City: Turkey
Top Things to do in Turkey
Top Hotels in Turkey
- 1. Romance Istanbul Hotel
- 2. Conrad Istanbul Bosphorus
- 3. Concorde De Luxe Resort
- 4. Lara Barut Collection
- 5. Hilton Istanbul Bomonti Hotel & Conference Center
- 6. Hotel Yasmak Sultan
- 7. White House Hotel Istanbul
- 8. Kayakapi Premium Caves - Cappadocia
- 9. Swissotel The Bosphorus, Istanbul
- 10. Hotel Sultania
The 10 Best Historic Sites in Turkey, Turkey
Turkey (Turkish: Türkiye [ˈtyɾcije]), officially the Republic of Turkey (Turkish: Türkiye Cumhuriyeti [ˈtyɾcije d͡ʒumˈhuɾijeti] ( listen)), is a transcontinental country in Eurasia, mainly in Anatolia in Western Asia, with a smaller portion on the Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. Turkey is bordered by eight countries with Greece and Bulgaria to the northwest; Georgia to the northeast; Armenia, the Azerbaijan and Iran to the east; and Iraq and Syria to the south. The country is encircled by seas on three sides with the Aegean Sea to the west, the Black Sea to the north, and the Mediterranean Sea to the south. The Bosphorus, the Sea of Marmara, and the Dardanelles, which together form the Turkish Straits, divide Thrace and Anatolia and separate Europe and Asia. Ankara is the capital while Istanbul is the country's largest city and main cultural and commercial centre, classified as a leading global city.
Restaurants in Turkey
1. Mount Nemrut
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 552 reviews
Reviewed By ninad901 - Adiyaman, Turkey
We went by car and the road was so scary till we reached up the hill , after we took the service bus to reach a special area from where we had to walk on a very long stairs it was nice but hot weather . It's hard for kids to do it but my daughter did it . You can see how big those rocks are and very high. You must ask when the next bus is otherwise you have to wait . That time was every half an hour. Too many local people go there for sport to refresh their selves . There is a restaurant idea cream some food and cold drinks .
2. Goreme National Park
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 4,139 reviews
Reviewed By localfoodiebih - Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
We visited Goreme in Oktober 2019. It was part of our honeymoon trip and we are still sad because we didnt spent at least couple days more at this magical place. We have heard about is before we came, we saw photos and videos, but believe me you cannot describe how beautiful this place is. It is perfect in September or October to visit since during the summer it is too hot. You can stay at cave hotels, visit open air museum, take one of the tours to visit couple more villages and underground cities and learn more about their tradition, culture and history of course. Prepare yourself to wake up early in the morning and visit Point of View place (ask locals) about directions and enjoy the view over the valley lighten by morning sun and hot air ballons.
3. Anzac Cove
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 274 reviews
Reviewed By 375barriel - Hampshire, United Kingdom
such a beautiful place, but such a tragic history, you don't need to be a history/war buff to get a true feeling for this place, tours on this site are greatly enhanced by having a guide that is well versed on the story of Gallipoli, the sites are well looked after Please remember these are war graves and treat the site with the respect it deserves
4. Hagia Sophia
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 43,620 reviews
This architectural marvel displays 30 million gold tiles throughout its interior, and a wide, flat dome which was a bold engineering feat at the time it was constructed in the 6th century.
