Turkey is overflowing with fascinating sites making it a great destination for your next vacation. Many have said that Turkey is one large museum, and we couldn’t agree more. But, in addition to the many historical sites throughout the country, we also found a large array of spectacular natural settings. In some places these two combine to give us sites that are almost too dream-like to believe.
After spending three months travelling across the country we have come up with our Top Sites to Visit in Turkey. If you’re looking for Travel Tips for Turkey you can find them at the bottom of the post or click on the link.
1. Cappadocia
The name Cappadocia evokes images of a bizarre landscape that includes top-heavy hoodoos, rock-cut churches and colourful rockbound canyons. Those images that your mind has created are not far from reality. In fact there are so many magical places to visit in Cappadocia, that we presented it in three posts.
Click on the links to read about Cappadocia’s Fairytale Towns, Hiking in the Valleys and Rock-Cut Monasteries.
2. Istanbul
Istanbul is a vibrant city with an extensive and rich history and should be near the top of your list when you visit Turkey. From grand mosques and palaces to a lively waterfront there are so many sites to see in the city that we spread it across three posts.
Click on the links to read more about Istanbul’s Mosques, Palaces and Waterfronts.
3. Mount Nemrut
Built in the 1st century BCE, a narcissistic king placed massive statues of himself as well as Greek, Persian and Armenian gods on top of a mountain. Today, those statues are spread out in a haphazard arrangement, but somehow this disorganized mess made us like them even more.
To read about visiting this special place read our post Ancient Statues on Mount Nemrut.
4. Mardin
Limestone buildings cascade down the rocky hill, tumbling to the Mesopotamian Plain far below. Between these heritage homes, a labyrinth of tight cobblestone lanes wind up and down the slope. Today Mardin’s Old Town is a wonderful place that makes you feel as if you’ve stepped back in time.
To read more about this historic city visit our post Mardin’s Medieval Old Town.
In addition to the city, there are several sites that are worth visiting outside of the city. We posted about the day trips to visit historic Syriac Orthodox Churches and monasteries as well as an ancient necropolis and Byzantine ruins.
To read about these sites visit our post Best Day Trips From Mardin.
5. Ephesus
Elegant mosaic floors, marble columns and painted walls hint to the extravagance that was once enjoyed by the wealthy elites of Ephesus. The Terrace Houses, and in fact many of the sites in the ancient city of Ephesus, had us staring in awe at their artistry and grandeur.
To read more about Ephesus and surrounding sites visit our post The Ancient City of Ephesus.
6. Kaş
Not only is Kaş an adorable seaside town, its setting on a historic marine trading route means that its coastline is rich in history. We absolutely loved exploring the gorgeous coast and historic sites around this charming town.
To read more about this beautiful area visit our post The Best of Kaş.
7. Pamukkale
Travertine pools, filled with mineral rich water cascade down the mountain side. This brilliant natural marvel has been a draw for visitors since ancient times. Today, many of the thermal pools of Pamukkale are dry, but this unique display of nature’s artwork is still an awe-inspiring vision. After seeing the travertine pools don’t forget to visit the two ancient cities of Hierapolis and Laodicea.
To read more about this unique landscape and the archeological sites visit our post Pamukkale’s Thermal Pools.
8. Fethiye
The popular tourist city of Fethiye is a great jumping off point for day trips to spots along the Turquoise Coast. From soaking in the sun to hiking the Lycian Way, there are many ways to explore this beautiful area.
For more information on this gorgeous coast read our post Fethiye’s Turquoise Coast.
9. Aegean Coast
Almost as popular as Turkey’s Turquoise Coast, the Aegean Coast offers visitors a little different experience. Although there are plenty of beaches in the area, boating in the Aegean Sea seems like the more popular activity.
To find out more about the cities of Marmaris, Bodrum and Datça visit our post Turkey’s Aegean Coast.
10. Van
Set on the edge of Lake Van in the Armenian highlands in Eastern Turkey, there are a couple of fascinating places to visit in Van. The picturesque Church of the Holy Cross on the edge of Lake Van should be top on your list. After visiting the church stop by the 9th century BCE Van Fortress that sits on the edge of a steep precipice.
If you travel to Eastern Turkey to see Van, considering also visiting the Seljuk architecture in the city of Erzurum.
For more information on Van, read out post Picturesque Lake Van.
Travel Tips For Turkey
To make sure you are prepared for your trip to Turkey, check out these travel tips:
ATM – We found Vakifbank to be the best bank for rates, reliability and acceptance of international bank cards.
Wi-Fi/SIM Cards– Internet coverage is generally very good throughout the country. We bought a SIM card from TurkCell. It had good coverage for a reasonable price. Note though that we often had to use a VPN to access some websites such as Booking.com.
Safety – We spent three months travelling across the country and never felt unsafe. At times though you may be advised to avoid areas close to international borders. When travelling to eastern Turkey you may be required to show your passport at check stops along the highways. Natural disasters such as earthquakes are possible at any time and is likely your largest danger.
When to travel – Typically the best times to visit the county are the spring (April/May) and autumn (September/October). Summer months will be very hot and the winter may be cold enough to snow.
Transportation – Internal flights in Turkey are generally quite inexpensive, but often connect through Istanbul making what should be a short flight much longer. Also note that there are two airports in Istanbul, located on opposite sides of the city. The highways in Turkey are excellent as is their bus system.
Taxis – Taxis are very expensive compared to similar countries and ride-share apps such as Uber have the same price as taxis. Note the price quoted on these ride-shares are only estimates and were always much lower than the actual fee charged.
Language – In Eastern Turkey there are not a lot of English speakers. Google Translate and Google Lens were invaluable in this area. In the more popular tourist areas though, it is easy to communicate in English.
What to Wear – Depending on where you travel in Turkey, your clothing will be different. Eastern Turkey is quite conservative, especially when it comes to women’s attire. In most cities, local women wear long skirts or pants. Short sleeve tops are fine, but sleeveless shouldn’t be worn. Men wear long pants. In Western Turkey, short and sleeveless tops are more acceptable, as are shorts for men and women. Throughout the country mosques require head coverings for women and conservative dress for both men and women.
Food – It’s not the best country for vegetarians, but their sigara boregi (cheese pastry), olives, simit (bagel) are delicious. For meat eaters döners and kebabs are found everywhere. Breakfast was often our favourite meal of the day. They were often served as a private buffet with a selection of delicious cheeses, pastries, eggs, grilled veggies, fruits, olives and spreads.
Beaches – Although it seems to be the main reason for many tourists to travel to Turkey, we were disappointed in the beaches. Almost all were pebble beaches that you can’t walk on barefoot. If they weren’t rocky, the sand was muddy. The views of the coastline from above however, are world class, especially along the Turquoise Coast.
Museums – Entrance fees to museums were frequently increasing during our stay in the country. Prices we listed were as of autumn 2023. It is possible to purchase museum passes that provide discounted fees, but for us they often included sites we were not interested in seeing, or weren’t able to see in the very limited time frame. You can find more information on them here.
To read more of our adventures in Turkey, click here.
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To read about more of our adventures go to Destinations.
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