Travel writing based on first-hand experience
Planning a trip to Turkey? Explore 20 top sights in Turkey—from ancient ruins and iconic mosques to fairy-tale landscapes and coastal gems. A must-read for first-time and returning visitors alike.
Table of Contents
Top Sights in Turkey
1. Sumela Monastery, Trabzon
Sumela Monastery does not so much sit on the mountain as cling to it dramatically, like it has absolutely no intention of being sensible. Hidden in Altındere village in the Maçka district of Trabzon, this ancient Greek Orthodox monastery rises around 1,150 meters above sea level, with forested slopes, mist, and cliffside drama doing most of the marketing work for it.
Also known as Panagia Sumela or Theotokos Sumela, the monastery is wrapped in legend. According to one popular story among the Black Sea Greeks, two monks — Barnabas of Athens and Sophronios — had the same prophetic dream. In it, they saw this remote mountain setting as the future home of an icon of Mary holding baby Jesus, believed to be one of three Panagia icons created by St. Luke. Naturally, because ancient legends never go for the low-effort option, both monks traveled separately by sea to Trabzon, met there, compared notes, and founded the first church at this astonishing site.
Today, Sumela is one of those places where history, faith, landscape, and sheer architectural nerve all collide. We come for the monastery, yes — but also for that first moment when the cliff opens up and the whole structure appears above the valley like something from a half-mad medieval dream.
Best for: history lovers, photographers, Black Sea road trips, monastery architecture, and anyone who enjoys a good “how on earth did they build that there?” moment.
2. Ishak Pasha Palace, Ağrı
Ishak Pasha Palace is one of those places that makes you question why more people are not shouting about eastern Turkey. Located around 5 km from Doğubeyazıt, the palace stands on a hill on the eastern slopes of a mountain, with wide views, big skies, and the kind of lonely grandeur that makes everything feel slightly cinematic.
Built in the 18th century, this palace is considered one of the last great monumental works of the Ottoman Empire from the Tulip Era. And it is not just “old and pretty,” which is travel-writing code for “we ran out of things to say.” Ishak Pasha Palace is a serious architectural hybrid, blending Ottoman, Persian, Seljuk, and Armenian influences into one dramatic mountain palace.
According to the inscription found in the Harem section, the palace was completed in 1784. So yes, it has been sitting here for centuries, quietly outperforming most modern viewpoints and reminding us that luxury once meant carved stone, ceremonial courtyards, and a location that looked designed by a poet with a flair for drama.
Best for: architecture fans, eastern Turkey itineraries, history lovers, photographers, and travelers who want something grand without the Istanbul crowds.
3. Mount Nemrut, Kahta, Adıyaman
Mount Nemrut is not subtle. It gives you giant stone heads, mountain-top mystery, royal ego on an archaeological scale, and sunrise views that make even sleep-deprived travelers go quiet for once. Sitting in the Kahta district of Adıyaman, this UNESCO World Heritage site is often called the “eighth wonder of the world,” which sounds dramatic until you stand there and think, honestly, fair enough.
The summit is famous for its enormous statues, some reaching up to ten meters, as well as inscriptions and the royal tomb-sanctuary built by King Antiochus I of Commagene. The fallen heads scattered across the terraces are the big visual hook, but the whole site feels stranger and more atmospheric than any simple photo can explain.
Most travelers come for sunrise or sunset, when the light hits the statues and the mountains roll away in soft layers. Is it cold? Often. Is the wake-up time offensive? Absolutely. Is it worth it? Also absolutely.
Best for: sunrise chasers, ancient history, UNESCO sites, photographers, and travelers who like their ruins with a side of cosmic weirdness.
4. Karagöl, Artvin
Karagöl in Artvin is Turkey doing moody lake scenery properly: dark water, deep forest, mountain air, and just enough remoteness to make you feel like you have escaped the normal world for a while. The lake sits within an area of around 368 hectares and was formed after a natural landslide in the early 19th century, when a collapsed hillside blocked the Klaskur Stream and created the lake we see today.
Nearby Aralık village adds a little human history to the landscape, including an old stone bridge that gives the area extra storybook charm. Around the lake, the Heba and Basın-Atanoğlu plateaus stretch through the villages of Aralık, Atanoğlu, and Karşıköy, offering panoramic views and summer pasture scenery.
This is not the place for a frantic tick-box itinerary. Come to walk, picnic, breathe, photograph reflections, and briefly pretend you are the kind of person who always chooses peaceful nature over scrolling your phone in bed. We believe in you.
