What to see in Turkey from the best attractions? If you are going to vacation at beach resorts, we advise you to first of all get acquainted with interesting places that can be visited both by a rented car on your own and on excursions. All fascinating routes, prices and a detailed description with photos will be considered within the framework of the material.
In this article, we will consider the best sights of Turkey with photos and descriptions that are worthy of your attention. By the way, we posted the prices for excursions in the last article.
Oceanarium in Antalya
Let's start with the oceanarium, which can already be considered an established landmark in Turkey. You can get here in two ways:
- guided tour,
- under its own power.
An excursion with a guide will definitely lie through the shops and be accompanied by long gatherings of all members of the excursion in different places, so you will not be given a lot of time to walk around the Antalya Oceanarium. But, there are pluses, the low price for the excursion is equal to $ 25 per person and will take you back directly to the hotel.
The second method is good for those who do not like to depend on someone. Hop on a regular bus crowded with locals and drive to the Migros Shopping Center (the bus costs $ 5 per person).
You will have plenty of time in the aquarium, watch the marine life and take a walk, go to a cafe. Be sure to take water with you, there are high prices for food, for example, a can of Coca-Cola costs $ 5.
Everything here is divided into small aquariums for each inhabitant. Here you can see such inhabitants: sharks, moray eels, stingrays and other 10,000 inhabitants. Especially in the Antalya Oceanarium, we liked the 131 meter long underwater tunnel, here you will feel the full power of the pressure of sea water and its inhabitants.
All marine life loves to pose, so they can be photographed, but only without the flash! One hour will be enough to see all the aquariums with marine life. The exit from the aquarium, as usual, is through the souvenir shop with prices much more expensive than in the shops “around the corner”.
Galata Tower
The next architectural and historical landmark of Turkey, which is located in the city of Istanbul, is called Galata Tower or Galata Tower. It was built at the end of the 14th century by the Genoese and reaches a height of 61 meters.
Why is the place so unique? A view of Istanbul, which opens from a small balcony that can accommodate a maximum of several people, so you have to stand in line for a while. A small life hack, we advise you to visit the tower early in the morning or an hour before closing. We especially recommend to be here in the evening at sunset, you get breathtaking photos.
On the top floor, which can only be reached by lift, there is a fashionable restaurant with expensive prices, but the toilet is free.
Also in the Galata Tower you can buy souvenirs at inflated prices, in contrast to the same souvenirs that are sold around the corner at half the price.
Mount Olympos or Mount Tahtali
What to see in Turkey from a bird's eye view? Mount Tahtali is one of the best attractions in Turkey, which is definitely worth a visit for both children and adults.
The cost of an excursion to Mount Tahtali for one person will be $ 25, including the ascent to the highest point. Here you will find fresh and cool clean air, if you eat in the morning we advise you to take a windbreaker or jacket.
The view from the mountain is simply amazing, the whole of Turkey is at a glance. There are additional excursions, for example, a paragliding flight costing $ 150 for 15 minutes of flight, but we did not dare to do this, since the altitude is already impressive! There is also an attraction "Slingshot", you can try.
At the foot of Mount Takhatli, mountain goats, which love to be fed, will be waiting for you. If you feed well, you can be sure of a new local accompanying you to the bus.
Another high place should be noted - this is Mount Ararat, located near the Iranian border. The mountain looks powerful and majestic, but getting there on your own will be problematic, there are no excursions there.
We do not recommend going without a guide, the local population in this part of Turkey is not friendly to tourists.
Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmed Jani Mosque)
What to see from architecture? The Sultan Ahmed Jani Mosque is located in Istanbul, you should definitely visit it on your own or on an excursion.
Currently, the mosque has gained popularity among tourists, thanks to the rating series "The Magnificent Century", most of the episodes of which are filmed here.
The Blue Mosque is a symbol of Istanbul and a relic of not only Islamic, but also world architecture; the mosque is located on the shores of the Sea of Marmara.
The construction of the Blue Mosque was begun in 1609 immediately after the war with Austria, while the mosque was being built with the help of funds obtained during the war and with the money of the Sultans.
There are 16 balconies throughout the mosque, equal to the number of the ruling Ottoman Sultans. The last Sultan Ahmed I and his family were buried next to the Blue Mosque in the mausoleum.
The Blue Mosque has its own carpet museum located in the east wing.
You can get acquainted with all the information personally and see everything with your own eyes on the excursion:
St. Peter's Castle
The castle is located right next to the Mediterranean coast in the city of Bodrum.
