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Located on the Seyhan River in southern Turkey, Adana is the fourth largest city in the country and is considered a fast-growing agricultural and industrial boom town. Diverse cultural heritage is displayed in the city’s architecture and includes inf...
Categories: Adana
Categories: Adiyaman
Akdamar Island is located in eastern Turkey, and is the second largest island in Lake Van. Located on the island is Akdamar Kilesi, or Church of the Holy Cross. The ruins left of this Armenian cathedral are situated with a beautiful mountainous backd...
Categories: Akdamar Island
Alacahoyuk, 100 mi/160 km east of Ankara and home of the imposing Sphinx Gate ruin, was a center of civilization during the Bronze Age—it is considered one of the most important ancient Hittite sites. Most of the gold and bronze objects that have bee...
Categories: Alacahoyuk
Alacati is located near the Cesme peninsula, west of Izmir. This city is characterized by its quaint old stone houses running down narrow streets. With streets lined with restaurant, cafes, and local shops there something for everyone to do; the most...
Categories: Alacati
The old town of Alanya dates from Seljuk and Ottoman times. Alanya has become a popular tourist center due to its wide sand beach stretching more than four miles from town. A short ride from old town is citadel hill and the courtyard of the upper for...
Categories: Alanya
Amasra is a charming fishing town rich with history and outdoor activities. The east side of town has sunny, sandy beaches where the bay protects bathers from the Black Sea waves. The town is built on a peninsula beneath the ramparts of a citadel bui...
Categories: Amasra
According to the ancient historian Strabo, Amasya was founded by an Amazon queen, Amasis, but this city 210 mi/335 km northeast of Ankara probably began as a Hittite settlement. Later it was conquered by Alexander the Great. The city reached its peak...
Categories: Amasya
The Mediterranean coast becomes less interesting as you drive east from Alanya, but Anamur, a town 160 mi/250 km east of Antalya, is worth a detour, especially in spring. That's when the area enclosed by the ruins of Byzantine Anamurium (just west of...
Categories: Anamur
Turkey's capital is a sprawling urban mass in the midst of the Central Anatolian steppe. Since 1920 when Ataurk set up his provisional government here, Ankara's main business has been government but several significant attractions make it worth a sho...
Categories: Ankara
The ancient Syrian capital of Antakya, 325 mi/525 km southeast of Ankara, was once the third-largest city in the Roman empire, after Rome and Constantinople. It was also home to one of the world's first Christian communities. (In the Bible, the first...
Categories: Antakya
This sun-drenched Mediterranean town on the Turkish Riviera is a major resort with a beautiful crescent bay, dramatic cliffs, and jagged mountains. It is an attractive city with shady palm-lined boulevards and a prize-winning marina. In picturesque o...
Categories: Antalya
The remarkable, ancient Roman city of Aphrodisias, 280 mi/450 km south of Ankara, was dedicated to Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty. Located near the village of Geyre, the ruins merit at least half a day of exploration. See the old walls, th...
Categories: Aphrodisias
Categories: Aspendos
The former Greek village of Assos, which overlooks a harbor 190 mi/305 km southwest of Istanbul, was settled by colonists from the nearby island of Lesbos. On the hill above the harbor, in the modern village of Behramkale, the pretty stone houses are...
Categories: Assos
Located within the historic city region of Cappadocia, the provincial town of Avanos overlooks the longest river of Turkey also known as the Kizilirmak or "Red River." The river supplies the clay for pottery for Avanos, a source of liveliho...
Categories: Avanos
Inhabited until 1923 by Ottoman Greeks, Ayvalik combines a beach resort (Sarimsakli, about 4 mi/6 km from town and served by regular minibuses) with a pleasant, small market town 150 mi/240 km north of Izmir. The back streets boast lovely old houses ...
Categories: Ayvalik
Categories: Ballisu
Bartin is a historic city in northern Turkey. Over time, the city changed hands many times and has been influenced by the cultures of the Hittites, Cimmerians, Persians, Romans, and Seljuk Turks. The wooden Bartin houses display the architectural cha...
