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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Category

Historic monuments 6 Museums 2 Places of worship 0 Nature sites 2 Viewpoints 2 Food and drink 0 Markets and shopping 0 Entertainment 0 Nightlife 0 Family attractions 0 Art and culture 0 Activities 1

Typical visit duration

Up to 1 hour 619 1 to 2 hours 106 Half a day or more 13

Interests

History 5 Art 0 Museums 2 Nature 4 Sea and beach 2 Viewpoints 2
  1. Topkapı Palace Topkapı Palace
    01 3 hours

    Topkapı Palace

    Topkapi Sarayı

    Topkapı was the seat of the Ottoman empire for nearly four centuries.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Istanbul
  2. Ferry to the Princes' Islands Ferry to the Princes' Islands
    02 5 hours

    Ferry to the Princes' Islands

    The public ferry to the Princes' Islands — Adalar, officially — nine islands in the Sea of Marmara off Istanbul's Asian shore, reachable by Şehir Hatları boat from several piers on both sides of the city.

    • Must see
    • Activity
    • Istanbul
  3. Sardis Sardis
    03 2 hr 30 min

    Sardis

    Sardis is the excavated capital of the ancient kingdom of Lydia, on the outskirts of the modern village of Sart in the Salihli district of Manisa province, roughly 72 km from İzmir along the Ankara-İzmir corridor.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Manisa
  4. Mount Sipylus Mount Sipylus
    04 4 hours

    Mount Sipylus

    Spil Dağı

    Mount Sipylus — Spil Dağı in Turkish — is the 1,513 m limestone massif standing immediately south of Manisa, the highest point on the city's skyline and the reason the city sits where it does.

    • Must see
    • Viewpoint
    • Manisa
  5. Patara Patara
    05 2 hr 30 min

    Patara

    Patara is the excavated remains of the harbour city that served as the capital of the Lycian League, spread across a sandy plain behind the beach at Gelemiş, in the Kaş district of Antalya province.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Antalya
  6. Termessus Termessus
    06 3 hours

    Termessus

    Termessos

    Termessos is a Pisidian city on a natural platform about a thousand metres up the south-western flank of Güllük Dağı, the ancient Mount Solymos, in the Taurus range north-west of Antalya.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Antalya
  7. Aigai Aigai
    07 2 hr 30 min

    Aigai

    Aigai is an ancient Greek city on top of Mount Gün, in the Yunt range north of Manisa, near the village of Yuntdağı Köseler. It is the most substantial classical site in Manisa province and almost nobody goes.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Manisa
  8. Rahmi M. Koç Museum Rahmi M. Koç Museum
    08 2 hr 30 min

    Rahmi M. Koç Museum

    Rahmi M. Koç Müzesi

    Istanbul's museum of industry, transport and communication sits on the northern shore of the Golden Horn at Hasköy, well upstream of the tourist city and reached by water more pleasantly than by road.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Istanbul
  9. Olympos Olympos
    09 3 hours

    Olympos

    Olympos is a ruined Lycian and Roman city lying along both banks of the Ulupinar stream where the valley meets the sea, in the Yazir neighbourhood of Kumluca district, Antalya.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Antalya
  10. Mount Spil National Park Mount Spil National Park
    10 4 hours

    Mount Spil National Park

    Spil Dağı Millî Parkı

    Spil Dağı Milli Parkı is the protected forest on the mountain behind Manisa, opened to the public on 22 April 1968.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Manisa
  11. Divlit Volcano Divlit Volcano
    11 2 hr 30 min

    Divlit Volcano

    Divlit Yanardağı

    Divlit Yanardağı, known locally as Çakallar Tepesi or Divlittepe, is a cinder cone on the shore of the Demirköprü Reservoir in Kula district, at roughly 750 m above sea level.

    • High
    • Viewpoint
    • Manisa
  12. Kula Volcanic Geopark Kula Volcanic Geopark
    12 4 hours

    Kula Volcanic Geopark

    Kula Volkanik Jeoparkı

    Kula-Salihli UNESCO Global Geopark, signed locally as Kula Volkanik Jeoparkı, is a 2,320 square kilometre protected volcanic landscape spanning the Kula and Salihli districts of Manisa Province, roughly 100 km east of Manisa city.

    • Notable
    • Nature site
    • Manisa
  13. Sardis Acropolis Sardis Acropolis
    13 4 hours

    Sardis Acropolis

    Sart Kalesi

    Sardis Acropolis — Sart Kalesi on the road signs and local maps — is the fortified hilltop above Sardis, the citadel the Lydian capital was built around and the last stronghold the city ever held.

    • Notable
    • 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.