Best Sightseeing Places in Turkey
It is amazing to know the fact that Turkey, a tourist’s delight destination, fits perfectly for every type of vacation. Be it a family vacation, hiking, trekking, camping, adventure sports, romantic vacation or sun-bathing vacation along the coastline. Being one of the most travelled destinations, Turkey offers an amazing experience and lasting memories for travellers. Travelers can never resist falling in love with the stunning landscape of the city.
The cultural and historical significance of the country has no limits. Turkey, the largest peninsula region, bridges the two major continents namely Asia and Europe. The country is home to numerous ancient remains that testify the rich history and diverse civilization of the country. Here’s a guide to the best sightseeing places in Turkey.
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Blue Mosque
Sultanahmet Mosque or Blue Mosque, is one of the breathtaking and most visited tourist destinations in Istanbul, Turkey. The mosque was built by Sultan Ahmed I in 1616. The majestic architecture, the interior decoration with more than 20,000 iznik tiles, and six minarets together comprise it as the best sightseeing place in Turkey. The interior view will stun the travellers, the use of vibrant colours such as blue, turquoise, green on the tiles and the motifs on them offers an astonishing sight. The beauty of natural light through 200 windows elevates the charm of the mosque. The Sultanahmet Mosque in Istanbul is the only mosque which has six minarets. Sultanahmet Mosque gets its name "Blue Mosque” from the interior handmade blue ceramic tiles of the mosque.
Read here to find out the list of most beautiful mosques in Turkey
Basilica Cistern
Basilica Cistern in Istanbul, Turkey, is the famous underground water cistern. The underground cistern is built to store and supply water to the city. The history of the Basilica Cistern dates back to the 4th century during the region of Byzantine Constantinople and the cistern served as an important water reservoir during ancient times. A peek into the underground cistern with 336 giant columns each standing 9 meters tall in 12 rows of 28 columns, leaves a surreal sight for the travellers. Out of all the underground cistern, Basilica Cistern is the largest cistern, with a holding capacity of 80,000 cubic meters water. Among all the columns, the upside-down Medusa head column gains more attraction.
Topkapi Palace
Topkapi Palace is the best sightseeing place in Turkey and was the home of the Ottoman Empire for centuries. The history of the place dates back to the 15th century and was built by Sultan Mehmed II. The architectural significance of the palace combines styles of the Ottoman, Islamic and European. The palace underwent continuous renovation during the Ottoman Empire period. The palace comprises 4000 rooms, the Harem, council chamber, interior iznik tiles, gates, etc., providing an alluring sight for travellers. Besides the history of the palace, the palace museum exhibits the artifacts, including the gifts presented to Sultans, weapons of various origins, swords and armours, manuscripts, Topkapi dagger, Prophet Mohammad's Cloak and the Spoonmaker’s Diamond.
Bozcaada Island
Tenedos or Bozcaada Island of Turkey, in the northern part of the Aegean Sea is a paradise on earth. The Island of Turkey offers various sightseeing places, which include the Virgin Mary Church, Windmills, Ayazma Beach, ancient Greek houses, etc. Among them, the Bozcaada castle gains a noteworthy mention. The majestic castle on a small island will amuse travellers. The history of Bozcaada Castle dates back to the 14th century, but it was completely rebuilt during the Ottoman period. The landscape of the castle and surrounding water provide a breathtaking view of the sea with its relishing sea breeze. Bozcaada Island is the third largest island of Turkey and the best place to explore Turkey at its best.
Read here to explore Bozcaada Island in Turkey
Kekova Island
Kekova island located in the Antalya province near the Demre town, is famous for the ruins of an ancient sunken city. Travelers can take a boat ride to reach the sunken city. The ruins of the city, surrounding landscape and clear water provide an amazing sightseeing experience for travellers. The sunken city was established by the Lycian civilization and the port was one of Lycia’s important trade centres. Besides the ruins, the walls, stairs, royal tombs, etc, bear the traces of diverse civilization. Around the vicinity, the ruins of the Byzantine church also attract tourist attractions. The glimpse of the sunken city and the ruins isolated on the island gives the best sight beyond imagination for travellers.
Cappadocia
Cappadocia is popular for the hot air balloon tour. Undoubtedly, exploring the stunning landscape of Cappadocia in a hot air balloon is the best experience. Cappadocia is home to two other famous sightseeing places in Turkey namely, the underground city, Kaymakli and the open-air museum, Göreme. The rock-cut architecture and interior decoration of Göreme will allure the travellers. The open-air museum exhibits the finest rock-cut churches belonging to the 12th century. The well-developed underground city will interest the travellers like any other. The underground city's fine passage system, various storage rooms, praying halls, tunnels and chambers belonging to the Prehistoric Periods are a must-visit destination.
Read here about the complete tourist guide to hot air balloon ride in Cappadocia
The list of best sightseeing places in Turkey will never end, because the country has numerous destinations that allure the interest of travellers at first sight. Other sightseeing places include Hagia Sophia, Grand Bazaar, Red Rose valley, Duden Waterfalls, etc. From the famous beaches to historical sites the country will enchant the travellers for a second visit.
Summary
- Turkey offers the best sightseeing places for travellers to explore and relish the wonders of the land
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