Top 10 Tourist Attractions to Visit in Turkey

Turkey straddles Europe and Asia, and it is a country surrounded by sea on three sides, bordered by the Black Sea to the north, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and the Aegean Sea to the west. It is such a unique country that has gradually fused Eastern and Western cultures over the course of thousands of years. As Turkey has a long history of being the seat of the ancient Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman empires, you may find historical architecture in different styles. Besides, there are plenty of natural beauties in this fascinating land.Before you take a tour to Turkey, do you want to know more about it? Let's take a look.

Hagia Sophia

Hagia Sophia in Istanbul is a typical Byzantine building that is almost 1500 years old. The exterior of Hagia Sophia has a circular roof and four long cylindrical lighthouses in each of the four directions around the church, which are illuminated every night. In the interior of the church, there are many glass chandeliers in the shape of flowers hanging in the hall, the largest of which is in the center, and they are uniformly glowing with a dazzling golden light, and beautiful frescoes can be seen everywhere on the surrounding walls. Under the dome are six dark green discs about 10 meters in diameter with Arabic writing on them, which symbolize Muhammad and his disciples. There is a floor specially decorated with colored marble, it is considered the center of the world so people call it the "navel of the world", in ancient times the coronation ceremony of the emperor was held on this colored floor. Hagia Sophia is arguably Turkey's epic building, and devotees from all over the world treat it as heaven on earth. It is one of the best places for first time travel.

Hagia Sophia

Blue Mosque

The Blue Mosque is named after the blue tiles used in most of the interior walls, and it is said that not a single nail was used in its construction, which is also known as one of the top ten wonders of the world. Outside the mosque are six cylindrical towers on each side, which represent the six faiths of Islam. We have to take off our shoes before entering the mosque and women have to wear the hijab to enter, which represents a sign of respect for it. When you enter the mosque, you will be instantly attracted by its splendid and gorgeous decoration, where more than 200 curved translucent glass windows reflect the entire mosque as if it were a sea of blue. The floor was covered with a red patterned carpet, which looked even more beautiful under the golden chandelier.

Topkapi Palace

Topkapi Palace was once the residence of the royal family and the place where the king held his councils. It is a standard Ottoman-period building, also known as the Old Palace. The entire palace has an air of understated luxury, and the first thing you can see when you walk in is a courtyard with tall, lush trees standing on either side of a wide avenue. There are also churches and beautiful fountains, and flowers of various colors. Inside the hall, you can see a huge painted dome and ceramic artwork hanging around the walls. Sudan's parlor also functions as a library, with a very realistic wax figure of the Sultan sitting on a sofa. There is a gate here called the Gate of Respect, and it is said that in ancient times both officials and foreign emissaries had to dismount and walk in whenever they came to this gate, which is very interesting. The innermost part of the Topkapi Palace is where the various members of the royal family live, while successive sultans have kept their jewels here. More people feel the luxury in the inner hall, where there are pure gold seats, sinks, and clocks; the wall is also hanging accessories, and each ancient object seems to tell visitors about the prosperity of the past. The Topkapi Palace is built right on the shore of the Bosphorus, so there is also a terrace to enjoy the view of the strait. Especially when the sun comes out, the view of the palace and the strait complement each other in the sunlight, making it a veritable tourist treasure.

Topkapi Palace

Basilica Cistern

Underneath the old city of Istanbul lies a mysterious underground water palace where the famous Medusa is said to be imprisoned. Because it was built underground, the whole palace is relatively dark, and there are dots of yellow light everywhere, making it look even more mysterious and unpredictable. The palace has many Roman-style stone columns, including an extraordinary one with reliefs in the shape of a peacock's eyes all over its upper side. One of the eyes has a continuous flow of water that looks like crying, so named "pillar of tears." Walking to the deepest part of the water palace is the most famous "Medusa's pillar," one head down and another face down, two pillars pressed on the top as if in captivity. There is a wishing pool here, and it is said that if you make a wish to it and put in a coin, you will have your dream come true.

Istanbul Grand Bazaar

The Istanbul Grand Bazaar is one of the oldest markets in the world and is dazzling with a wide range of goods. Because of the variety of things for sale, the whole bazaar looks colorful. From food to antique jewelry and a variety of handicrafts, spices, and porcelain, you can find everything you want. The exquisite glass lamp stores are worth visiting. When you walk into the store as if into another world, where a variety of patterns and colors of the lights are lit up together beautiful to the heart. If you are interested, you can experience the local culture in a Turkish clothing store, in addition to delicious Turkish-style snacks and various beautiful carpets. Istanbul Grand Bazaar is a veritable shopping paradise!

