Turkey

Hagia Sophia

(13,649)

Byzantine basilica museum with mosaics

Museum with glittering mosaics of Biblical scenes in vast, domed former Byzantine church and mosque.
Sultan Ahmed Mosque

(9,687)

Iconic Blue Mosque with 6 minarets

Well-known site, also known as the Blue Mosque, built in 1616 & containing its founder's tomb.
Pamukkale

Thermal spa terraces & Hierapolis ruins

Pamukkale is a town in western Turkey known for the mineral-rich thermal waters flowing down white travertine terraces on a nearby hillside. It neighbors Hierapolis, an ancient Roman spa city
Bosporus

(640)

Palace and Mehmed ii

The Bosporus or Bosphorus; Greek: Βόσπορος, Bósporos, Ancient Greek: Βόσπορος, Bósporos; Turkish: İstanbul Boğazı, is a narrow, natural strait and an internationally significant waterway located
Topkapı Palace

(14,172)

Historic Ottoman-era palace complex

Huge, opulent 15th-century palace, occupied by sultans for 400 years, housing Ottoman treasures.
Grand Bazaar

(14,517)

Labyrinth of colorful covered markets

Historic sprawling network of indoor souks & market streets peddling leather, jewelry & gifts.
Basilica Cistern

(7,541)

Restored 542 A.D. waterworks

Huge underground Roman water source held up with 336 marble columns covering 9,800 sq. meters.
Taksim Square

Shopping, nightlife & Taksim Square

Fanning out from Taksim Square with its Republic Monument, Taksim is a busy nightlife, shopping and dining district. Vintage trams trundle along Istiklal Caddesi, the city’s main pedestrian boulevard
Dolmabahçe Palace

(7,484)

Museum in ornate Ottoman sultan's palace

Grand, domed sultan's palace, now a museum, including collections of art, calligraphy and carpets.
Galata Tower

(20,440)

67-meter Byzantine tower & restaurant

Restored 5th-century tower and former prison overlooking the Bosphorus with top-floor restaurant.
Hippodrome of Constantinople

(4,150)

Public square where hippodrome stood

Public square with remnants of an ancient hippodrome, with prominent & historic buildings nearby.
Spice Bazaar

(22,975)

Historic covered spice & textiles market

Covered, 17th-century market known as the Egyptian Bazaar, with spice, food & textile shops.
Golden Horn

(148)

Mehmed ii, estuary, harbor, and history

The Golden Horn, also known by its modern Turkish name as Haliç, is a major urban waterway and the primary inlet of the Bosphorus in Istanbul, Turkey. This prominent body of water is a horn-shaped
Temple of Artemis

(516)

Archaeological ruins of a Greek temple

Historic site including remnants of the Temple of Artemis, a former wonder of the ancient world.
İstiklal Avenue

Shopping

İstiklal Avenue or Istiklal Street is one of the most famous avenues in Istanbul, Turkey, visited by nearly 3 million people in a single day over the course of weekends. Located in the historic
Süleymaniye Mosque

(3,646)

Storied 16th-century Ottoman mosque

Ornate 16th-century mosque with gardens, a restaurant & a terrace with views over the Golden Horn.
Library of Celsus

(1,475)

Iconic remains of an ancient library

2nd-century Roman library ruins & symbol of Ephesus, noted for its columned, 2-story facade.
Maiden's Tower

(3,030)

Iconic islet tower with boat trips

Structure linked with legend & once used as a lighthouse, housing a small museum & a restaurant.
House of the Virgin Mary

(775)

Site of former home of the Virgin Mary

Chapel at pilgrimage site said to be the former home of the Virgin Mary after the death of Jesus.
Mount Nemrut

(118)

Mountain, tomb, and ancient history

Nemrut or Nemrud is a 2,134-metre-high mountain in southeastern Turkey, notable for the summit where a number of large statues are erected around what is assumed to be a royal tomb from the 1st
Rumelihisarı

(1,727)

Ancient fortress with panoramic views

Hilltop 15th-century fortress with multiple towers, walking paths & water views.
Chora Church

(1,644)

Museum with Muslim & Christian artworks

Museum of religious art on the site of a church that was first built here in the 6th century A.D.
Galata Bridge

(8,272)

Modern bridge spanning the Golden Horn

Bustling bridge across the Golden Horn with pedestrian walkways & street vendors, with cafes below.
Büyükada

(502)

Beach, church, and monastery

Büyükada is the largest of the nine so-called Princes' Islands in the Sea of Marmara, near Istanbul, with an area of about 2 square miles. It is officially a neighbourhood in the Adalar district
Mount Ararat

(706)

