Roavina

Country guide

Türkiye

A photograph of Türkiye
Photograph · Benh LIEU SONG · CC BY-SA 4.0

Türkiye is 783,562 km² across 81 provinces, most of it Anatolia in West Asia with East Thrace on the European side of the straits. It has three coasts to choose between — the Black Sea to the north, the Aegean to the west, the Mediterranean to the south — and an interior plateau that behaves like a different country in winter. Istanbul is the largest city and the economic centre, Ankara the capital and the second-largest, and the December 2025 population of 86,092,168 is weighted heavily to the west. A first trip is usually Istanbul and one coast; the plateau is the second trip.

Reviewed by Elena Voss · Roavina Travel Editor

Cities

Every city catalogued in this country so far, ranked by how much there is to see.

Practical information
Language spoken
Turkish
The official language of the Republic of Turkiye
Dialling code
+90
The international dialling code for Turkiye
Currency
Turkish lira (₺, TRY)
The official currency; one lira is divided into 100 kurus
Emergency number
112
One number for ambulance, fire and police
Plug type
European two-pin · 220 V
The national living guide records 220 V and European-style two-pin plugs
Tap water
Not recorded
No verified national source in the dataset

Planning a visit

  1. January: seasonal closure recorded
  2. February: seasonal closure recorded
  3. March: seasonal closure recorded
  4. April: seasonal closure recorded
  5. May: seasonal closure recorded
  6. June: seasonal closure recorded
  7. July: seasonal closure recorded
  8. August: seasonal closure recorded
  9. September: seasonal closure recorded — this month
  10. October: seasonal closure recorded
  11. November: seasonal closure recorded
  12. December: seasonal closure recorded

Top things to see

Ranked by importance — sitelinks, pageviews and heritage status, not editor preference.

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11 places match
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Category

Historic monuments 11 Museums 79 Places of worship 0 Nature sites 3 Viewpoints 0 Food and drink 0 Markets and shopping 0 Entertainment 4 Nightlife 1 Family attractions 5 Art and culture 0 Activities 3

Typical visit duration

Up to 1 hour 421 1 to 2 hours 11 Half a day or more 6

Interests

History 9 Art 0 Museums 0 Nature 0 Sea and beach 0 Viewpoints 0
  1. Hagia Sophia Hagia Sophia
    01 1 hr 30 min

    Hagia Sophia

    Ayasofya

    Hagia Sophia is the building that changed what a roof could do.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Istanbul
  2. Grand Bazaar Grand Bazaar
    02 1 hr 30 min

    Grand Bazaar

    Kapalı Çarşı

    The Grand Bazaar is a covered city of shops that Mehmed II began building in the winter of 1455/56, within three years of taking Constantinople.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Istanbul
  3. Yıldız Palace Yıldız Palace
    03 1 hr 30 min

    Yıldız Palace

    Yıldız Sarayı

    Yıldız is the palace a frightened sultan built uphill.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Istanbul
  4. Xanthos Xanthos
    04 1 hr 30 min

    Xanthos

    Xanthos was the capital of ancient Lycia, and what survives of it stands on two hills above the plain of the Eşen Çayı, the river the Greeks called the Xanthos, in the village of Kınık in Antalya province.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Antalya
  5. Yedikule Fortress Yedikule Fortress
    05 1 hr 15 min

    Yedikule Fortress

    Yedikule Zindanları

    Yedikule is a fortress built out of an older monument.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Istanbul
  6. Aspendos Aspendos
    06 1 hr 30 min

    Aspendos

    Aspendos is a ruined Pamphylian and Roman city standing on two low hills above the Eurymedon, the river now called the Köprüçay, in Belkıs Mahallesi in the Serik district of Antalya province.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Antalya
  7. Çamlıca Tower Çamlıca Tower
    07 1 hr 30 min

    Çamlıca Tower

    Çamlıca Televizyon Kulesi

    Çamlıca Tower stands on Büyük Çamlıca Hill on the Asian side, the highest point overlooking the Bosphorus, and opened on 29 May 2021.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Istanbul
  8. Haseki Hürrem Sultan Hamamı Haseki Hürrem Sultan Hamamı
    08 1 hr 30 min

    Haseki Hürrem Sultan Hamamı

    Haseki Hürrem Hamamı

    The Haseki Hürrem Sultan Hamam is a twin bathhouse commissioned by Hürrem Sultan, wife of Suleiman the Magnificent, and designed by the imperial architect Mimar Sinan, built starting in 1556 between the Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Istanbul
  9. Bin Tepe Bin Tepe
    09 1 hr 30 min

    Bin Tepe

    Bin Tepe is the royal burial ground of ancient Lydia, a field of more than a hundred earthen tumuli spread across a low limestone ridge on the southern shore of Marmara Gölü, several kilometres north of Sardis across the Gediz…

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Manisa
  10. Sidas
    10 1 hr 30 min

    Sidas

    Sidas is an unexcavated ancient city near İcikler village, south of Demirci in Manisa province.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Manisa
  11. Muradiye Complex Muradiye Complex
    11 2 hours

    Muradiye Complex

    Muradiye Külliyesi

    The Muradiye Külliyesi is the walled compound Sultan Murad III endowed in Manisa, and it is the reason three of the city's sights sit within a few steps of each other.

    • High
    • Historic monument
    • Manisa

Source: OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata ·

Common questions

How long should a first trip to Türkiye be?

Ten to fourteen days allows about four days in İstanbul and at least three around Antalya when coastal archaeology is included. Cappadocia needs its own regional stay, and a one-way coastal route is more workable than returning to the same city each night.

What entry documents are needed for Türkiye?

Türkiye's visa position varies by passport and purpose. Verify the rule through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and, when eligible, use only the official e-Visa service rather than an intermediary.

What is the best way to travel around Türkiye?

İstanbul's two airports and Antalya are the principal gateways for this itinerary. Domestic flights cover long cross-country legs, coaches serve many city pairs, and high-speed rail is most useful on the İstanbul-Ankara axis rather than as a universal substitute.

When is a practical time to visit Türkiye?

April to May and September to October are broad choices for combining İstanbul with the Mediterranean coast. Cappadocia nights, inland heat, and Antalya's coastal conditions differ, so confirm weather for each overnight base.

What money and payment basics apply in Türkiye?

Türkiye uses the Turkish lira (TRY). Keep lira available for smaller transport and market transactions even when cards are accepted, and review the displayed amount in TRY before agreeing to any card conversion.

What practical safety details should I save for Türkiye?

Dial 112 for emergencies in Türkiye. Electricity is 230 V through Type C and F sockets; tap-water safety is not recorded here, so obtain current local advice at each stop.