Reviewed By AnLily
The Hagia Sophia Church-turned Mosque deserves a second look. Often, you need to look up & behind (at the exit and corner of upstairs former chapel) to spot the beauty that Islamic conquerors forgot or ignored in stripping its decor. Sadly, they plastered over the pure gold & silver Byzantine mosaics, which are only palely visible now. (The glowing ceiling and radiant upper walls of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem shows what the Hagia Sophia once would have looked like by brilliant candlelight inside.) The Byzantine influence of the Hagia Sophia is great; its architecture was copied by Ottomans and can be seen at the Blue Mosque (Sultanahmet) in Istanbul and in Cairo (“Blue Mosque” as well) at the Fortress governed by Mohamed Ali. Aside from the similarities, including windows and dome at the succeeding blue mosques, differences to the mosque-cathedrals revised by North African Caliphates in Cordoba also astound visitors. Whereas the archways and simplicity of Spanish architecture on the conquered Iberian peninsula resemble ancient Egyptian Coptic churches, the Hagia Sophia has an intricacy that dimly appears after centuries of contest. You miss the most impressive views by not taking the ancient Roman uneven ramp to the upper gallery (with jewellery stand!); it closes early and is only accessible until approximately 6 p.m. Beyond the Empress Lodge upstairs is the 6th century marble door, behind which is a handrail with 9th c. Viking graffiti. On the arches above are mosaic stars of David flanking emblems of crosses. If you proceed to the far wall and look back there’s an impressive Byzantine image of Jesus retained in gold. However, the marble was largely damaged by Ottomans and the statuary looted by Crusaders and Venetians. A portion of the mosaics (6-13 c) are being uncovered from behind imposing scaffolding. This Hagia Sophia beside Sultanahmet in Iznik (Nicaea) was built during the reign of Emperor Theodosius and burned in the fire of Nika Revolt (532 AD) before being rebuilt. It was the site of the 7th ecumenical Church council in 787 CE (the first was also held there in 325 CE). It became strictly used as a mosque from 1331 under order of Orhan Gazi and modified with medallions or script of Koran inspiration by the architect Mimar Sinan. The remains of a 1,600-year old Byzantine basilica, St. Neophytos, is nearby--preserved as a museum under Iznik Lake as an inspiration of the original Hagia Sophia cathedral. In 1453 Mahmud II made severe changes to Hagia Sophia, the ancient base of the Orthodox Church, when he forced out the local Ecumenical faithful and hung the Greek patriarch George V—as well as executing the leading Orthodox bishops. Subsequent Muslim renovations continued 1847-49 during Abdulmecit’s reign. The Hagia Sophia was reconstituted as Museum under secularized state control after Ataturk ascended to power in postwar Turkey. General admission to the museum costs 60 TL/person. The ticket office accepts visa, as does the gift- and coffee shop. You can purchase a 5-day pass for 185 TL to save 169 TL on other attractions as well. Headsets are limited and available only for large groups. The last daily entry time is 6 p.m, and snack counters sell expensive refreshments outside the public washrooms (wood huts) on the museum grounds. If you have time and cash-only, the Basilica cistern is kitty corner to the Hagia Sophia entrance across the street /tram tracks. Combining these venues and/or the Blue Mosque nearby can be simply enjoyed with or without a guide. Tourist pamphlets in multiple languages are oddly placed beside the exit gates, not at the front of the former church and basilica.
5. Castle of St. Peter
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2,454 reviews
This imposing structure, built by the Knights of St. John in the early 15th century, is the most prominent feature of Bodrum.
Reviewed By Tipperarytom1974
This magnificent castle is more like a mini medieval city. Imposing and magestic it is simply one of the best preserved and fascinating castles I’ve been to the layout and sheer size is awesome definitely take a couple of hours to explore and get lost in its amazing history a must if your in Bodrum
6. Goreme Open-Air Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 6,764 reviews
One of the top attractions in the region, this outdoor museum contains the remains of many churches carved into the famous Cappadocia stone. Of note are the many excellent frescoes that can be seen when exploring the various structures.
Reviewed By wheretonau - New York City, United States
Cappadocia-- Located in central Turkey is known for its distinctive " fairy chimneys," tall, cone-shaped rock formations clustered in Göreme and near by valleys. This by far has been one of my favorite places to visit, with a moon like landscape, underground cities, cave churches daiting back to the Byzantine era and houses carved in the rocks! This region took my breath away...