Mountain, volcano, climbing, and hiking

Mount Ararat is a snow-capped and dormant compound volcano in the extreme east of Turkey. It consists of two major volcanic cones: Greater Ararat, the highest peak in Turkey and the Armenian
Bosphorus Bridge

(3,396)

The Bosphorus Bridge, known officially as the 15 July Martyrs Bridge and unofficially as the First Bridge, is one of the three suspension bridges spanning the Bosphorus strait in Istanbul, Turkey
Beylerbeyi Palace

(1,154)

Historical summer palace with gardens

This 19th-century palace with gardens was once a summer residence for Ottoman sultans.
Kekova

(116)

Sailing, ruins, kayaking, and history

Kekova, also named Caravola, is a small Turkish island near Demre district of Antalya province which faces the villages of Kaleköy and Üçağız. Kekova has an area of 4.5 km² and is uninhabited.
Uzungöl

(1,208)

Lake and nature

Uzungöl, or in the local Romeyka language: Şeraho, is a lake situated to the south of the city of Trabzon, in the Çaykara district of Trabzon Province, Turkey. Uzungöl is also the name of the
Mausoleum at Halicarnassus

(352)

Mausoleum ruins from circa 350 B.C.

Archaeological site with the ruins of the huge tomb of Mausolus dating from around 350 B.C..
New Mosque

(824)

Iconic, landmark 17th-century mosque

Prominent mosque dating to the 17th century, featuring iconic domes & a dramatic interior.
Anıtkabir

(18,395)

Mausoleum for former Turkish leader

Colonnaded tomb for the former president, Kemal Ataturk, with a marble hall, turrets & museum.
Phaselis

(1,399)

Ruins of an ancient harbor town

Ancient port city featuring remains of Roman-era shops, baths, theaters & aqueducts, plus a beach.
Ortaköy Mosque

(2,804)

Baroque mosque built to capture light

Restored Baroque Revival mosque featuring windows designed to capture the Bosphorus' changing light.
Bodrum Castle

(3,433)

Castle with underwater archeology museum

Oceanfront castle built in the early 1400s, now housing a large museum on underwater archeology.
Hadrian's Gate

(3,815)

Gate honoring Roman emperor's visit

Roman gate formed from 3 triumphal arches, built to mark the visit of Emperor Hadrian in 130 CE.
Çırağan Palace

(1,854)

Palatial hotel with a spa & a helipad

Lavish hotel in an ornate former palace with fine dining & a spa, plus an infinity pool & a helipad.
Mevlana Museum

(8,633)

Historic mausoleum & dervish museum

Mausoleum of revered Sufi mystic Rumi, also a museum with many dervish artifacts.
Miniatürk

(6,495)

Turkey transformed into a model village

Well-known Turkish sights including the Blue Mosque depicted in miniature format in model village.
Sumela Monastery

(798)

Religious history in Byzantine monastery

Museum of religious history in a monastery that was active from the 4th century A.D. until 1925.
Gülhane Park

(6,709)

Serene city park with gardens & a museum

Venerable, tranquil forested park featuring gardens, paths, a creek & a science museum.
Lycian Way

(155)

Long-distance trail along historic route

This 300-mi. trail along Turkey's coast leads hikers through ancient ruins & natural landscapes.
Museum of Anatolian Civilizations

(1,678)

Archaeology displays in Ottoman building

Museum of artifacts from the Paleolithic era to the classical period, some displayed in a courtyard.
Lake Van

(668)

Lakes, mountains, churches, and volcanoes

Lake Van, the largest lake in Turkey, lies in the far east of that country in the provinces of Van and Bitlis. It is a saline soda lake, receiving water from numerous small streams that descend
Rüstem Pasha Mosque

(364)

Historic mosque famous for its tile work

Ottoman mosque from the 16th century decorated with a wide range of floral & geometric tile designs.
Gallipoli

(59)

The Gallipoli peninsula is located in the southern part of East Thrace, the European part of Turkey, with the Aegean Sea to the west and the Dardanelles strait to the east. Gallipoli is the Italian
Kaunos

(280)

Ancient city ruins with rock tombs

Ruins of an ancient city with multiple structures, including tombs carved in a mountainside.
İstanbul Archaeology Museums

(1,565)

Museum of Turkish archaeological finds

Neoclassical museum showing the country's rich archaeological heritage within landscaped gardens.
Ayder

(1,772)

Cozy mountain hotel with waterfall views

Woodsy rooms in a modest mountain hotel accessed by cable car offering waterfall views & dining.
Obelisk of Theodosius

(653)

Transplanted ancient Egyptian obelisk

Egyptian obelisk with circa-1400 B.C. hieroglyphics, re-erected here in the 4th century A.D.