Places to visit in

Turkey

Istanbul is a unique transcontinental city that has served as the capital of the Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman empires. It sits at the crossroads of Europe and Asia along the Bosphorus, blending diverse architectural styles, religions and cuisines. The city's historic peninsula (Sultanahmet) contains an exceptional concentration of medieval and early modern monuments, many of which are UNESCO-listed or of global cultural importance. Istanbul's strategic maritime position shaped trade, diplomacy and cultural exchange between East and West for centuries.

Built in 537 CE under Emperor Justinian I, the Hagia Sophia is one of the world’s most significant monuments of Byzantine architecture. It served as the principal cathedral of the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire for nearly 1,000 years, was converted into a mosque in 1453 after the Ottoman conquest, became a museum in 1935, and was reconverted to a mosque in 2020. The building is part of the Historic Areas of Istanbul (UNESCO World Heritage Site) and influenced the design of many Ottoman mosques — a living symbol of the city’s layered Christian and Islamic histories.

The Sultan Ahmed Mosque (commonly called the Blue Mosque) is one of the most important examples of classical Ottoman architecture in Istanbul. Commissioned by Sultan Ahmed I and built between 1609 and 1616, it was designed by Sedefkâr Mehmet Ağa, a pupil of the great architect Mimar Sinan. The mosque functions as both an active place of worship and a major cultural and historical landmark that symbolizes Ottoman imperial ambition, religious devotion, and the fusion of Byzantine and Ottoman forms in the heart of historic Constantinople (Istanbul).

Topkapi Palace (Topkapı Sarayı) was the primary residence and administrative headquarters of the Ottoman sultans from the mid-15th century (after Mehmet II's conquest of Constantinople in 1453) until the mid-19th century. It is a cornerstone of Ottoman political, cultural and artistic history, housing imperial collections, sacred relics of Islam, state archives, and one of the world's most important treasuries. The palace complex illustrates the evolution of Ottoman court life, architecture and craftsmanship and is part of the Historic Areas of Istanbul UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Basilica Cistern (Yerebatan Sarnıcı) is one of Istanbul's most remarkable Byzantine-era monuments. Built in 532 AD during the reign of Emperor Justinian I, it served as a large underground reservoir supplying water to the Great Palace and nearby buildings. Its vast hypostyle hall of 336 marble columns and sophisticated engineering (vaulted brick ceilings and water-management system) demonstrate the advanced hydraulic and architectural skills of the Byzantine Empire.

Dolmabahçe Palace served as the main administrative center of the late Ottoman Empire (mid-19th to early 20th century). Commissioned by Sultan Abdülmecid I and completed in 1856, it symbolized the empire’s modernization and westernizing reforms, replacing Topkapı Palace as the primary residence. Architecturally it blends Ottoman traditions with European Baroque, Rococo and Neoclassical styles, reflecting a period of intense cultural exchange. The palace is also closely associated with the founding leader of modern Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, who used it during his stays in Istanbul and passed away there in 1938.

Galata Tower (built in 1348 by the Genoese as Christea Turris) is one of Istanbul's most iconic medieval landmarks. It served as a defensive and watch tower for the Genoese colony in Galata and later as a fire-watch tower during the Ottoman era. Today it is a symbol of the city's layered history where Byzantine, Genoese and Ottoman influences meet, offering panoramic views that connect the European and Asian sides of Istanbul.

Süleymaniye Mosque (Istanbul) is one of the grandest examples of Ottoman imperial architecture, built for Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent by the chief imperial architect Mimar Sinan (completed 1557). The mosque is the centerpiece of a large külliye (religious and social complex) that historically included a madrasa, hospital, soup kitchen, hammam and caravanserai. It symbolizes the political, religious and cultural power of the 16th‑century Ottoman Empire and occupies a prominent hilltop site overlooking the Golden Horn, contributing to Istanbul's skyline and urban identity.

Chora (Kariye) Mosque is one of the finest surviving examples of late Byzantine (Palaiologan) art and architecture in Istanbul. Originally a Byzantine church (Kariye Church), its present decoration dates mainly from the 14th century under the patronage of Theodore Metochites. The interior mosaics and frescoes are celebrated for their refined naturalism, narrative clarity and high-quality materials (gold tesserae), marking the peak of the Palaiologan Renaissance. The building documents layers of Istanbul's history — Byzantine, Ottoman (converted to a mosque in the 16th century), 20th‑century museum conservation, and most recently reconversion to a functioning mosque — making it culturally and historically significant.

Grand Bazaar (Kapalıçarşı) in Istanbul is one of the oldest and largest covered markets in the world. Established shortly after the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople in the 15th century, it became a central hub of commerce in the Ottoman Empire and played a major role in trade between East and West. The complex of domed streets and caravanserai-style bedestens reflects Ottoman urban planning and commercial architecture and remains a living example of Istanbul's layered past.

