Find places in Türkiye

Must-Haves

• Hagia Sophia (Sultanahmet)
  The sixth century domed wonder that has been a cathedral, a mosque, a museum and a mosque again.
• Blue Mosque (Sultanahmet)
  Six minarets and thousands of blue Iznik tiles, still a working mosque.
• Topkapı Palace (Sultanahmet)
  The courtyards, treasury and harem of the Ottoman sultans above the Bosphorus.
• Basilica Cistern (Sultanahmet)
  A dim underground forest of Roman columns, including the two Medusa heads.

Fun for Everyone

• Istanbul Archaeology Museums (Gülhane)
  Superb sarcophagi, ancient tiles and treaties in a quieter corner of the old city.

Must-Haves

• Grand Bazaar (Beyazıt)
  One of the world's oldest covered markets, with thousands of shops under painted vaults.

Fun for Everyone

• Spice Bazaar (Eminönü)
  Turkish delight, spices, dried fruit and tea in a seventeenth century market hall.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Kadıköy Market (Kadıköy)
  The Asian side's food streets of fishmongers, pickle shops, delis and cafés.

Must-Haves

• Bosphorus public ferry (Eminönü)
  The cheapest and best way to see palaces and wooden mansions from the water.

Fun for Everyone

• Galata Tower (Galata)
  A medieval stone tower with a panoramic balcony over the old city and the Bosphorus.
• Princes' Islands (Büyükada)
  Car free islands of wooden villas, pine woods and bike rides, a ferry ride from the city.

Great for Date Night

• Çamlıca Hill (Üsküdar)
  A hilltop on the Asian side for sunset views over the whole city.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Cağaloğlu Hamamı (Sultanahmet)
  A historic eighteenth century Turkish bath with marble halls.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Balat and Fener (Fatih)
  Colourful old streets, churches and synagogues on the Golden Horn.

Fun for Everyone

• Emirgan Park (Sarıyer)
  A Bosphorus park famous for its spring tulip displays and old pavilions.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Çiya Sofrası (Kadıköy)
  Regional Anatolian home cooking with dishes you rarely see elsewhere.
• Karaköy Lokantası (Karaköy)
  A tiled classic serving Turkish home style dishes at lunch and meze at night.
• Hamdi Restaurant (Eminönü)
  Southeastern kebabs and a terrace overlooking the Golden Horn.

Great for Date Night

• Mikla (Beyoğlu)
  Modern Anatolian cooking on a rooftop with sweeping views.

Must-Haves

• Karaköy Güllüoğlu (Karaköy)
  The city's best known baklava shop, busy from morning to night.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Pierre Loti Café (Eyüp)
  A hilltop tea garden above the Golden Horn reached by cable car.

Great for Date Night

• Nevizade Street meyhanes (Beyoğlu)
  A lane of taverns where meze and rakı flow late into the night.

Must-Haves

• Istanbul Tulip Festival (Citywide)
  Millions of tulips fill the city's parks every April.

Fun for Everyone

• Istanbul Music Festival (Citywide)
  A summer season of classical music in historic venues across the city.

Must-Haves

• Pera Palace Hotel (Tepebaşı)
  A grand historic hotel from 1892 where Agatha Christie once stayed.

Must-Haves

• Göreme Open Air Museum (Göreme)
  Rock cut monasteries and churches with remarkable Byzantine frescoes.
• Derinkuyu Underground City (Derinkuyu)
  An underground city dug many levels deep to shelter thousands of people.

Off the Beaten Path

• Zelve Open Air Museum (Zelve)
  A former cave town of churches and homes in three quiet valleys.

Fun for Everyone

• Kaymaklı Underground City (Kaymaklı)
  Narrow passages, stables and storerooms in a vast underground refuge.

Must-Haves

• Hot air balloon flight (Göreme)
  Drift over fairy chimneys and valleys at sunrise with a licensed operator.
• Uçhisar Castle (Uçhisar)
  A hollowed rock fortress at the highest point of the area, with sweeping views.

Off the Beaten Path

• Mustafapaşa (Mustafapaşa)
  A quiet village of carved Greek stone houses and old churches.

Fun for Everyone

• Ortahisar Castle (Ortahisar)
  A rock citadel above a village with far fewer crowds than Göreme.

Must-Haves

• Rose Valley (Çavuşin)
  Pink rock walls, cave chapels and the region's classic sunset walk.

Fun for Everyone

• Love Valley (Göreme)
  Tall rock pillars and easy trails just outside Göreme.
• Pigeon Valley (Uçhisar)
  A walking trail between Göreme and Uçhisar past old carved dovecotes.
• Paşabağı (Avanos road)
  Fairy chimneys with multiple caps, once home to hermit monks.

Off the Beaten Path

• Ihlara Valley (Aksaray)
  A green river gorge with painted churches hidden in its cliffs.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Avanos pottery workshops (Avanos)
  A river town where potters still throw red clay on kick wheels.

Great for Date Night

• Turasan Winery (Ürgüp)
  Tastings of wines made from grapes grown in Cappadocia's volcanic soil.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Göreme sunset viewpoint (Göreme)
  Watch the balloons rise or the sun set over the valleys from the hill above the village.

Must-Haves

• Museum Hotel (Uçhisar)
  A cave hotel full of antiques with a pool overlooking the valleys.

Must-Haves

• Kaleiçi (Old Town)
  The walled old town of Ottoman houses, lanes and cafés above the harbour.
• Hadrian's Gate (Kaleiçi)
  A triple arched Roman gate built for the emperor's visit.
• Antalya Museum (Konyaaltı)
  One of Türkiye's best archaeological museums, with statues from Perge.
• Aspendos Theatre (Serik)
  One of the best preserved Roman theatres in the world.