This fortress was built in the 15th century from green granite and has double walls. Knights and other soldiers constantly lived in the castle, their task was to defend the city of Bodrum from sieges, but in the 16th century, St. Peter's castle was still taken and partially destroyed.
Only in the 19th century it was restored and made into a prison. Now the castle houses a museum of underwater archeology with ancient coins mined from the bottom of the sea, sarcophagi and weapons.
Hierapolis
Historical landmark of Turkey - Hieropolis is located near the city of Denizli.
The city of Hieropolis or “Holy City” is located in the mountains at an altitude of 370 meters above sea level and was built in the second century BC.
This city has gone through many moments of its life, it was part of the Roman and Byzantine empires, was completely destroyed by an earthquake, then again rebuilt from the ruins.
However, in the middle of the 16th century, it was again destroyed by a strong earthquake and forgotten until the 19th century, when archaeological excavations began.
You will be amazed by the quality of construction and age-old granite, the joints of the blocks of the city of Hieropolis lie so that you cannot even insert a finger. The territory of this city is simply huge, one day may not even be enough for you.
Here you can see the antique amphitheater located on the hillside, the Temple of Apollo, the Arch of Domitian, the Roman Baths, these and many other buildings of Hieropolis are waiting for the excursion.
Note that at present only a small part of all the sights of the city have been found, excavations are being carried out to this day.
- Video review of interesting places in Turkey from a bird's eye view
Antalya Aquapark
Where to visit Turkey with children? One of the best entertainment and popular tourist attraction is the water park. In fact, there are two of them, the first is The Land of Legends, the second is Aqualand. If time permits, visit both options without fail.
There are slides for all your nerve cells, we guarantee adrenaline flow. The water parks are designed for more than 1,300 people and occupy more than 39 thousand square meters of area. A huge number of plantations, islands, lakes of different depths, even the sea with artificial waves await here.
From the slides you will find: Snake - a curved slide, Kamikaze - a straight slide on which you develop such speed that your whole life flashes before your eyes and you no longer think what will happen after you fly into the water at great speed.
There are also many other attractions that are sure to please.
Depending on where you are on vacation, you can visit other water parks. For example, in the city of Kemer you can go to the water park "Water World", in the city of Bodrum the water park "Dedeman", in the city of Ankara - "WaterCity".
All water parks are no different in their essence, so you can choose any option nearby and feel free to go to experience your emotions.
Dolmabahce Palace
Having visited the Dolmabahce Palace in Istanbul, you will get a double impression of the culture of Turkey. The palace was built to race among rivals in luxury and style. And it turned out to be not very oriental, but rather a European palace, in which there is not even a hint of the oriental style, where the sultans lived with their harems.
Here you will feel like in one of the St. Petersburg palaces. It was built in 1942 and has been under construction for as many as 11 years on the shores of the Bosphorus.
The reason for the appearance of the palace was the spoiled taste and a large amount of money that Sultan Abdul-Mezhdda I had nowhere to invest.
The building consists of the State Apartments, the Ceremonial Hall and the Harem, the number of rooms in the palace reaches 285, the number of reception halls reaches 44. Now the Dolmabahce Palace in Istanbul serves as the residence of the Prime Minister.
The ticket will cost 25 liras (entrance to the main palace - 10 liras, to the harem - 10 liras), you cannot take pictures, so stock up on visual memory. The palace is luxurious both in design and spiritual value.
Suleymaniye Mosque
All tourists who come to rest in Istanbul must visit the Suleymaniye Mosque every time.
It is a historical masterpiece built by an architect named Sinan. The architecture of the mosque shows all the beauty of the oriental flavor. Sultan Suleiman with his family and other sultans were also buried here. ruling after him (Sultan Ahmet and Suleiman II).
Now the Suleymaniye Mosque is not a museum, but a really functioning mosque where people come to pray, there are always a lot of tourists, therefore, we advise you to come in the morning and in no case take pictures of Turks during prayer, this is considered disrespectful.
Women are advised to dress modestly and preferably wear a headscarf, which is a sign of courtesy to the Eastern people. Many films have been filmed at this place, one of which is the series "The Magnificent Century".
Mount Yanartash or Mount Chimera
In translation it sounds like "burning mountain". It is always shrouded in smoke and fire, which blows out natural gas, where, mixed with oxygen, it reacts and ignites.
If we consider the ancient legend about the "Chimera" monster, then many believe that the fire is spewed out by the ancient monster, enclosed in the underground of the mountain, hence another name for the mountain - Mount Chimera.
If you are going on an excursion, we advise you to go in the late afternoon, the view is simply stunning, the blue fire, sometimes shimmering in shades of orange, will forever remain in your memory.