Spice Bazaar (Mısır Çarşısı) is one of Istanbul's oldest covered markets and a landmark of Ottoman commercial architecture. Built in the 17th century as part of the Yeni Cami (New Mosque) complex, it functioned as a vakıf (endowment) whose revenues supported the mosque. Historically the city's hub for spices, herbs and imported goods, the bazaar reflects Istanbul's role as a crossroads between East and West and preserves centuries-old trade traditions and culinary culture.

İstiklal Avenue (İstiklal Caddesi) and Taksim Square form the modern cultural and social heart of Istanbul. İstiklal is a 19th-century pedestrianate boulevard in the Beyoğlu (Pera) district that grew during the late Ottoman and early Republican eras as a cosmopolitan hub for Europeans, Levantines, and local elites. Lined with historic buildings, churches, consulates, theaters, and cafés, it showcases a blend of Ottoman, neoclassical, Art Nouveau and early modern Turkish architecture. Taksim Square is the symbolic center of modern Turkey, home to the Republic Monument (Cumhuriyet Anıtı) and a focal point for national celebrations, protests, and public gatherings. Together they represent Istanbul's layered history — from imperial transformations to republican identity and contemporary urban life.

Bosphorus Strait (Turkish: Boğaziçi or İstanbul Boğazı) is the narrow, natural waterway that links the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara and divides Istanbul into European and Asian sides. It has been a strategic maritime passage for millennia, shaping trade, military campaigns and imperial city planning — from Byzantine Constantinople to Ottoman Istanbul. The strait's shores are lined with historic fortresses, Ottoman palaces and traditional wooden waterfront mansions (yalı). It also supports notable natural features: a unique two-layer current system, rich coastal flora, migratory bird routes and occasional sightings of dolphins.

The Princes' Islands (Adalar) are an archipelago in the Sea of Marmara, near Istanbul. They hold significant historical and cultural value as a place of exile for Byzantine princes and other notable figures; this origin explains the name. Over centuries the islands developed multicultural communities — Greek Orthodox, Armenian, Jewish and Levantine presences — leaving a rich architectural legacy of churches, monasteries, synagogues and wooden Ottoman-era mansions. Naturally, the islands are valued for their pine-covered hills, car-free streets, and coastal landscapes that provide a quieter contrast to Istanbul's urban intensity.

Rumeli Fortress (Rumelihisarı) was built in 1452 by Sultan Mehmed II as a rapid, strategic fortification on the European shore of the Bosphorus to control naval traffic and prepare for the conquest of Constantinople (1453). It is an outstanding example of Ottoman military architecture and urban strategy: built to complement the older Anadolu Hisarı on the Anatolian side, together they allowed the Ottomans to dominate the narrowest point of the strait. Today the fortress is a well-preserved historic monument and a cultural venue that connects Istanbul's Byzantine and Ottoman past to its vibrant present.

Ortaköy Mosque (Büyük Mecidiye Camii) is an iconic 19th-century Ottoman mosque located on the shores of the Bosphorus in the Ortaköy neighborhood of Istanbul. Commissioned during the reign of Sultan Abdülmecid I and completed in the mid-1800s, it is an outstanding example of Ottoman Neo-Baroque architecture and a cultural landmark that symbolizes the city's blend of European and Ottoman influences. Its picturesque waterfront setting and close proximity to the Bosphorus Bridge make it a frequent subject of photography and a popular symbol of Istanbul.

Istanbul Archaeology Museums form one of Turkey's most important museum complexes and are a cornerstone for understanding the ancient civilizations of Anatolia, the Near East and the Mediterranean. Founded in the late 19th century by the Ottoman archaeologist and painter Osman Hamdi Bey, the museums preserve large, world-class collections of Hittite, Assyrian, Greek, Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman-era artifacts. The complex is historically significant both for its collections (including the famed Alexander Sarcophagus) and for its role in the development of modern archaeology and museology in Turkey.

Pierre Loti Hill (Pierre Loti Tepesi) in the Eyüp district of Istanbul is valued for both its cultural-literary association and its panoramic vantage over the Golden Horn. The hill became famous in the late 19th and early 20th centuries because the French novelist and naval officer Louis Marie-Julien Viaud, who used the pen name Pierre Loti, frequently sat at the hilltop café and wrote about Istanbul. The site also sits close to the historically important Eyüp Sultan Mosque complex — a major Ottoman-era religious and pilgrimage area — linking literary, religious and urban heritage with natural vistas of the estuary.

Ankara is the capital of the Republic of Turkey and the country's administrative and political center. It has deep historical roots stretching back to Phrygian, Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk and Ottoman periods. The city is notable for modern republican heritage — most prominently Anıtkabir, the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk — and for world-class museums such as the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, which houses important Hittite, Phrygian and Byzantine artifacts. Ankara also sits on the central Anatolian plateau, offering steppe landscapes and nearby archaeological sites.

Anıtkabir is the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder and first President of the Republic of Turkey. It is Turkey's foremost national monument and a central site for national remembrance, state ceremonies, and public homage. The monument symbolizes the secular, modern republic Atatürk established and serves as a focal point for Turkish identity, civic education, and official commemorations.