Categories: Bartin
Belek is a beautiful resort town located on the Turkish Riviera. It is known for its white sandy beaches and surrounding pine forests. Visitors to Belek can enjoy the seaside spa resorts, golfing, and day trips to the nearby Roman ruins of Perge.
Categories: Belek
Bergama is the site of the ancient city called Pergamon and is usually seen on a two-day tour of the Seven Churches of Asia Minor or on an Aegean sea cruise. The place 180 mi/290 km southwest of Istanbul merits a visit because of its impressive ruins...
Categories: Bergama
Beysehir is a large Turkish town located on the shores of Lake Behsehir, only a short distance from Konya. Visitors most often travel to Beysehir to dine on its fresh fish, or to explore the beautifully restored Esrefoglu Mosque. Boasting to be one o...
Categories: Beysehir
Situated on a beautiful peninsula, Bodrum is known as a popular holiday resort. Enchanting villages of white painted houses trimmed with purple bougainvillea together with miles of sandy beaches and ideal locations for water sports. On the southern c...
Categories: Bodrum
Bogazkoy, Turkey, the capital of the Hittite empire 2000-1180 BC, is interesting because double walls circle its ruins. Be sure to see the Royal Gate, the Yer Kapi (underground tunnel), the Lion Gate and the Great Temple of the Storm God of Hattusas....
Categories: Bogazkoy
Categories: Bolu
The Bosphorus is the strait flowing between the Sea of Marmara and the Black Sea.
Categories: Bosphorus Strait
Bozburun is a small seaside town in southwestern Turkey on the Bozburun Peninsula. Bozburun makes its living from the sea with fishing and yacht/gullet charters. It is also world-famous for its production of wooden gullets, using centuries-old Turkis...
Categories: Bozburun
Bozcaada (Tenedos) is a 15-square-mile island off the western coast of Turkey in the Aegean Sea. Bozcaada is planted with fields of grapevines and is known for its excellent wine. The island also has many hidden beaches, swimming holes and cafes to e...
Categories: Bozcaada (Tenedos)
Visit Bursa, due south of Istanbul across the Sea of Marmara, for its beautiful mosques and other early Ottoman architecture, for its silk-filled bazaars, its thermal spa baths and hotels.
Categories: Bursa
Cam Limani is a breathtaking coastal resort town in Turkey. Here many resorts offer friendly Turkish hospitality and beautiful sandy beaches. With a vast variety of sea life, Cam Limani offers visitors the chance to dive in a spectacul...
Categories: Cam Limani
The town of Camlihemsin, Turkey, 260 mi/420 km northeast of Ankara, is the last outpost before the dramatic Kackar Mountains, a wild range beloved by Turkish trekkers and mountaineers and increasingly popular with outdoor tourists from all over the w...
Categories: Camlihemsin
On the Asian shore, guarding the Dardanelles, is the quiet Turkish port town of Canakkale. History enthusiasts will want to venture to legendary Troy. Canakkale's Archaeological Museum boasts exhibits originally belonging to Frank Calvert, aide to th...
Categories: Canakkale
The underground cities of Cappadocia give you an idea of the sensation of what living in a labyrinth felt like. Derinkuyu is one of the 40 subterranean settlements in this area. It was at one time the home for up to 20,000 people. Its 18 stories ...
Categories: Cappadocia
The 9,000-year-old city of Catalhoyuk, Turkey, 160 mi/260 km south of Ankara, was once more interesting to read about than to see. Ongoing excavations may eventually prove that urban life had its origins at Catalhoyuk, but, for now, the ruins have fa...
Categories: Catalhoyuk
Cesme is a seaside resort town just west of Izmir, Turkey. Along the main square visitors will find a nice selection of restaurants, cafes, tea houses, and breathtaking views of the Aegean Sea. You will find excellent shopping opportunities along the...
Categories: Cesme
The Chimaera, named after the legendary fire-breathing beasts that were said to terrorize ancient Lycia, are perpetual flames flickering on a hillside near Olympos. The fires, no larger than a candle flame, are produced by methane gas and cannot be e...
