Kimberly Peloquin15 Places to Visit In Turkey
Watch the video to get a walkthrough of several of the places included on this list!
1. Trabzon.
Visit the cliffside monastery at Sumela in the Altindere National Park. The monastery was constructed around 300 AD.
2. Erzurum
Find some of the best skiing in all of Turkey in Erzurum.
3. Kars & Ani
In Kars visit the ancient Armenian city of Ani on the Arpacay River.
4. Mount Ararat.
Climb the Biblical mountain of Ararat (see the tour here).
5. Church of the Holy Cross
Visit a 10th century church located on the island of Akdamar in Lake Van.
6. Van
View beautiful waterfalls, see lakes, and do so much in Van. Also visit the Van Kedi Villasi, a famous cat museum featuring rare cats with one blue and one yellow eye.
7. Great Volcano Crater of Nemrut
8. Seljuk monuments of Ahlat
9. Saffron Monastery
Deir-Al-Zafaran (Saffron Monastery). The Saffron Monastery was once the ancient centre of the Syriac Christian Patriarchy. This site has been the centre of religious worship for many centuries, the monastery itself is built over an ancient temple, built in 1000 BC and dedicated to the worship of the sun and which now provides the foundations to the main part of the monastery buildings – it is a fascinating structure as the roof of the temple to the sun is, essentially, a flat arch!
10. 10 Arches Bridge on the Tigris River
Spend a sunset on the Tigris, enjoy dinner, and walk across the historic 10 arches bridge, or literally from Turkish: the 10 eyes bridge. As you stand on the bridge, you can get a lovely view of the city of Diyarbakır and its historic castle with one of the longest city walls (second only to the wall of China according to our tour guides).
11. Colossal Statues of Gods
In Nemrut National Park, you can travel to the top of Mount Nemrut Tombs of Commagene Kingdom and the Colossal Statues of Gods. Climbing up to Tumulus of Antiochos, the capital of Kommagene, watch the sun set from the summit of Nemrut. This ancient funerary monument at the peak of Mt Nemrut was forgotten and lost to memory for nearly 2000 years.
12. Cendere Bridge
The Karakus Tumulus, a burial sanctuary and the Cendere Bridge, was erected by the XVI Legion in the honour of Roman Emperor Septimus Severus.
13. Abraham's birth place
Head to Urfa to visit the Holy Pools of Abraham and the cave where, tradition tells us, the Abraham was born. You can drink a hot cup of black tea, ride a camel, and enjoy the grand views of the area. View a traditional Turkish homes from the region and even meet someone born in the home as recent as 1990. Just a short 5 minute drive away, you can see Jacob's Well where Jacob fell in love with Rachel.
14. Archaeological dig at Göbekli Tepe
Visit the on-going archaeological dig at Göbekli Tepe. This is most important archaeological dig currently being undertaken anywhere in the world. This site represents a major shift in our understanding of man’s early history. Here lie the remains of the earliest religious structures built by man yet to be discovered. At about 11000-13000 years old and pre-dating pottery, writing, Stonehenge and the Pyramids!
15. Mosaic Museum
In Sanliurfa, visit the stunning mosaic museum which houses a priceless collection of mosaics displayed in the same location where Turkey recently found them.
Want to see all of these locations and more? Learn more about these tours.