Best Turkey

The Roman Theatre of Aspendos, located in present-day Antalya Province, Turkey, is among the best-preserved theatres of the Roman world. Constructed during the 2nd-century reign of Emperor Marcus Aurelius, it features a semicircular auditorium and a multi-story stage building with a permanent archit...

The Hierapolis Sawmill is an ancient Roman structure located in Turkey. Constructed around the 3rd century AD, it utilized a watermill to operate a stone-cutting sawmill. Its significance lies in being one of the earliest examples demonstrating the application of a crank and connecting rod system fo...

The Great Mosque and Hospital of Divriği is a 13th-century architectural complex located in the town of Divriği in Sivas Province, Turkey, constructed in 1228–1229 under the Mengujekid ruler Ahmed Shah and his daughter Melike Turan. The mosque is widely noted for the asymmetrical and highly intricat...

Topkapi Palace represents the heart of the Ottoman Empire. This sprawling palace complex in Istanbul functioned as the sultan’s primary residence and government center from the 15th century until its final closure. It houses an immense collection of imperial artifacts including religious relics, wea...

The Sokollu Mehmed Pasha Mosque is a 16th-century Ottoman mosque located in the Fatih district of Istanbul. Designed by the imperial architect Mimar Sinan and completed in 1571, it was commissioned by Sokollu Mehmed Pasha, who served as Grand Vizier under three sultans. The mosque is distinguished b...

Personality is a Turkish crime drama miniseries exploring themes of identity, surveillance, and morality. Set in Istanbul, it follows a detective investigating a series of murders linked to a mysterious online forum. The show’s notable use of atmospheric visuals and slow-burn narrative creates a ten...

Hagia Sophia is a historic landmark located in Istanbul, Turkey. Originally constructed as a Byzantine cathedral in 537 CE, it transitioned into a mosque following the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople in 1453. The building’s architecture reflects both Byzantine and Islamic influences. It is now us...

The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus was a monumental tomb built around 350 BC for Mausolus, a satrap in the Achaemenid Empire, and his wife Artemisia II. Located in what is now Bodrum, Turkey, it was designed by Greek architects Satyros and Pythis and featured intricate sculptural reliefs created by nota...

Göreme National Park lies in Cappadocia in central Turkey, where erosion has shaped volcanic tuff into valleys, pinnacles, caves, and formations commonly called fairy chimneys. Communities carved dwellings, monasteries, chapels, and churches into the soft rock, including sanctuaries containing Byzan...

The Tetrapylon at Aphrodisias is a monumental Roman gateway constructed around 200 CE in the ancient city of Aphrodisias, located in modern-day Turkey. This four-sided archway served as an elaborate entrance to the Sanctuary of Aphrodite, the city's patron goddess, and featured intricate architectur...

The Marmaray Tunnel is a 76-kilometer commuter rail and metro corridor in Istanbul, Turkey, of which roughly 13.4 kilometers run beneath the Bosphorus strait through a submerged tube tunnel. The underwater section connects the European and Asian sides of the city, making it the first rail link betwe...

“My Father and My Son” is a 2005 Turkish drama film directed by Çağan Irmak. The story centers on a father and son’s strained relationship following the 1980 military coup. It portrays the personal consequences of political instability within Turkey, particularly its effect on family bonds. The movi...

The Yeşil Cami, or Green Mosque, is a 15th-century early Ottoman mosque located in Bursa, Turkey. Commissioned by Sultan Mehmed I and completed in 1424, it represents a high point of early Ottoman architecture. The interior is distinguished by its extensive green and blue Iznik tilework, which gives...

The ruins of Ephesus are an extensive archaeological site located in western Turkey, near the modern town of Selçuk. Founded as an ancient Greek city, it later became a major Roman metropolis and the capital of the Roman province of Asia. Key surviving monuments include the highly reconstructed Libr...

The Theatre of Ephesus is a large ancient amphitheater carved into the western slope of Mount Panayır in modern-day Turkey. Originally constructed during the Hellenistic period in the 3rd century BC, the structure was significantly expanded under Roman rule during the 1st and 2nd centuries AD. It fe...

