Turkey Things to Do

 
by smirnofforiginal
 
  •   Grand Bazaar
    by smirnofforiginal
  •   Hagia Sophia (Ayasofya)
    by smirnofforiginal
  • Pillared tomb - Xanthos
      Pillared tomb - Xanthos
    by al2401
  • Enjoy the Turquoise Waters of the Turkish Coast!
      Enjoy the Turquoise Waters of the...
    by Jetgirly
  •   Things to Do
    by Jetgirly
 

Most Viewed Things to Do in Turkey

126.

Topkapi Palace   Istanbul

Topkapi Palace, Istanbul

 326 Reviews   The huge palace was built just after conquering of Constantinople in 1453. It was the main residence of Ottoman sultans till 19th century, when they moved to other palaces. Palace is a full range of... 

 See All 3,497 Things to Do in Istanbul

127.

Castle   Marmaris

Castle, Marmaris

 17 Reviews  Marmaris Castle was rebuilt from scratch in 1522 by the Ottoman sultan Süleyman the Magnificent when he had set out for his campaign on Rhodes, for which Marmaris served as a base. Lord Nelson and his... 

 See All 211 Things to Do in Marmaris

128.

Kaleici - Old Town   Antalya

Kaleici - Old Town, Antalya

 24 Reviews  Having had a great hamam experience in Istanbul, I thought I'd treat myself to another on my last day in Turkey. Sefa Hamam was located close to my hotel, so I dropped by late one afternoon. I didn't... 

 See All 328 Things to Do in Antalya

129.

St. Peter Castle   Bodrum

St. Peter Castle, Bodrum

 45 Reviews  Bodrum Castle (Bodrum Kalesi), located in southwest Turkey in the city of Bodrum, was built by the Knights Hospitaller starting in 1402 as the Castle of St. Peter. Sir Thomas Docwra was one time... 

 See All 243 Things to Do in Bodrum

130.

Boat Trip   Icmeler

Boat Trip, Icmeler

 12 Reviews  There are two options for sailing in the wonderful little craft that sail from Ismeler. You can go to either Marmaris for 10 L or Turunc for 15 L return. Either trip is worthwhile, especially Turunc... 

 See All 63 Things to Do in Icmeler

131.

Virgin Mary House   Ephesus

Virgin Mary House, Ephesus

 23 Reviews  The house of Virgin Mary is considered to be the last home of Mother Mary. The Christians visit here for pilgrimage and it has been also visited by the last 3 popes. Outside the house, you can find 3... 

 See All 451 Things to Do in Ephesus

132.

Hagia Sophia (Ayasofya)   Istanbul

Hagia Sophia (Ayasofya), Istanbul

 340 Reviews   Hagia Sofia or “Church of Holy Wisdom” in Greek is a place, where was a former Orthodox patriarchal basilica for nearly 1000 years. The current form church was designed and built in 532 by the Greek... 

 See All 3,497 Things to Do in Istanbul

133.

Bazaar   Marmaris

Bazaar, Marmaris

 11 Reviews  Over 1000 small shops make up the Grand Bazaar and you must visit if in town. Several long passageways make up the bazaar and it concentrates on bags, shoes, clothes, leather goods souvenirs jewellery... 

 See All 211 Things to Do in Marmaris

134.

Düden and other Waterfalls   Antalya

Düden and other Waterfalls, Antalya

 37 Reviews  We have planned to see that waterfall just before the "normal" shopping in Antalya. Every year we "waste" few hrs for shopping in the big modern Shopping Centers around Antalya. We haven't expected... 

 See All 328 Things to Do in Antalya

135.

Blue Voyage   Bodrum

Blue Voyage, Bodrum

 18 Reviews  I highly recommend to do a Blue Cruise, but please save yourself some money and do not book through Blue Cruise Bodrum (www.bluecruise.org/). They do not own any fleets and will only charge you a... 

 See All 243 Things to Do in Bodrum

136.

Beach   Icmeler

Beach, Icmeler

 6 Reviews  We did not actually go on the beach through our two week stay apart from walking along it at night when it was quiet. As the photo shows it is very crowded and the sun beds and canopies are very close... 

 See All 63 Things to Do in Icmeler

137.

Celsus Library   Ephesus

Celsus Library, Ephesus

 57 Reviews  It's a long way down the main roads, lined with the ruins of several buildings that your guide will describe in detail. Finnaly it all ends facing the library, whose facade is the best preserved of... 

 See All 451 Things to Do in Ephesus

138.

Grand Bazaar   Istanbul

Grand Bazaar, Istanbul

 124 Reviews   Grand market, or, differently, Grand Bazaar could be named as one of oldest and biggest markets in the World. It was planned and constructed in middle of 15th century, when Constantinople was... 

 See All 3,497 Things to Do in Istanbul

139.