Best for: lake views, slow nature days, picnics, Black Sea road trips, and travelers who want green landscapes with a little mystery.
5. Pamukkale, Denizli
Pamukkale looks like someone spilled a frozen white waterfall over the hillside and decided to call it a tourist attraction. And honestly, excellent decision. This surreal landscape in Denizli is famous for its bright white travertine terraces, mineral-rich pools, and hot springs, which have been drawing people here since ancient times.
The thermal waters come from the region’s geological faults and include 17 different hot water springs, with temperatures ranging from around 35 to 100 degrees Celsius. The water travels from its underground source for roughly 320 meters before reaching the famous travertine terraces, where it spills across the slope and continues flowing for another 240 to 300 meters.
As the water moves, calcium carbonate is deposited, first as a soft gel-like layer, then slowly hardening into the white travertine formations that made Pamukkale famous. Science, but make it photogenic.
Best for: natural wonders, thermal springs, ancient ruins, photography, and anyone who wants to walk barefoot across one of Turkey’s strangest landscapes.
6. Kümbet Plateau, Giresun
Kümbet Plateau sits high in the Eastern Black Sea region at around 1,640 meters above sea level, which means cool air, green slopes, and the kind of mountain scenery that makes city life feel like a clerical error. Located in the Dereli district, about 52 km south of Giresun, it is one of the area’s most popular plateau escapes.
The journey is fairly straightforward by Black Sea mountain standards: around 30 km of asphalt road to Dereli, then another 22 km of newer asphalt road to Kümbet. In summer, minibuses run this route, making it more accessible than some of Turkey’s wilder yayla destinations. If you like scenic drives, go via İkisu and return through Güdül for bonus mountain views. Because apparently one dramatic road was not enough.
Kümbet is also surprisingly well equipped. You will find accommodation, shops, a health center, food options, and even practical services, which makes it easier for travelers who want nature without fully committing to “we brought three cans of beans and hope.” Nearby plateaus and picnic areas like Aymaç Hill, Şah İsmail Düzü, Melikli Obası, and Şıh Obası Yavuzkemal are popular for camping, walking, and lazy summer days.
Best for: summer escapes, Black Sea plateaus, family picnics, scenic drives, and travelers who like mountain views with basic comforts nearby.
7. Mount Erciyes, Kayseri
Mount Erciyes is the great snowy symbol of Kayseri, rising to 3,917 meters and looking every bit as dramatic as that number suggests. It is an extinct cluster volcano, and while that sounds like something from a geology textbook, it is also part of the reason nearby Cappadocia looks so completely bizarre.
Millions of years ago, volcanic ash from Erciyes and Mount Hasan spread across the region, helping form the soft rock landscapes that later became Cappadocia’s fairy chimneys. So yes, Erciyes was basically doing landscape design before humans arrived with cameras and hot air balloon bookings.
The northern side of Mount Erciyes holds a long glacier, and the summit stays snowy throughout the year. Caves near the peak, once used by Byzantine priests as retreats, now sometimes shelter climbers during rough weather. Located about 30 km south of Kayseri, Erciyes is now one of Turkey’s major destinations for mountaineering and winter sports.
Best for: skiing, winter trips, mountaineering, Cappadocia add-ons, and travelers who enjoy volcanoes that have retired into scenic grandeur.
8. Xanthos Antik Kenti, Antalya – Muğla
Xanthos is not just another pile of ancient stones. This ancient Lycian city, located about 46 km from Fethiye on the Fethiye-Kaş road, carries one of the most dramatic backstories in Turkey. Set near Kınık Village by the Esen Stream, it was built across two hills overlooking the plain and once served as the capital of Lycia.
The site includes two main areas: the Lycian Acropolis, perched above the river and surrounded by walls, and the larger Roman Acropolis to the north. But Xanthos is remembered as much for tragedy as for architecture. Ancient sources describe the city as being destroyed and rebuilt more than once, as if history kept knocking it down and Xanthos kept standing back up out of pure stubbornness.
One of the most famous episodes took place in 546 BC, when the Persian commander Harpagos besieged the city. Rather than surrender, the citizens are said to have destroyed their own city and taken their own lives. Later, survivors and new settlers rebuilt Xanthos again. Grim? Very. Memorable? Also very.