Cappadocia Fairy Chimneys

Cappadocia is a standard karst landscape. Its unique rock formations look like chimneys from a fairy tale, and the dreamy environment attracts tourists from all over the world. When you come to Cappadocia, you can't miss experiencing a hot air balloon, which gives you the feeling of being on other planets in the universe when you look down on the whole of Cappadocia. Goreme has a viewpoint for tourists to enjoy the beautiful scenery. Many people will go up to watch the sunrise and sunset. The charming sunshine and the sky of hot air balloons form an unparalleled romantic paradise. At night, when the moon rises, the whole town looks like the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, adding a lot of mystery to the romance.

Capadocia

Mount Nemrut

Mount Nemrut is more than 2,000 meters above sea level and is also known as "God's Ruins" because of the five 2,000-year-old statues of gods at the top of the mountain. The head and body of the statue have long been separated and scattered as a result of the earthquake weathering and other factors. But even so, when coming to them, you may still feel their sacred solemnity. When you stand at the top of Mount Nemrut at sunset and look into the distance, you can sometimes see birds flying in the sky. The afterglow of the sunset sprinkled on the surrounding mountains and the statues behind us as if cloaked in a layer of holy light, which is a kind of beauty that cannot be described in words. It is mind-blowing.

Cotton Castle

Cotton Castle, or Pamukkale as it is known in Turkish. From afar, it is like white cotton, as if terraced layers piled up and each layer has a clear blue spring. The sunsets here are famous. When the sun goes down, the sunlight shines on the spring, and the white limestone reflects each other and gives off a lovely color. It is recommended that you wear a pair of sunglasses to protect your eyesight when you come to Cotton Castle because it is all pure white. The hot springs at Cotton Castle are rich in minerals that can cure many kinds of diseases, so many people have been coming here since ancient times. When standing on a high place overlooking the entire cotton castle can not help but marvel at nature's magic work. When the sun is shining, you will see different colors reflected, just like it is the dividing point between reality and the dream world, it is the magic world scattered on the earth.

Cotton Castle

Ephesus

Ephesus was once one of the five major cities during the ancient Roman Empire and is dotted with ancient ruins. One of the Seven Wonders of the World, the Temple of Artemis, is located here. The Library of Celsus is the most spectacular and exquisite building in the ancient city of Ephesus, with ancient inscriptions on the marble walls and stone pillars filled with exquisite patterns and a collection of about ten thousand volumes. The more than 2,000-year-old Ephesus Theatre is still in use today, with a vast semicircular staircase surrounding the theater in the middle. When sitting on it, it seems that you can still see the scene from thousands of years ago. It is hard to believe that toilet flush toilets existed in ancient Roman times, and one such monument is found in Ephesus. It was carved out of marble, but only male aristocrats were allowed to use it in those days.

Ephesus

Seaside Resort

Antalya is a city on the Mediterranean coast that has a long history and beautiful scenery and is a vacation destination. It's a fantastic spot to relax and unwind, with its beautiful beaches, historical attractions, and high-end hotels. Many Ottoman-era buildings remain in Antalya's old town, and the facades of various stores have been colorfully decorated. Here remains the main gate of the old city, Hadrian's Gate, which is made of marble in the shape of a rectangle. On both sides of the city gate, there are still parts of the ancient city wall, telling people about the past. There is a viewpoint near the harbor of Rome where you can not only see the cruise ships coming in and out of the harbor but there are many beautiful flowers planted around the viewpoint. Bodrum is a small town in the southwestern part of the Aegean region of Turkey and has many historical sites on it. When you come to the coast of Bodrum, you can find many bars and restaurants, and it's a good choice to enjoy the view while having a good meal. Besides, it is also very interesting to take a boat trip around the bay to enjoy the charming bay from different angles. If you like water sports, there are also diving, surfing, fishing, and many other interesting activities for you to choose from.

Fethiye is a very romantic seaside town. There is a butterfly valley surrounded by mountains on three sides, named after the many beautiful butterflies in it. Fethiye is one of the world's top paragliding destinations, and a single leap from over 2,000 meters offers a breathtaking view of the entire coastline. There is also a thrilling pirate ship. Perhaps you want to take a trip to the sea? Then try it.

The beauty of Turkey cannot be expressed in words. It is a country made for romance. And thousands of years of history and culture add a lot of mystery to it. Turkish cuisine is one of the top three cuisines in the world and is known worldwide for its cuisines, such as the famous Turkish kebabs and wraps. If you are planning to take a Turkey trip but don't know how to start, please don't hesitate to contact us, just simply tell us your interests and needs, and one of our travel experts will create a tailor-made itinerary for you within 24hrs.