shelter thousands of people.
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29Old town & city
Mardin Old Town
Honey-coloured stone town of mosques, madrasas and churches overlooking the Mesopotamian plain.
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30Old town & city
Safranbolu
UNESCO-listed Ottoman town of timber-framed mansions, old caravanserais and bazaars.
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31Museum & gallery
Museum of Anatolian Civilizations
Museum of Anatolian archaeology from the Palaeolithic through Hittite and Phrygian eras.
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32Nature & national park
Ihlara Valley
Canyon along the Melendiz river with rock-cut Byzantine churches and a riverside walking trail.
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33Religious site
Cathedral of the Holy Cross, Akdamar
10th-century Armenian church with carved biblical reliefs on an island in Lake Van.
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34Castle & palace
Ishak Pasha Palace
18th-century palace blending Ottoman, Persian and Armenian styles on a hill below Mount Ararat.
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35Archaeological site
Hattusa
Capital of the Hittite Empire, with the Lion Gate and the rock sanctuary of Yazılıkaya.
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36Coast & beach
Kaputaş Beach
Small sandy cove at the mouth of a gorge on the coast road between Kaş and Kalkan.
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37Archaeological site
Kekova
Bay of submerged Lycian ruins, the castle village of Simena and island coves, seen by boat.
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38Neighbourhood & street
Istiklal Avenue
Pedestrian street from Taksim to Galata with a historic tram, arcades and churches.
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39Neighbourhood & street
Balat
Historic Golden Horn district of colourful houses, synagogues and churches.
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40Mountain & viewpoint
Uçhisar Castle
Towering rock outcrop honeycombed with rooms, the highest viewpoint over central Cappadocia.
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41Religious site
Selimiye Mosque
Sinan's 16th-century mosque in Edirne, considered the culmination of his work.
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42Religious site
Balıklıgöl
Sacred fish pools associated with the Prophet Abraham, ringed by mosques and gardens.
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43Museum & gallery
Zeugma Mosaic Museum
Museum of Roman mosaics from ancient Zeugma, including the famous 'Gypsy Girl'.
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44Nature & national park
Saklıkent Gorge
Narrow canyon where visitors wade through cold river water between high rock walls.
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45Historic site
Gallipoli Peninsula
Historical national park of First World War battlefields, memorials and cemeteries.
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46Religious site
House of the Virgin Mary
Chapel on a wooded hill venerated by Christians and Muslims as Mary's last home.
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47Castle & palace
Bodrum Castle
Crusader Castle of St Peter housing the Museum of Underwater Archaeology.
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48Mountain & viewpoint
Mount Ararat
Snow-capped volcano and Turkey's highest peak, linked in tradition with Noah's Ark.
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49Lake & river
Lake Van
Turkey's largest lake, a vast soda lake ringed by volcanic mountains in the east.
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50Archaeological site
Termessos
Mountain-top Pisidian city with a theatre perched high above the surrounding national park.
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51Archaeological site
Perge
Greco-Roman city with a colonnaded street, stadium and Hellenistic gate towers.
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52Archaeological site
Side
Resort town built among ancient ruins, including a seafront Temple of Apollo.
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53Coast & beach
Butterfly Valley
Steep-sided valley and beach reached mainly by boat, a protected habitat for butterflies.
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54Coast & beach
Patara Beach
Long sandy beach and turtle-nesting site beside the ruins of the Lycian capital Patara.
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55Archaeological site
Xanthos and Letoon
Lycian capital with pillar tombs and the nearby sanctuary of Leto, a joint UNESCO site.
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56Archaeological site
Myra
Ancient city with a cliff face of Lycian rock tombs and a large Roman theatre.
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57Religious site
Church of St Nicholas
Byzantine church where St Nicholas, the inspiration for Santa Claus, served as bishop.
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58Archaeological site
Olympos and Chimaera
Overgrown ancient city by a beach, near the eternal gas flames of Yanartaş.
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59Archaeological site
Temple of Apollo at Didyma
Oracle sanctuary with the colossal columns of one of the largest Hellenistic temples.
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60Archaeological site
Priene
Hillside Hellenistic city laid out on a grid plan, with a fine Temple of Athena.
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61Archaeological site
Miletus
Ancient Ionian port city now inland, with a large theatre and the Baths of Faustina.
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62Old town & city
Şirince
Hill village of old Greek houses among vineyards, known for its fruit wines.