Today, the ruins are a powerful stop for anyone exploring the Lycian coast. Come for the archaeology, stay for the sense that this place has seen everything and is still standing there, quietly judging our short attention spans.
Best for: ancient ruins, Lycian history, road trips between Fethiye and Kaş, archaeology fans, and travelers who like their history with emotional weight.
Ancient City of Xanthos location
9. Mardin
Mardin looks like it was carved from honey-colored stone and left to glow under the Mesopotamian sun. Set in southeast Turkey, it is one of the country’s most atmospheric cities, famous for layered history, stunning architecture, and a skyline of mosques, churches, monasteries, and old stone houses.
This is a city where different cultures and religions have overlapped for centuries. Mardin also sat on the old Silk Road and still has ancient inns and caravanserais that hint at its past as a trading hub. Walk through the old town and you get narrow lanes, carved doorways, rooftop terraces, and views that open suddenly over the Mesopotamian plain. Casual. Just thousands of years of history in one glance.
Mardin’s roots stretch back to around 4500 BC, and over the centuries it has seen Aramean Syriacs, Subari, Sumerians, Akkadians, Babylonians, Mitanni, Assyrians, Persians, Byzantines, Arabs, Seljuks, Artuqids, and Ottomans all leave their mark. The result is not a tidy museum city but a living mosaic — layered, textured, and completely unforgettable.
Best for: architecture, cultural history, slow city wandering, rooftop views, and travelers who want a deeply atmospheric alternative to Turkey’s usual beach-and-balloon route.
Read more: What to do in Mardin
10. Cappadocia, Nevşehir
Cappadocia is Turkey’s most famous dreamscape for good reason. Fairy chimneys, cave churches, underground cities, sunrise balloons, strange valleys — it is the sort of place where the landscape looks edited even when it is standing right in front of you, showing off with no filter whatsoever.
The story begins around 60 million years ago, when volcanoes including Erciyes, Hasandağ, and Güllüdağ covered the region in lava and ash. Over time, wind and rain carved the soft volcanic layers into the unique shapes we see today. Nature, apparently, was in a sculptural mood.
People have lived here since the Paleolithic period. The region later became an important center for early Christians, who carved homes, churches, monasteries, and refuges directly into the rock. These cave spaces offered safety during periods of persecution and turned Cappadocia into one of the most fascinating historical landscapes in Turkey.
Best for: first-time Turkey trips, hot air balloons, cave hotels, photography, hiking, ancient churches, and anyone who likes landscapes that look mildly impossible.
11. Ölüdeniz, Fethiye, Muğla
Ölüdeniz is the kind of place that gets called “postcard-perfect” so often that the phrase starts begging for retirement. But then you see the lagoon, the blue water, the mountains, and the paragliders drifting down from Babadağ, and fine — the postcard people win this round.
Located in the Fethiye district of Muğla, Ölüdeniz has long been known for its striking natural beauty. Historically, the Lycians called the region the “land of light and sun,” while in the Middle Ages it was known as the “Far Land.” Today, it is one of Turkey’s best-known beach destinations and one of the country’s rare lagoon formations.
The name Ölüdeniz means “dead sea” or “stagnant sea,” referring to the calmness of the lagoon. Even when Belceğiz Beach nearby gets rough during storms, the lagoon usually stays much gentler. But the water is not actually stale or still in the boring sense. It refreshes naturally thanks to several processes:
- First, underwater springs create a current moving from Ölüdeniz toward the open sea.
- Second, differences in salinity help keep seawater moving and exchanging.
- Third, tidal movements raise and lower the sea level by around half a meter every few days, helping circulate a large volume of water.
So yes, it is calm. No, it is not sleepy. And if you book a paragliding flight above it, you will understand very quickly why this place keeps appearing on “best beaches in Turkey” lists like it owns the category.
Best for: beach days, paragliding, lagoon swimming, Fethiye itineraries, and travelers who want turquoise water with mountain scenery doing the absolute most.
12. Pokut Plateau, Çamlıhemşin, Rize
Pokut Plateau is the Black Sea region at its most cinematic: mist, pine forests, wooden houses, rolling green hills, and clouds doing moody things just above your head. Located above Çamlıhemşin in the Hemşin region, the plateau sits at around 2,100 meters above sea level, overlooking the Palovit valley.
This is a favorite place for hikers, photographers, and anyone who enjoys mountain views that look like a fantasy film location but with better breakfast. The surrounding pine forests give Pokut a wonderfully remote feel, though summer can still bring visitors who know exactly how beautiful it is. The secret, regrettably, is out.
