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Places to visit in Turkey

There is far more to Turkey than the packed holiday resorts. Explore the sites away from the crowds to find ancient architecture and some extraordinary landscapes. From snow-like natural wonders to hippy beach retreats here is my choice for 10 of the most beautiful places to visit in Turkey…

1. Istanbul

One of the most ancient cities in the world, Istanbul at times overshadowed even ancient Rome, serving as capital first to Byzantine and then to the Ottoman Empire. At every turn in the city you fall over beauty. It teems with Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman palaces, mosques, churches, monasteries, monuments, walls, and ruins. The Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sophia, and the mosques of Süleymaniye and the Blue Mosque dominate the skyline.

2. Antalya

Antalya is best known as being the Turkish Riviera and is the most stunning part of Turkey’s Mediterranean coastline. It is a blend of thriving modern city and ancient history on your doorstep, boutique hotels, and restored Ottoman mansions. Heading up into the mountains, you can make the most of the beautiful scenery by visiting the spectacular Düden or Kursunlu waterfalls.

3. Patara

Patara was once the major naval and trading port of Lycia, located at the mouth of the Xanthos river. Now it is a wide, stunning smile carved on to the landscape of Turkey. This bohemian beach retreat is also an incredibly biologically diverse national park rich in birdlife. It sits not far from the sites of Letoon and Xanthos, and a day trip from Kalkan, Kas or Fethiye. Beautiful 12 km-long Patara Beach, voted one of the top beaches in the world by Times Online, is an easy 10- to 15-minute stroll away from the major ruins at Patara.

4. Ankara

Ruggedly and rustically beautiful, Ankara is the capital of Turkey. It is the country’s second largest city after Istanbul and the centre of Turkish government. It has historically been a vital and much fought-over crossroads of trade. The city was famous for its long-haired Angora goat and its prized wool mohair. The historical centre of Ankara is situated upon a rocky hill, which rises 150 metres above the plain on the left bank of the tributary of the Sakarya river.

5. Temple of Hadrian

The facade of this ancient and wondrous temple has four Corinthian columns supporting an exquisite curved arch, the middle of which contains a relief of Tyche, the goddess of victory. Although the carvings are replicas, with the originals in Ephesus, the quality and setting transport you back in time. The pedestals with inscriptions in front of the temple are the bases for the statues of various emperors, while inside the temple above the door a human figure, probably Medusa, stands with ornaments of acanthus leaves.

6. Alanya

Alanya is a paradise of sun, sea and sand. If you want more of the cultural vibrancy of Turkey, Alanya is a beautiful place to start. It works as a great holiday centre with its pristine sandy beaches, modern hotels, and quality fish restaurants. The cafes that ring the harbour are popular gathering places for tourists and locals, with three blue flag beaches and many sights, including Damlatas Cave, the Archaeology and Ethnography Museum, and the Dim Çayi Valley.

7. Fethiye

Fethiye is a very traditional Turkish market town that is spread around a beautiful natural harbour on a wide bay. It is a big centre for scuba diving and sailing on a stunning piece of natural coastline. Fethiye has a very traditional lifestyle and offers a change of pace for travellers always on the go. The most famous beach in Turkey is Olu Deniz (Dead Sea) near Fethiye, a serene lagoon beach with turquoise waters – a far cry from the arid and rugged areas to the south.

8. Cappadocia

Cappadocia is a stunning region of rock formations, subterranean churches and underground cities, the scale of which is simply overwhelming. There are hundreds of underground buildings in the region. Two of the most unmissable are Kaymakli, which has eight levels, and Derinkuyu, which descends some 55 metres. Nevsehir, the capital of Cappadocia, is a great place to base yourself when visiting. The surrounding area is a popular trekking route amid the breathtaking and alien rock formations called Peri Bacalari or ‘Fairy Chimneys’ – easily one of the most beautiful places to visit in Turkey.

9. Ephesus

This once thriving ancient Greek city has seen it all and lived to tell the tale. A major Roman site on the west coast of Asia Minor, near present-day Selçuk, it was one of the twelve cities of the Ionian League during the Classical Greek era. Famed for housing the Temple of Artemis in 550 BC, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, Ephesus now houses some of the finest examples of classical architecture to be found in the region.

10. Pamukkale

Few people can ever say that they’ve seen snow at 40C. A hot spot on the backpacking trail and one of Turkey’s most impressive natural wonders, the Pamukkale mineral spa, translated as ‘cotton castle.’ Stunning white terraces of calcium-rich warm waters spring up from the earth and cascade over low cliffs, forming the crisp, snow-like landscape.

Things To Do In Turkey

1. Istanbul

Istanbul is truly the jewel in Turkey’s crown. Throughout its history, it has been known as Constantinople, Byzantium and finally Istanbul. Whilst the political capital of modern-day Turkey is actually in Ankara, Istanbul remains the epicenter of Turkish life.

Top attractions on any Istanbul itinerary include the Aya Sofia, the Blue Mosque and Old Bazaar. You can also take a boat ride across the Bosphorus Strait which separates Europe from Asia. Hostels in Istanbul are very well priced and the food is also super affordable once you get away from the popular tourist areas.

If you somehow can’t find time for a full-scale exploration of Turkey, you may be able to at least take a little city break in Istanbul as the airport is now a major transit hub between Europe and Asia.