Icmeler beach   Marmaris

Icmeler beach, Marmaris

 11 Reviews  Marmaris is nice but unfortunately is not the best beach... If you like to spend more time on the beach I recommend to go Icmeler Beach. Its very easy just pick the Orange MiniBus (Dolmush) till the... 

 See All 211 Things to Do in Marmaris

140.

Aspendos   Antalya

Aspendos, Antalya

 29 Reviews  Turning off the Antalya-Alanya road at kilometer 30 in the direction of the village of Belkis we come to the best-preserved ancient theater in Turkey. Aspendos was also used as a caravansarai in later... 

 See All 328 Things to Do in Antalya

141.

Bodrum environs   Bodrum

Bodrum environs, Bodrum

 27 Reviews  Foundations of the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus St. Peter's Castle, with the underwater museum which has exhibited the glass wreck the Uluburun, an important archaeological find from the late Bronze... 

 See All 243 Things to Do in Bodrum

142.

Marmaris   Icmeler

Marmaris, Icmeler

 4 Reviews  When having a holiday in Marmaris, a good idea for having a break for the beach life is to go to see the cosy small and sweet town of Icmeler. It is also a holiday resort, but much smaller and with... 

 See All 63 Things to Do in Icmeler

143.

Grand Theatre   Ephesus

Grand Theatre, Ephesus

 43 Reviews  The biggest construction remaining in Ephesus, and the most impressive after the Library is the great theatre. Built under Greek influence, it was enlarged and transformed by the Romans, an, despite... 

 See All 451 Things to Do in Ephesus

144.

Blue Mosque (Sultanahmet )   Istanbul

Blue Mosque (Sultanahmet ), Istanbul

 296 Reviews   Blue mosque, as I imagine, is one of main landmarks of huge Istanbul, also its minarets could be visible in panoramas that present Turkey, Istanbul, Sultanahmet historical suburb. Actually I was... 

 See All 3,497 Things to Do in Istanbul

145.

Turkish Baths - Hamam   Marmaris

Turkish Baths - Hamam, Marmaris

 7 Reviews  Complaining from body pains, long lasting headaches, giving up excess body-weight, desire for feeling fresh and young addresses you to a "Hamam" where you feel like a new-born person. If you're after... 

 See All 211 Things to Do in Marmaris

146.

Hadrian's Gate   Antalya

Hadrian's Gate, Antalya

 24 Reviews  Hadrian's Gate is a triple triumphal arch built in the second century. It is very well-preserved because originally the front of the gate was encased inside Antalya's city walls. Today you can pass... 

 See All 328 Things to Do in Antalya

147.

Bodrum nights   Bodrum

Bodrum nights, Bodrum

 5 Reviews  This discos is the biggest and loudest. The staff at the entrance will look you up and down for a proper trendy dress and take a cover charge of US$ 17 ! before admiting you inside. Once inside, it is... 

 See All 243 Things to Do in Bodrum

148.

Market   Icmeler

Market, Icmeler

 2 Reviews  rWednesdays in Icmeler they have their own market, which was bigger that we thought it would be. Same sort of goods as in the shops but all in one place for you to barter and compare. The fruit and... 

 See All 63 Things to Do in Icmeler

149.

Toilet   Ephesus

Toilet, Ephesus

 19 Reviews  You don't need to use your imagination too much here! The latrines were part of the Scholastica Baths and built in the 1st century AD. They were the public toilets of the city where citizens were... 

 See All 451 Things to Do in Ephesus

150.

Bosphorus River   Istanbul

Bosphorus River, Istanbul

 130 Reviews  Recommend this ferry trip for anyone visiting Istanbul. The Government run ferry (Turkish Maratime Lines)departs Eminonu 2 or 3 times daily for the return trip along the Bosphorus. The 3 hour ferry... 

 See All 3,497 Things to Do in Istanbul

Reviews from VirtualTourist Members

Ephesus

by Leipzig

Ephesus is a great preserved ancient town. Feel the magic of thousands of years as you walk on mosaic streets, see the great temples, apartment houses, the Celsus library and the outstanding theatre.I was here in summer of 1997. It was a very hot day and the white stones reflected the sunbeams so that it felt much hotter. However, this site is a must to see. It is a huge interesting open-air museum.

Tip Photo
Fethiye

by Leipzig

Fethiye is a pretty town at the hillsides of the Tourus Mountain chains. Telmessos is the antique name of Fethiye and was the most important city of Lycia - one of the oldest Anatolian Civilisations. Today the ruins of Telmessos lie beneath Fethiye.

Tip Photo
Hierapolis

by Leipzig

Hierapolis is situated in southwestern Turkey and is the modern Pamukkale which name means "Sacred City" because of the large number of temples it contained. The town is traditionally an ancient Phrygian city, founded in 190 BC by the king of Pergamon Eumenes II near Pamukkale. The city became subject to Rome in 133 BC as provided for in the testament of Attalus III. In 17 AD a terrible earthquake razed it to the ground but reconstruction soon began under Tiberius. In the 2nd and 3rd centuries, it reached the height of its development as a Roman thermal bath center.Since 1957, excavation and restoration work has been going on under the direction of an Italian group of archaeologists sponsored by Fiat.