The architecture is part of the charm. Many traditional houses here are around 150 years old, built with stone lower levels, wooden upper sections, and metal-sheeted roofs. Inside, they typically include a few rooms, a kitchen, and a storage space known as a maran. Simple, practical, and absurdly photogenic against all that green.
Best for: Black Sea highlands, hiking, photography, misty landscapes, traditional houses, and travelers who think clouds belong at eye level.
13. Ballıca Cave, Tokat
Ballıca Cave in Tokat is what happens when geology spends millions of years showing off underground. Located around 95 meters below the surface and stretching about 680 meters, it is considered one of Turkey’s most impressive cave systems — and large parts of it are still unexplored or closed to the public, because apparently the earth likes keeping some secrets.
The cave is estimated to be around 3.4 million years old and is especially famous for its variety of formations, including rare onion stalactites. Walking through the accessible sections feels a bit like entering a natural museum, except the exhibits were made by water, minerals, pressure, and time rather than someone with a label printer.
Each chamber has a different mood, from delicate formations to dramatic rock textures. It is cool, eerie, beautiful, and just spooky enough to remind us that the planet has been busy making masterpieces under our feet while we were busy answering emails.
Best for: caves, geology, unusual nature spots, rainy-day exploring, and travelers who like destinations with a slight “underground kingdom” vibe.
14. Halfeti, Şanlıurfa
Halfeti is beautiful in a strange, bittersweet way. In 2002, the construction of the Birecik Dam transformed the district, flooding much of the old settlement and its productive farmland. For local residents, this was not a romantic travel story — it meant displacement, lost livelihoods, and a dramatic change to everyday life.
But the floodwaters also created one of Turkey’s most haunting landscapes. Greek-style stone houses now appear to rise from the water, and the partially submerged old town has become a draw for visitors and boat trips. The result is scenic, yes, but also complicated — a place where beauty and loss sit right beside each other.
The area’s rocky terrain and steppe landscape were never ideal for heavy industry, but tourism has given Halfeti a new economic path. Visitors now come for boat rides, sunken ruins, black roses, river views, and that surreal moment when minarets and rooftops emerge from the water like memories refusing to sink completely.
Best for: boat trips, unusual landscapes, photography, Şanlıurfa itineraries, and travelers who appreciate places with emotional depth as well as pretty views.
15. Hasankeyf, Batman
Hasankeyf is one of Turkey’s most historically layered and emotionally complicated places. Its exact origins are unclear, but the thousands of caves around the area make one thing obvious: people have lived here for a very, very long time. Set in Mesopotamia, one of the earliest cradles of civilization, Hasankeyf has seen empires, trade routes, religions, and river life pass through its landscape.
The city’s importance came partly from its position along the Tigris River. The river provided water, movement, and natural defense, while the surrounding rock formations and caves offered shelter and strategic advantage. Its historic name, Hısn Keyfa, refers to its monolithic stone fortress — a reminder that this was never just a pretty riverside settlement.
Today, Hasankeyf is also tied to difficult questions of preservation, development, and cultural loss. It is still worth visiting, but not as a simple “look at these ruins” stop. Come with context. Come slowly. This is one of those places where the landscape asks you to pay attention.
Best for: ancient history, Mesopotamian landscapes, cultural heritage, photography, and travelers interested in places where beauty and loss overlap.
16. Basilica Cistern, Istanbul
The Basilica Cistern is Istanbul’s underground mood board: dark water, ancient columns, reflections, silence, and just enough mystery to make everyone whisper even when nobody asked them to. Built in 542 AD by Byzantine Emperor Justinian I, the cistern supplied water to the Great Palace and remains one of the most atmospheric sights in the Historical Peninsula.
Because of its scale and those dramatic marble columns rising from the water, it is also known as the Basilica Palace. The name “Basilica” is believed to come from the Ilius Basilica, which once stood nearby. But honestly, once we are inside, names become less important than the feeling of walking through a sunken forest of stone.
The cistern covers around 9,800 square meters and contains 336 columns, each around 9 meters tall. They are arranged in 12 rows of 28 columns, creating a vast underground space that feels part engineering project, part film set, part ancient fever dream.
Best for: first-time Istanbul visitors, Byzantine history, atmospheric photography, rainy days, and anyone who likes their sightseeing with a touch of underworld glamour.