Ezel is a Turkish crime thriller television series adapted from Alexandre Dumas’ *The Count of Monte Cristo*. Initially airing on Show TV (2009) and later ATV, the show features Istanbul as its setting alongside filming locations in North Cyprus, Croatia, and England. Kenan İmirzalıoğlu, Cansu Dere,...

The Beşiktaş-Fenerbahçe derby represents one of Turkey’s most intense and longstanding sporting rivalries. Rooted in late 19th century Istanbul football clubs, it involves two prominent teams with significant local and national followings. The fixture is notable for its passionate supporters and his...

The Kıtalararası Derbi refers to the intercontinental sports rivalry between Turkish football clubs Fenerbahçe and Galatasaray. The name translates to "Intercontinental Derby" because Fenerbahçe is based on the Asian side of Istanbul and Galatasaray on the European side. This geographic distinction...

Located in northwestern Anatolia in modern-day Turkey, the archaeological site of Hisarlik is widely identified as the ancient city of Troy. The site was extensively excavated by Heinrich Schliemann beginning in 1871, revealing multiple layers of settlements spanning the Early Bronze Age to the Byza...

Cappadocia’s fairy chimneys are remarkable geological formations sculpted from eroded volcanic rock. These unique towers, known locally as “yatır,” showcase impressive natural processes shaped over millennia. The structures offer insight into the region's geology and have been utilized for habitatio...

Öyle Bir Geçer Zaman ki is a Turkish television drama originating in the 1960s. The series portrays the complex lives of the Akarsu family within Istanbul’s social landscape. It gained international recognition for its long-running family saga and exploration of themes like infidelity, tradition, an...

The Roman Theatre of Hierapolis is an ancient performance structure located within the Greco-Roman city of Hierapolis, in present-day Pamukkale, Turkey. The surviving structure largely dates from a reconstruction undertaken under the emperors Septimius Severus and Caracalla in the early third centur...

Ölüdeniz, commonly referred to as the Blue Lagoon, is a protected coastal cove and lagoon situated in the Fethiye district of Muğla Province, Turkey. Designated as a Special Environmental Protection Area, it is a geographic anomaly where a calm, clear saltwater lagoon meets the open Mediterranean Se...

Completed in 1399 under Sultan Bayezid I, the Grand Mosque of Bursa, or Ulu Cami, is an early Ottoman architectural landmark in Bursa, Turkey. The structure exemplifies early Ottoman design with its Seljuk-style architecture, featuring twenty domes arranged in a four-by-five grid supported by twelve...

The Tomb of Antiochus I is a Hellenistic royal sanctuary located on the summit of Mount Nemrut in southeastern Turkey. Built in the 1st century BCE by Antiochus I Theos of the Kingdom of Commagene, the site functions as his burial tumulus and a place of worship. It is renowned for its massive, fragm...

Dolmabahçe Palace is a late 19th-century palace located in Istanbul, Turkey. Constructed primarily as a Western-style royal residence, it represents a significant shift in Ottoman imperial architecture and served as the last official residence of the Sultans. The palace’s opulent design, incorporati...

Mount Ararat is a dormant, snow-capped volcanic massif located in eastern Turkey, near the borders of Iran and Armenia. Its highest peak, Büyük Ağrı Dağı, reaches an elevation of 5,137 meters, making it the tallest mountain in Turkey. The mountain is historically and culturally significant, most not...

The Yeni Cami (New Mosque) is an Ottoman imperial mosque located in the Eminönü district of Istanbul, Turkey. Construction began in 1597 under the patronage of Safiye Sultan, mother of Sultan Mehmed III, but was halted due to financial difficulties. The project was completed in 1665 under the patron...

The Galatasaray-Beşiktaş derby represents one of Turkey’s most intense and historically significant football rivalries. The competition between these two Istanbul clubs, established in 1903 and 1905 respectively, generates considerable passion among Turkish soccer fans. It is particularly relevant t...