Categories: Chimaera
Categories: Cokertme
Dalyan is a largely undeveloped, tranquil village offering classic Turkish hospitality, and attractions. The thermal springs at Sultaniye, and the Dalyan mud baths are also not to be missed and make for an out of the ordinary holiday experience....
Categories: Dalyan River
The ancient Greeks believed Datça was created personally by Zeus. The aquamarine waters of the vast sweeping bays and deserted beaches, the gorgeous rocky shores and pine-crested hills, the endless olive groves and herb-scented air all draw vi...
Categories: Datca
Myra is one of the most interesting Lycian sites in Turkey where Father Christmas (Santa Claus) is beleived to live there.
Categories: Demre (Myra)
Denizli is located in Turkey's Aegean Region, just 3 miles from Pamukkale. Visitors are attracted to the popular mineral thermal hot springs of Pamukkale, and Denizli serves as a convenient base.
Categories: Denizli
There are many fascinating attractions in and around Didim that range form cultural and historical to recreational. The Temple of Apollo and Medusa's head are the most popular ancient sites in Didim and attract history lovers from all over the w...
Categories: Didim
Turkey’s tiny port of Dikili lies on the northwestern coast of Aegean Turkey. Its closest landmass neighbor is the Greek island of Lesbos, which is a short ferry-boat ride away. Although Dikili is off the beaten tourist path, it plays host to a numbe...
Categories: Dikili
One of the largest cities in southeastern Turkey, ancient Diyarbakir lies along the Tigris River 350 mi/560 km southeast of Ankara. It is at least 5,000 years old and has, over the years, been overrun by Hurrians, Urartians, Assyrians and Persians. T...
Categories: Diyarbakir
Located on the southern shore of the Dardanelles, Eceabat is a waterfront town ringed by hotels, restaurants, taxi stands and a dock for ferries. Eceabat is located nearby to the main Gallipoli battlefields and has a convenient ferry link to Canakkal...
Categories: Eceabat
Rich in historical significance, Edirne, Turkey, saw the best and the worst times of the Roman Empire. At one time named Hadrianopolis after Emperor Hadrian, under whose reign the empire reached the farthest, this city 145 mi/235 km west of Istanbul ...
Categories: Edirne
At Ekincik, a delightful yacht mooring, visitors can enjoy the breathtaking beauty of the area and the friendly hospitality of its people. Delikli Island lies right off the coast, southeast of Ekincik. Dalyan Delta, with a long, golden, sandy beach a...
Categories: Ekincik
Categories: English Harbour
Containing a variety of elaborate mosques from the 15th century, Erdine provides visitors a glimpse into old Turkish life. The elegance, style, and colors of the mosques will astound visitors, and the Old Bridge of Erdine provides a calm and relaxing...
Categories: Erdine
Categories: Erzincan
The city of Erzurum, Turkey, 475 mi/765 km east of Ankara in eastern Turkey, is surrounded by beautiful, gently eroded mountains. You may not want to make a special trip to see Erzurum, but it has several interesting sights for those passing through ...
Categories: Erzurum
Categories: Eskisehir
Fethiye is one of the most popular beach resorts and marina along the Turkish coast. Along the beaches visitors can participate in fun water sports as well as paragliding, cliff jumping, and bird watching. The city is also known for its roc...
Categories: Fethiye
There are actually two Focas in Turkey: Yeni and Eski ("New" and "Old"). Eski Foca, 44 mi/70 km north of Izmir, is larger and makes a good overnight stop en route south from Canakkale to Izmir. Hotels and restaurants ring a pleasing harbor with not m...
Categories: Foca
The importance of the Gallipoli Peninsula, Turkey, cannot be overestimated. Had the British Empire's troops prevailed at the battle there, 125 mi/200 km southwest of Istanbul, World War I would have been considerably shorter and the course of modern ...
Categories: Gallipoli Penninsula
The bustling city of Gaziantep, Turkey, 438 mi/705 km southeast of Ankara, boasts a fine collection of Roman mosaics at the Gaziantep Museum and is justifiably famous for its food, especially anything made with the local pistachios (fistik), from bak...