17. Akdamar Church, Van
Akdamar Church, officially the Church of the Holy Cross, sits on Akdamar Island in Lake Van, and the setting alone is enough to make you pause. Water, mountains, island, medieval stone church — it is not exactly struggling for atmosphere.
The church was built between 915 and 921 AD by the architect Manuel under the patronage of King Gagik I. It was designed to house a relic of the True Cross, which legend says was brought to the Van region in the 7th century after being taken from Jerusalem to Iran. Whether you come for faith, architecture, or history, this is one of the most important Armenian monuments in the region.
The building is made from red andesite stone, and the exterior is richly decorated with low-relief carvings of plants, animals, and biblical scenes. Over time, several additions were made, including a chapel, a community house, and a bell tower. After years of neglect, the church was restored between 2005 and 2007, helping preserve one of the most remarkable cultural landmarks around Lake Van.
Best for: Armenian architecture, Lake Van trips, cultural history, island visits, and travelers who love sacred places in wildly beautiful settings.
18. Uzungöl, Trabzon
Uzungöl is one of the Black Sea region’s best-known mountain lake towns, sitting in the Çaykara district of Trabzon. The village takes its name from the lake beside it, which formed when rocks from the slopes blocked the Haldizen Stream. Nature: occasionally chaotic, often excellent at branding.
The landscape here is lush, green, and deeply tied to the region’s rainy climate. Uzungöl lies where the Soğanlı and Kaçkar mountain ranges meet, in one of Turkey’s temperate rainforest areas. These forests are among the oldest of their kind in the world, and the constant rainfall keeps the surrounding slopes green almost year-round.
The mountains around Uzungöl, especially Demirkapı and Soğanlı, are home to more than 60 identified endemic plant species. Wildlife also thrives here, including brown bears, roe deer, lynx, and mountain goats. Because of its ecological value, Uzungöl has been designated as a Natural Protected Area, Special Protection Environment, and Nature Park.
Best for: mountain lake views, Black Sea road trips, cool summer escapes, forest scenery, and travelers who like their nature green, misty, and slightly dramatic.
19. Myra Ancient City, Antalya
Myra Ancient City sits between Finike and Kaş, about 25 km from Finike and 48 km from Kaş. It was once one of the five major cities of ancient Lycia, dating back to the 5th century BC, and it still delivers that satisfying ancient-city mix of rock-cut tombs, theatre ruins, and “how is this not more famous?” energy.
Myra was originally a coastal city, but over time alluvium from the Demre Stream pushed the shoreline away, leaving the site slightly inland. Today, its most famous surviving features are the Lycian rock tombs carved into the cliffs, the ancient theatre, and nearby St. Nicholas Church, connected to the historical figure behind Santa Claus. Yes, ancient ruins and Santa-adjacent history in one stop. Turkey likes to keep things varied.
The tombs are the visual highlight, rising above the site like an elaborate stone apartment block for the afterlife. The theatre adds scale, and together they make Myra one of the most rewarding ancient stops on the Mediterranean coast.
Best for: Lycian ruins, Kaş and Demre trips, ancient theatres, rock tombs, and travelers who like archaeology that is easy to combine with a coastal itinerary.
20. Cumalıkızık Village, Bursa
Cumalıkızık is the village version of stepping into a very pretty time capsule. Founded in the 1300s, this Bursa village has preserved its historic atmosphere and early Ottoman rural architecture so well that it has become a favorite for visitors, photographers, and historical film crews. Naturally. Give Turkey a cobbled lane and a painted wooden house, and someone will eventually point a camera at it.
The village sits in the foothills of Uludağ, within a cluster of settlements known as the Kızık villages. The name Cumalıkızık is often linked to Friday prayers — Cuma means Friday in Turkish — because the village once served as a gathering place for prayer. Another story says Osman Bey named it Cumalıkızık because it was founded on a Friday. Either way, Friday clearly had excellent branding here.
In the village square, you will find the Cumalıkızık Ethnography Museum, which displays objects from local village life. Every June, the village celebrates its local produce with a Raspberry Festival. But the real joy is wandering the streets: Ottoman houses built from rubble stone, wood, and adobe; latticed windows; colorful facades in yellow, white, blue, and purple; and narrow stone-paved lanes that make you slow down whether you planned to or not.
Best for: Bursa day trips, Ottoman village architecture, photography, slow wandering, local food, and travelers who enjoy historic places that still feel lived-in.
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