Fun for Everyone

• Perge Ancient City (Aksu)
  Colonnaded streets, baths and a stadium near the city.

Must-Haves

• Düden Waterfalls (Lara)
  Water that plunges off cliffs straight into the sea.

Fun for Everyone

• Konyaaltı Beach (Konyaaltı)
  A long pebble beach with mountain views and a seafront park.
• Lara Beach (Lara)
  Golden sand lined by big resort hotels east of the city.

Off the Beaten Path

• Kurşunlu Waterfall (Aksu)
  A shady nature park with a waterfall and pools away from the coast.
• Chimaera flames at Olympos (Çıralı)
  Eternal flames burning from the hillside, best seen after dark.

Fun for Everyone

• Tünektepe cable car (Konyaaltı)
  A ride up the mountain for views over the city and bay.

Great for Date Night

• Kekova sunken city boat trip (Üçağız)
  Glide over ruins half under the water off the Lycian coast.

Off the Beaten Path

• Kaş (Kaş)
  A charming small harbour town for diving, kayaking and quiet coves.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Antalya old bazaar (Kaleiçi)
  Lanes of spice stalls, leather and souvenirs near the clock tower.

Fun for Everyone

• Kaleiçi harbour cafés (Old harbour)
  Tea or coffee by the boats in the old Roman harbour.

Fun for Everyone

• Kaleiçi old town bars (Kaleiçi)
  Garden bars and live music in the old town lanes.

Must-Haves

• Aspendos Opera and Ballet Festival (Serik)
  Performances in the ancient theatre on summer nights.

Must-Haves

• Ephesus Ancient City (Selçuk)
  The Library of Celsus, the Great Theatre and marble streets of a Roman metropolis.
• Terrace Houses of Ephesus (Selçuk)
  Roman homes with mosaics and frescoes under a protective roof.
• Pergamon Acropolis (Bergama)
  A steep hillside theatre and temples reached by cable car.

Fun for Everyone

• Ephesus Museum (Selçuk)
  Statues of Artemis and finds from the ancient city.
• Basilica of St John (Selçuk)
  Ruins of a great church on the hill above Selçuk.

Must-Haves

• Kemeraltı Bazaar (Konak)
  A huge historic market of lanes, mosques, inns and food stalls.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Kızlarağası Han (Kemeraltı)
  An eighteenth century inn with coffee in its courtyard.

Must-Haves

• Kordon promenade (Alsancak)
  The seafront where the whole city walks and watches the sunset.

Fun for Everyone

• Asansör (Karataş)
  A historic lift with views over the bay from the top.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Izmir bay ferry (Konak)
  A cheap ride across the bay to Karşıyaka and back.

Off the Beaten Path

• Kadifekale (Kadifekale)
  The ancient hilltop citadel with a view over the city.

Great for Date Night

• Alaçatı (Çeşme)
  Stone houses, windmills and boutique restaurants in a stylish seaside town.

Must-Haves

• Pamukkale travertines (Pamukkale)
  White terraces of warm mineral pools beside Roman Hierapolis.

Fun for Everyone

• Ilıca Beach (Çeşme)
  Shallow, calm water popular with families on the Çeşme peninsula.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Boyoz and egg breakfast in Kemeraltı (Kemeraltı)
  Izmir's signature flaky pastry eaten with hard boiled eggs.

Fun for Everyone

• Alsancak bar streets (Alsancak)
  Lanes of bars and live music around Kıbrıs Şehitleri Street.

Must-Haves

• Ölüdeniz Blue Lagoon (Ölüdeniz)
  A sheltered turquoise lagoon in a nature park.

Fun for Everyone

• Butterfly Valley (Faralya)
  A canyon beach with a small waterfall reached by boat.
• Saklıkent Gorge (Saklıkent)
  Wade through cold water between high canyon walls.
• Patara Beach (Patara)
  A huge sandy beach beside an ancient city and turtle nesting site.

Off the Beaten Path

• Kabak Bay (Kabak)
  A remote cove with tree houses and yoga camps.

Must-Haves

• Babadağ paragliding (Ölüdeniz)
  Tandem flights from the mountain down to the beach.
• Twelve Islands boat trip (Fethiye harbour)
  A day of swim stops in coves around the Gulf of Fethiye.

Off the Beaten Path

• Lycian Way (Ovacık)
  The start of the long distance coastal trail above Ölüdeniz.

Great for Date Night

• Göcek gulet cruise (Göcek)
  Wooden boat cruises around the bays of the Göcek gulf.

Must-Haves

• Kayaköy (Kayaköy)
  A hillside ghost village abandoned after the 1923 population exchange.
• Amyntas Rock Tombs (Fethiye)
  Lycian tombs carved into the cliff above town.

Fun for Everyone

• Tlos Ancient City (Seydikemer)
  A Lycian hilltop city with tombs and views of the mountains.
• Fethiye Museum (Fethiye)
  Lycian finds and the trilingual Letoon inscription.

Off the Beaten Path

• Xanthos and Letoon (Kınık)
  The UNESCO listed capital and sanctuary of ancient Lycia.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Fethiye Tuesday Market (Fethiye)
  A big weekly market of produce, textiles and spices.

Fun for Everyone

• Paspatur Old Bazaar (Fethiye)
  Lanes of small shops and cafés in the old quarter.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Fethiye Fish Market (Fethiye)
  Choose your fish at the stalls and have it cooked next door.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Gözleme stalls in Ölüdeniz (Ölüdeniz)
  Thin filled flatbreads cooked on a griddle by village women.