2. Cappadocia

The rocky moonscape of Cappadocia is a surrealist, tripped out dream. The city is popular amongst travelers for its distinctive “fairy chimneys,” tall, cone-shaped rock formations clustered around Monks Valley and Göreme.

Many of the balmy rocky formations around the area have been carved out over millennia into homes, monasteries or places of refuge for pilgrims en route to the Holy Land. Our top tip is to take an early morning balloon ride over the valley – they can easily be arranged once you reach the town.

3. Ephesus

Ephesus was a once thriving ancient Greek and then Roman city. It subsequently passed through the hands of successive empires before been abandoned completely in the 15h century.

The site is both haunting and fascinating, and some of the ruins are incredibly well preserved. There is a stunning Roman amphitheater, an ancient Greek library as well as several early Christian churches – you may not know this, but it is often speculated that the Book of Revelation was written in Ephesus.

4. Whirling Dervish Show

The Whirling Dervish’s are in many ways the original trance ravers, dancing themselves into ecstatic communion with God through an ancient ritual of frantic spinning. The early Sufi Dervishes developed the strange and unique practice as mystical-religious experience and whilst this tradition is alive and well in Turkey, modern-day dervishes are more than happy to perform their routine for spectators.

Dervish shows can be found throughout the country but your best opportunity of finding one is probably in Istanbul. The spectacle is not to be missed.

5. Hierapolis

Hierapolis is another site from antiquity which boomed under the Romans. What sets Hierapolis apart from Ephesus is the large, ancient Necropolis as well as the hot springs around which the town was built. The springs are still used to this day and you can take a dip to absorb their healing properties all whilst looking out over 2000-year-old ruins.

6. Pamukkale Thermal Pools

The aforementioned city of Hierapolis forms part of a larger spring and thermal pool network known as “Pamukkale” (cotton castle). Over thousands of years, geological changes have etched out some stunning natural, calcium and granite rock formations. There were once hotels built around the area but they were, thankfully, pulled down in the 1960’s when the government recognized that their presence was damaging the natural environment. Therefore, in order to explore Pamukkale Thermal Pools, you can base yourself in Denizli and catch one of the regular mini-buses. Alternatively, the pools are a 4-hour drive from Antalya or Marmaris.

7. Marmaris

Marmaris is a beautiful beachside resort. It’s very popular with many different kinds of travelers, be they family holidayers, couples on romantic getaways right through to us broke backpackers seeking some beach time after a heady tour of Turkeys cultural highlights.

Marmaris does cater to mainstream tourism so may, seem “inauthentic” and kind of expensive compared to the rest of Turkey. Nevertheless, the resort does pack a lot of charm and is still our pick of the seaside resorts in Turkey. Accommodation standards here vary massively and prices can spike here in the summer season. To ensure you get the best deal possible, look online to discover cheapest prices on hotels before you go.

8. Troy

Who even knew that Troy was in Turkey?! The ancient city of Troy is famed for being sacked by the Athenians using an ingenious scheme based on flattery and a big wooden horse. You can spend a day exploring the ruins by taking a day trip from Canakkale. The site of Troy is also very near the Gallipoli Peninsula – the battlegrounds of Gallipoli themselves are worth visiting for any passing Australians wanting to pay their respects to their fallen.

As with most “ruin” sites in the world, in order to get the most out of this experience, we highly recommend either joining a guided tour, hiring a local guide or at least picking up a handbook in order to bring the site back to life.

9. Mount Nemrut (Nemrut Da)

Mount Nemrut is a 2,134 metre high mountain and Biblical era site famed for a number of giant, pretty eerie statues. The statues are nearly 2000 year old and are remarkably well preserved considering their deliberate defacement at the hands of zealous Islamic rulers (graven images such statues are unacceptable in some forms of Islam).

The mountain summit is a doable but demanding hike so bring good footwear, lots of water and suncream. You can get to Mount Nemrut by either basing yourself in the nearby town of Adyaman or by taking one of the overnight tours available from Malatya or Kahta.

10. Music Festivals

Throughout history, Turkish music has been one of greatest in the world. Music is omnipresent in Turkey from the melodious call to prayer broadcast from the mosques to the bustling bazaars perpetually thronging with traditional music.

Turkish music is best explored by either simply sitting in Istanbul’s cafe’s, or by attending one of the 1000 music festivals held annually.  Traditional music festivals are found in every region but major centers are Istanbul, Izmir, and Antalya with the best-known festival being the International Fethiye World Music Festival.

Weater in Turkey

Istanbul and European Turkey experience hot summers and cold winters with snow being a common feature. Spring and autumn, from April to May and from September to mid November respectively, are the ideal times to visit Istanbul and the inland regions when temperatures are pleasant and the skies are clear. Istanbul’s location near the sea means it can be quite a windy city, especially in the winter.

The Aegean and Mediterranean coasts both enjoy a typical Mediterranean climate characterised by mild winters and hot summers, which makes the beach resorts of Marmaris and Kusadasi popular year-round destinations. The majority of rainfall occurs in winter along the coast so the summer months remain hot and dry, perfect for topping up that tan. As you travel further east in Turkey the extremes in climate become more pronounced with very hot and dry summers reaching highs of 40°C and bitterly cold winters with heavy snowfall. Spring, autumn and the shoulder months of summer are the best times to visit the region when temperatures are mild and pleasant and it tends to stay relatively dry.