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63Market & shopping
Kemeraltı Bazaar
Historic market district of İzmir with mosques, hans and busy shopping streets.
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64Old town & city
Alaçatı
Aegean town of stone houses, windmills and boutiques, known for windsurfing.
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65Archaeological site
Assos
Temple of Athena on a hilltop above a small harbour facing the island of Lesbos.
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66
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67Island
Princes' Islands
Car-free islands in the Sea of Marmara with wooden Victorian-era mansions and pine woods.
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68Religious site
Bursa Grand Mosque
Early Ottoman mosque with twenty domes and a fountain inside its prayer hall.
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69Religious site
Green Mosque and Green Tomb
Early 15th-century mosque and mausoleum famed for their turquoise-green tilework.
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70Old town & city
Cumalıkızık
Early Ottoman village of timber houses and cobbled lanes at the foot of Uludağ.
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71Archaeological site
Çatalhöyük
Neolithic town mound of mud-brick houses, among the earliest large settlements known.
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72Religious site
Divriği Great Mosque and Hospital
13th-century complex famous for the elaborate stone carving of its portals.
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73Lake & river
Lake Salda
Crater-like lake with white carbonate shores and turquoise water, a protected area.
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74Archaeological site
Sagalassos
Roman city high in the Taurus Mountains, with a restored Antonine fountain.
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75Religious site
Mor Gabriel Monastery
Syriac Orthodox monastery founded in 397, one of the oldest active monasteries.
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76Old town & city
Midyat
Tur Abdin town of ornate honey-coloured stone houses, churches and silversmiths.
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77
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78Historic site
Harran
Village of traditional beehive houses beside the ruins of an ancient university and citadel.
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79Historic site
Diyarbakır City Walls and Hevsel Gardens
Massive basalt fortifications above the Tigris valley gardens, a UNESCO site.
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80
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81Religious site
Hagia Sophia of Trabzon
13th-century Byzantine church with vivid frescoes overlooking the Black Sea.
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82Nature & national park
Kaçkar Mountains National Park
Alpine range with high pastures such as Ayder, glacial lakes and trekking routes.
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83Old town & city
Amasya
Riverside town of Ottoman houses below cliffs carved with tombs of the Pontic kings.
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84Historic site
Çifte Minareli Medrese
13th-century Seljuk theological college with twin fluted minarets.
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85Nature & national park
Yedigöller National Park
Forested park of seven small lakes, known for its autumn colours.
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86Religious site
Rüstem Pasha Mosque
Small Sinan mosque above the market streets, lined with some of the finest Iznik tiles.
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87Museum & gallery
Istanbul Modern
Museum of modern and contemporary Turkish art in a waterfront building at Karaköy.
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88Landmark
Maiden's Tower
Small tower on an islet off Üsküdar, restored and open as a museum with Bosphorus views.
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89Neighbourhood & street
Kadıköy
Lively Asian-side district with a food market, cafés and waterfront promenade.
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90Historic site
Theodosian Walls
5th-century land walls of Constantinople stretching from the Sea of Marmara to the Golden Horn.
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91Religious site
Eyüp Sultan Mosque
Important pilgrimage mosque built at the tomb of a companion of the Prophet Muhammad.
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92Old town & city
İznik
Lakeside town, ancient Nicaea, with Roman walls, a Byzantine church and a tile-making tradition.
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93Castle & palace
Alanya Castle
Seljuk fortress with long walls on a rocky peninsula above the harbour.
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94Nature & national park
Köprülü Canyon
National park with a river canyon crossed by a Roman bridge, popular for rafting.
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95Castle & palace
Anamur Castle
Well-preserved medieval coastal fortress with towers standing directly on the beach.
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96Nature & national park
Heaven and Hell Sinkholes
Two deep collapsed sinkholes, one with a Byzantine chapel at its entrance.
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97Archaeological site
Kaunos
Ancient city near Dalyan, known for temple-fronted rock tombs carved above the river.
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98Coast & beach
İztuzu Beach
Long sandbar beach between river and sea, a protected loggerhead turtle nesting site.
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99Archaeological site
Knidos
Ancient city at the tip of the Datça peninsula with two harbours and a theatre.
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100Neighbourhood & street
Odunpazarı
Historic quarter of restored Ottoman houses, craft workshops and a modern art museum.
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