Categories: Gaziantep
Categories: Gemiler Island
Categories: Gemlik
Gocek lies in the beautiful gulf of Fethiye, surrounded by pine clad mountains. The bay is famous for its marinas and offers yachting, and boating. The waterfront is lined with bars and restaurants, and a little more inland visitors will fi...
Categories: Gocek
Gokceada (the Windy Isle) is one of Turkey's two Aegean islands, far more rocky and mountainous than Bozcaada, and its attractions are not as immediately obvious. However, the upscale hotel developments in the hillside villages of Zeytinli and Tepeko...
Categories: Gokceada
The small town of Goreme is situated in the middle of the Valley of Fairy Chimneys, surrounded by the eerie shapes and fantastic rock formations that have made the region famous. It is one of the few remaining villages where fairy chimneys and rock-h...
Categories: Goreme
Categories: Guneysinir
Categories: Hakkari
The tiny lakeside village of Herakleia, 90 mi/145 km south of Izmir, is as pretty as rural Turkey gets, and it's well worth spending the night there to soak up the peace and quiet. Roman and Byzantine ruins are scattered around the lower slopes of Be...
Categories: Herakleia
Iskenderun is now a busy commercial centre and an important port of Turkey on the Mediterranean region. Iskenderun has an active, modern life with good hotels, restaurants and cafes among the palm trees by the Mediterranean sea, in a fine location on...
Categories: Iskenderun
This centuries old capital guards the slender waterway between the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, and is the doorway between the East and West. Visitors can explore remnants of Byzantine Constantinople in the Sultanahmet district, where y...
Categories: Istanbul
Izmir is a major seaport in western Turkey, on the Aegean Sea and is the gateway to Ephesus and Sardis. Ephesus is one of the ancient world's largest and most important archaeological and religious sites. Some of the site's most significant structure...
Categories: Izmir
Most people stop for an hour or so at Iznik, a pleasant lakeside town 60 mi/100 km southeast of Istanbul, when traveling from there to Bursa. Iznik (formerly known as Nicaea) was the site of the first Ecumenical Council of the Christian Church (in A....
Categories: Iznik
Categories: Kahta
Categories: Kalkan
North of Kusadasi, Kamlimani Beach is a Mediterranean getaway with the turquoise blue waters, and tree-lined beaches.
Categories: Kamlimani Beach
Categories: Karacasogut
More hot springs (Kizilpinar 55°C/131°F) bubble from the chalk-coated rocks on the same plateau only 5km/3mi west of Pamukkale near the village of Karahayit. The presence of various other oxides, e.g. iron oxide, tinges the calcium carbonate with a v...
Categories: Karahayit
Although it is a sizable town, Kars could hardly be more remote—it's on Turkey's northeastern border with Armenia, 600 mi/960 km east of Ankara. Not surprisingly, it looks as much Caucasian as Turkish, especially when the weather is cold (which is mu...
Categories: Kars
The port of Kas, one of the oldest settlements in Lycia, is on the Turkish mainland close to Rhodes. Rock-cut Myra tombs to the north east of the town date to the 4th century BC and the hills behind were probably the acropolis of the ancient city. Al...
Categories: Kas
Unlike many other Anatolian towns, Kastamonu, Turkey, has retained not only its old Ottoman mosques and medreses but also many of its fine old wooden houses. It is only 150 mi/240 km north of Ankara and is slowly being discovered as a destination for...
Categories: Kastamonu
Categories: Kaunos
Categories: Kayakoy
Kayseri, Turkey, once the principal city of ancient Cappadocia, lies in the shadow of Mount Erciyes 165 mi/265 km southeast of Ankara. St. Basil the Great established an ecclesiastic center here in the fourth century, confirming Kayseri's place in ea...
Categories: Kayseri
Kekova Island make for an excellent daytrip for visitors wanting to relax, take in some sun, swim, and explore some ancient ruins. There are several historic Byzantine ruins to see including the remains of a Byzantine chapel, and the remains of the s...