To get to the mountain, you must climb a large staircase 200 meters high, be sure to take the required amount of water with you.
Antalya waterfall (Duden)
Most travel agencies organize yacht tours to the Antalya Falls by sea with entertainment and a disco on board. You will be brought from remote resorts, fed, played music, and made a stop at the foot. It is one of those places that you can see in Turkey first of all, no matter in which resort you decide to relax.
If you are relaxing in Antalya, then observation decks with cozy benches in the park will be the best place to relax.
The waterfall is formed by the Duden River and the Tavra rivers, which originate in the mountains. It was created artificially during the reign of Murat Pasha using dug channels. Antalya Falls is the largest cascading waterfall in the sea in the world. The height of the lower waterfall is 50 meters.
Nearby there is an observation deck and a national park from where it will be convenient to enjoy the view and just spend the day with children. On holidays or weekends, locals love to come here, having picnics with their families. You can also sit here in cozy cafes under a canopy.
In the afternoon, when the wind begins to blow from the direction of the Old City, a beautiful rainbow is formed on the waterfall, shimmering with all colors.
And if you are a romantic, then a night boat trip to the waterfall is especially for you, right next to you you can swim in the night sea. All the most interesting places in Antalya in a separate article.
Demre (Myra) and Kekova
Departing from Kemer, the excursion starts at 3 am and ends late in the evening. Tour cost $ 90 per person.
The City of Peace was built in the 5th century BC, it was a center of pilgrimage, and in this city Nicholas the Wonderworker himself preached, where he died.
The dilapidated church of St. Nicholas stands to this day, but not in its original form. In ancient times, thousands of sick people came here to be healed.
The ruins of the city of Mira are located about 7 kilometers from the coast in the modern city of Demre. The mighty walls that defended the Acropolis will appear before your eyes.
Here you can also see a huge number of crypts with amazing facades and relief images showing us what the deceased was doing during his lifetime.
Nearby there is a Greco-Roman amphitheater with a beautiful ancient architecture design, it was built in such a way that even in the last rows people could hear what the actors on the stage were saying in whispers.
The most interesting thing is that the city originated from several names. One of the names means the resin from which various kinds of incense was prepared in this city, and another name means the place of the Mother Goddess, scientists still puzzle and cannot come to a consensus.
If you have the opportunity to choose a yacht for exploring this wonderful city, then take it with a transparent bottom and by the way, swimming is prohibited here!
Pamukalle and Cleopatra's pool
What to visit in Turkey with a departure from Kemer? A must-see tour in Pamukkale. The tour starts at approximately 4:00 am, depending on the remoteness of the resort town, so be prepared to sleep on the bus. The road to the place takes about 4-5 hours.
The name of this place is translated as “Cotton Fortress” and it was here that the city of Hieropolis was located, which we talked about above. You will find a wonderful view of the snow-white mountains, in which many feature films were filmed, and a marvelous blooming garden, and Cleopatra's pool.
Currently, the territory of this attraction is under protection and strict observation is underway for tourists who want to take a part of this place with them.
Many species of rare plants bloom in the garden, there are several dozen species of one rose, and beautiful centuries-old trees also grow. Cleopatra's pool is an excellent thermal spring that treats many different diseases, for example: rheumatism, cardiovascular diseases, rickets and others.
From history it can be noted that Cleopatra herself, in order to be younger and heal from ailments, bathed in this pool, rich in calcium, the water from which flowed along multiple channels, building multiple pools, which are called Pamukale. The water temperature is 36 degrees, we advise you not to stay in the water for more than 15 minutes, as many become ill.
In some parts of the pool, underground springs are gushing, it seems that you are sitting in a large glass of soda.After swimming, be sure to take a cold shower, otherwise in the heat you will not reach the tourist bus! The cost of swimming in Cleopatra's pool is paid separately from the excursion and costs $ 10 per person.
Cappadocia
An amazing place that we advise you to visit in any case, no matter what beach resort you are at. The journey will take about 8 hours, we advise you to take only a two-day excursion, as the morning balloon flight over the valley you simply should not miss! All nuances can be found in the tour description below. We only note that when visiting an attraction, we do not recommend saving on entrance tickets to the museum and visiting different places in the valley.
- Video review of Cappadocia from above
As for an independent trip with a rented car, we recommend booking a hotel in advance, 2-3 months in advance. All the information you need on how to get there, accommodation and prices can be found here.
Our heading about the country will help to solve the question - where is the cheapest vacation in Turkey and how to properly plan a trip.