Tip Photo
Kusadasi

by Leipzig

Venetians founded Kusadasi in 16th century as a colony. The castle on the small island was built for the purpose of observation in Byzantium term. With the foundation of Turkey in 1923 Kusadasi was handed over. The town derives its name from the island where it is located which name in Turkish means "Pigeon" or "Dove Island". Today it has an important harbour and is a famous tourist resort.

Tip Photo
Dalyan

by Leipzig

Dalyan is a small town on the south-western coast near Dalaman. It's well known for its unspoilt nature and wildlife, especially turtles. It once was an important harbour but in the past 2000 years the altitude of the Mediterranean Sea has shrunken about 10 meters (33 ft). Ancient rock tombes, mud bathes, termal bathes and turtles can be seen here. An ideal place for an day trip.

Tip Photo
Galata Tower

by al2401

This 61m high tower is visible from all parts of the city and overlooks the Bosphorus and Golden Horn and the Sea of Marmara. It was built by the Genoese between 1348-9 but there had been a tower on the site since the 5th century BC. The visitor can climb 143 stairs to the top floor viewing terrace or take the lift. There is a restaurant/cafe on the floor below. The views are stunning, even if it is pouring rain!

Tip Photo
Troy

by al2401

There have been nine settlements, built one over the other, at the site at Troy. The Troy of Hector and Paris is thought to be Troy-VII (1275 - 1050 BC). There is archeological proof that Troy existed but there is still a question whether Homer's story actually took place - more proof seems to be coming forward regularly.The site has been extensively excavated especially by the German self-taught archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann whose methods were very rough. Some call it a 'ruin of a ruin'. There is not a lot to see but you can learn a lot fom the information at the visitors centre. I think it is still worth a visit.The horse used in the movie 'Troy' was donated to the people of Canakkale.

Tip Photo
Selcuk - Archeological Museum/Basillica of St John

by al2401

Selcuk is one of the most visited towns in Turkey because of its vicinity to the ancient city of Ephesus, House of the Virgin Mary and the Archeological Museum. The Basilica of St. John the Apostle (6th century AD) is also inside the town. Some claim that it is built on the site of the Apostle's tomb. Most visitors only use Selcuk as a stopping point for Ephesus and do not visit the town itself. The older part of Selcuk remains generally unchanged and you can wander around and take in the traditional Turkish culture and enjoy some excellent restaurants. There is a large weekly market where you can buy local produce, clothing, homewares etc without haggling.

Tip Photo
Myra - the home of Santa Claus

by al2401

Myra was part of the league of Lycian towns and was an important centre for the minting of coins. The oldest coin found dates to 3rd century BC however it is thought that the rock tombs are from 6th century BC. As with all of the Lycian towns it was taken over by the Romans.Myra is famous for another reason - it is the home of St Nicholaus. He was a child of a wealthy family and dedicated himself to serving others. Many stories are told about him but this is probably the most famous." A poor man had three daughters but could not afford a proper dowry for them. This meant that they would remain unmarried and probably, in absence of any other possible employment would have to become prostitutes. Hearing of the poor man's plight, Nicholas decided to help him but being too modest to help the man in public, (or to save the man the humiliation of accepting charity), he went to his house under...

Tip Photo
Ghost Town of Kayakoy

by al2401

This village, once called by the Greek name of Levissi, was once the home to 2500 Anatolian, Greek speaking Christian people. Kayakoy was largely abandoned after a population exchange agreement was signed by the Turkish and Greek governments in 1923. Some Turkish people have settled nearby but the town is almost deserted apart from small tour groups and some restored dwellings.Kayakoy is thought to be the setting for the book 'Birds Without Wings' by Louis de Bernières (2004) - well worth a read for general modern history of Turkey.

Tip Photo

Top 3 Hotels in Turkey

Esans Hotel  Istanbul

 7 Reviews and 181 Opinions  a very new hotel. very near to grande museums and sophia dome. sea is very near to hotel. we enjoy... 

 Hotels in Istanbul

Welcome Barut Hotels Lara Spa  Antalya

 5 Reviews and 511 Opinions  This was our first time in Turkey and first time in an all-inclusive hotel. i have to say - we all... 

 Hotels in Antalya

El Vino Hotel  Bodrum

 2 Reviews and 272 Opinions  This small property is both central (10 min walk to the bazaar and waterfront) and secluded and... 

 Hotels in Bodrum

Questions and Answers

titotherio profile photo

Q:  Hi, my wife and I organize trips for high school students (groups of approx. 35 ppl) and our next trip is scheduled for June-July... 

Durfun profile photo

A: Hi, Turkey is stable, with broad-minded politians & people. I had never thought about visiting TR, till I all of a sudden & surprisingly decided! Why? A VERY... 

Read 11 Replies

postQuestion_button