Categories: Kekova
Kemer is a beautiful mediterranean seaside resort on the coast of Turkey. Kemer's main attraction is its natural beauty near the sea, mountains, and pine forests. There are several stoney beaches, in secluded bays perfect for swimming. The town has a...
Categories: Kemer
Categories: Knidos
Ivriz is a relief representing a king and fertility god of the Hittite period. Eflatun Pinar is a holy Hittie monument fountain. A Byzantine church and several rock chapels can be seen in Sille, where the first rock carved monasteries of the world we...
Categories: Konya
Categories: Koycegiz Lake
Visitors come to Kusadasi for beaches and nearby ruins of Ephesus. The major attraction is the archaeological site of ancient Ephesus, considered to be most important in Turkey. The history of this ancient city dates back to 10th century BC; ...
Categories: Kusadasi (Ephesus)
Kutahya, Turkey, like Iznik, is a town famous for its painted tiles, examples of which can be seen all around you. Kutahya is 220 mi/355 km southeast of Istanbul and a pleasant place to pass a day. It has few foreign visitors, but there's a lively ba...
Categories: Kutahya
Categories: Lycian
The hillside town of Mardin, Turkey, 625 mi/1,005 km southeast of Ankara and overlooking a plain that extends into Syria, is both picturesque and historically and culturally rich. A variety of churches and monasteries testify to its importance as a c...
Categories: Mardin
Despite the many tourists, Marmaris has managed to retain its charm. Marmaris is in the deep recesses of a pretty bay, framed by pine-clad mountains. The sheltered harbor provides ideal anchorage for boats, which are protected from the stiff breezes...
Categories: Marmaris
Categories: Minare
The 16,945-ft/5,165-m peak of Mount Ararat is allegedly the land first spotted by Noah after the flood. The peak is in eastern Turkey, 650 mi/1,045 km east of Ankara and near the rustic frontier town of Dogubeyazit, the last Turkish checkpoint on th...
Categories: Mount Ararat
Categories: Mount Nemrut
Mundanya is a charming resort town on the southern shore of the Sea of Marmara. Many of the old Byzantine buildings and Churches have been restored and converted into functional homes, shops, or cultural centers. Visitors can enjoy the wonderfu...
Categories: Mudanya
Named for the Byzantine princess Modrene, Mudurnu, Turkey, is a small town south of the main Istanbul-Ankara highway, 100 mi/160 km northwest of Ankara. It's a good place for an overnight stop, with its beautifully preserved and decorated wooden hous...
Categories: Mudurnu
The ruins of Nemrut Dag, Turkey, atop Mount Nemrut and 350 mi/565 km southeast of Ankara, date from the time of the Commagene civilization and were built 2,000 years ago for King Antiochus I (Antiochus Commagenes). Aside from their location at an el...
Categories: Nemrut Dag
Olympus, or Olimpos, is located on the beautiful Mediterranean coast of Turkey. Olympus has many pristine beaches, marble temples and orchards. A must see attraction for visitors is the Chimera, also know as the eternal flames. The flames appear out ...
Categories: Olympus Turkey
Categories: Pabuc Burnu
One of the most interesting geological sites in Turkey is in the town of Pamukkale, the "cotton castle" of terraced pools caused by cascading calcium rich mineral springs. From the edge of every terrace and every step in this fascinating natural phen...
Categories: Pamukkale
Allegedly founded by Patarus, a son of Apollo, Patara, Turkey, has an exquisite 12-mi/20-km beach. (Like Dalyan, the area is under environmental protection and cannot be entered at night to safeguard the sea turtles that nest there.) There are no bui...
Categories: Patara
Categories: Pergamum
Categories: Perge
Safranbolu, Turkey, is a must-see for anyone interested in Ottoman houses and architecture. Most of this town 155 mi/250 km north of Ankara is under historic preservation and gives a glimpse of domestic life 200 years ago. Safranbolu hasn't been arti...
Categories: Safranbolu
Situated between two river deltas on the Black Sea lies Samsun. According to ancient myths, Samsun was the land of the Amazons, the tribe of female warriors skilled in shooting bow and arrows. As the myth goes, the Amazons removed a breast in order t...