7. City Walls
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 255 reviews
These four-gated walls were restored in 349 AD during the reign of Constantinus III of Rome, and they surround the old part of the city. They are also famed for being the second largest walls in the world after the Great Wall of China.
Reviewed By EdinKrnic - Tuzi, Montenegro
I found several different stores about this wall about length and gates. I visited several gates and Mardin kapı is my favorite
8. Mevlana Muzesi
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2,486 reviews
Reviewed By carolas936 - Marietta, United States
This museum (and pilgrimage center) commemorates the teachings of Celaleddin Rumi (later known as Mevlâna = my master). Rumi was a 13th-century Persian poet, Islamic scholar, theologian, and Sufi mystic originally from northeast Iran, but his influence transcends national borders and ethnic divisions. Rumi's works are written mostly in Persian, and occasionally in Turkish, Arabic, and Greek; his Masnavi (Mathnawi), composed in Konya, is considered one of the greatest poems of the Persian language. His works are widely read today by Iranians, Tajiks, Turks, Greeks, Pashtuns, other Central Asian Muslims. His teachings inspired the whirling dervishes. The pilgrimage site is surrounded by a garden; entry is through the Dervişan Kapısı (Gate of the Dervishes). The courtyard has an ablutions fountain in the center, with Rumi's mausoleum to the left and a former whirling dervish lodge to the right (which has been converted into a museum). At the entrance to the mausoleum, the Ottoman silver door bears the inscription, "Those who enter here incomplete will come out perfect". An outer room contains six sarcophagi belong to religious supporters who followed Rumi from Afghanistan. The sumptuously-decorated inner room (under the fluted dome) contains the tombs of Mevlâna (the largest), flanked by his son Sultan Veled and those of other eminent dervishes. They are all covered in beautifully embroidered velvet shrouds; Mevlâna's and Veled 's bear huge turbans, symbols of spiritual authority. Mevlâna's tomb dates from Seljuk times. The mosque and semahane (hall where whirling ceremonies were held), were added later by Ottoman sultans (Mehmet the Conqueror was a Mevlevi adherent and Süleyman the Magnificent made charitable donations to the order). The semahane to the left of the sepulchral chamber contains exhibits such as the original copy of the Mathnawi, Mevlâna's cape and other clothing, a 9th-century gazelle-skin Christian manuscript, a tiny copy of the Koran, and a casket containing strands of Mohammed's beard. The matbah (kitchen) of the lodge is in the southwest corner of the courtyard. It is furnished as it would have been in Mevlâna's day, with mannequins dressed as dervishes. The cells where the dervishes lived run along the northern and western sides of the courtyard. Inside are a host of ethnographic displays elucidating dervish life. Beside the museum is the Selimiye Cami, with a fluted dome of turquoise tiles. A visit early on a weekday can avoid some of the crowds visiting later in the day. The museum is open from 9am to 6pm (closes at 5pm Oct to Apr), with no entry fee; audio guide ₺10). Visitors to the mausoleum must don shoe coverings (provided free of charge) as a sign of respect.
9. Koza Hani
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,090 reviews
This marketplace consists mainly of merchants selling silks and brocades.
Reviewed By carlomG1024ZO - Riccione, Italy
Nice place for buy more manufacturers on silk made on Bursa. More friendly the town Only 1 Toelette price 2LT Coffee and tea in the bars on the place in the center of old market
10. Muradiye Complex
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 118 reviews
This complex located within a park in the city center was constructed by Sultan Murat II between 1424 and 1426 and was composed of a mosque, theology school, hamam and 12 tombs.
Reviewed By NicJBoston - Brookline, United States
Do not on any account miss a visit to Muradiye while in Bursa - only a short taxi ride away. The complex is not the only attraction there, but it comprises a museum in an old madrasa and a huge outdoor collection of tombstones as well as the dozen or so mausoleums themselves. These are mostly - and spectacularly - painted inside, with fine new painting following that discovered on the original walls. Free.
