Top 8 Places to See in Turkey By Kubra N. Aslaner

Pamukkale, translates from Turkish as “cotton castle”. It is a fantastic landscape in western Turkey, famous for its white terraces. People have bathed in its pools for 1000s of years. The Greek city of Hierapolis was built on top of the hot springs by the kings of Pergamon. The ruins of the baths, temples and other Greek monuments can be seen at the site.

With its sandy beaches, shop-lined streets and sophisticated restaurants, the city of Bodrum has long been the favorite seaside in Turkey. Bodrum is also one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Unfortunately a series of earthquakes destroyed most of the monuments but other historical attractions such as Bodrum Castle, can still be found there. The castle overlooks the internal marina of Bodrum filled with millions of dollars worth of sailing crafts.

It is one of the most spectacular sites in Turkey especially at sunset. Mount Nemrut is an extension of the Taurus mountain range in southeastern Turkey. The summit of Mount Nemrut provides a great view of the nearby mountains. The main attraction is to watch the sunrise from the eastern terrace which give the bodyless heads a beautiful orange shade and adds to the sense of mystery of the place.

Ölüdeniz is a small village located on the south west coast on the Aegean Sea. It has a secluded sandy bay at the mouth of Ölüdeniz, on a blue lagoon. This beach is famous for its shades of turquoise and remains one of the most photographed beaches on the Mediterranean.

With its six minarets and sweeping architecture the Sultan Ahmed or Blue Mosque in Istanbul impresses from the outside. While still used as a mosque, the Blue Mosque has also become one of the most popular tourist attractions in Istanbul. It was built between 1609 and 1616 and like many other mosques contains the tomb of the founder.

Located in Istanbul, the Hagia Sophia was originally a basilica. A masterpiece of Roman engineering, the massive dome covers what was for over 1000 years the largest enclosed space in the world. The church was looted by the fourth Crusaders in 1204, and became a mosque in the 15th century when The Ottomans conquered the city. The Hagia Sophia was converted into a museum in 1935 and is now one of the top attractions in Turkey.

The Eastern Black Sea region and its main city Trabzon, is an area often overlooked by tourists however, it has some beautiful and original sites to see. Sumela Monastery is set on the side of a steep cliff and its impressive architecture will have you reaching for your camera in double quick time.

Cappadocia is famous for its weird and wonderful natural rock formations and unique historical heritage. One of the best places to see these strange formations is the town of Göreme, which is located among a large number of tuff cones, termed fairy chimneys. The fairy chimneys have been formed as the result of wind and water erosion of two different volcanic layers.

A city of east-central Turkey in the Taurus Mountains. It is famous for apricots. The most famous architectural building is Battalgazi Grand Mosque.

Thank You !!!