Categories: Samsun
Situated near the border with Syria 400 mi/650 km southeast of Ankara, Sanliurfa is Turkey's most Arabic city. More commonly called Urfa, it's a place of religious pilgrimage for Muslims and is extremely conservative—visitors should be aware that it ...
Categories: Sanliurfa
The ancient Lydian capital of Sardis, Turkey, 205 mi/330 km southwest of Istanbul, is where the process for minting coins was developed. It's also the site of one of the Seven Churches of Asia Minor (usually seen as a half-day tour from Izmir). Attra...
Categories: Sardis
Categories: Sarigerme
Selcuk is a small turkish farming town located in western Turkey. It was also the capital of the Emirate of Aydin under the Ottoman Empire in the 14th century.The town is one of the most visited in the Country for its close proximity to Ephesus. In S...
Categories: Selcuk
Side (pronounced SEE-day) is a town with fascinating Byzantine, Greek and Roman ruins, some dating from the seventh century BC. In this Turkish town 250 mi/400 km southwest of Ankara, ruins seem to pop up everywhere—scattered between the buildings or...
Categories: Side
Sinop is located in northern Turkey, surrounded by the Black Sea. The city’s population was 57,399 as of the year 2012. There is so much culture, history and natural beauty surrounding Sinop, some of the must see attractions include a visit to ...
Categories: Sinop
High in the hills above Selcuk, Sirince (pronouned shirin-jay) is a village with an interesting history that provides an alternative base for visitors to Ephesus or a pleasant day trip from the nearby cities of Selcuk, Kusadasi, Izmir or Aydin.In Tur...
Categories: Sirince
Sivas, Turkey, is the point at which western Anatolia melts gently into more exotic eastern Anatolia, 280 mi/450 km east of Ankara. It's a conservative town, although that doesn't detract from the ruined Seljuk medreses dotted around its central park...
Categories: Sivas
Located on the Mediterranean coast of Turkey, Tasucu, is the main port for passenger ferryboats to and from Turkish Cyprus. With its picturesque cobblestone streets and beautiful Cilician Mountains looming in the distance, Tasucu is an excellent s...
Categories: Tasucu
The ancient town of Termessos, Turkey, 22 mi/35 km north of Antalya, is mentioned in the Iliad, in the story of Bellerophon. It's locally famous as being the only town in the area that Alexander the Great didn't conquer. The ruins, located high in th...
Categories: Termessos
Tokat is a particularly Turkish town, 275 mi/440 km northeast of Ankara, easy to dismiss on first sight but worth an overnight stay and a poke down the back streets. Go there to bathe in the Alipasa Hamam, one of Turkey-s most famous bathhouses, admi...
Categories: Tokat
Trabzon is a historical port city in Turkey that lines the eastern side of the Black Sea. Founded by the colonists of Miletus in the 8th century BC, this port is now known for its St. Sophia Church and the magnificent Sumela Monastery. The St. Sophia...
Categories: Trabzon
Troy, Turkey, the celebrated city of Homer's The Iliad and The Odyssey and of Virgil's The Aeneid, was long considered fictional until German businessman and archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann discovered its ruins in the 1870s. It's near the modern ci...
Categories: Troy Turkey
Categories: Urfa
The town of Van, Turkey, lies in a beautiful, stark setting near the eastern shore of huge (2,000-sq-mi/6,000-sq-km) saltwater Lake Van, about 625 mi/1,005 km southeast of Ankara. Transportation links are good, despite the remote setting: Van can be ...
Categories: Van
The small spa resort of Yalova, on the southern shore of the Sea of Marmara, is a long but enjoyable day trip of about 40 mi/65 km from Istanbul (take the high-speed ferry from Yenikapi and then a dolmus—shared taxi—on to the resort). What could be m...
Categories: Yalova
If you want to see the white-water-rafting stronghold of Yusufeli in the far northeastern corner of Turkey, do so soon, because it is constantly threatened with demolition to make way for a dam on the Coruh River. After years of back and forth, the f...
Categories: Yusufeli
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