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Novotel Istanbul Bosphorus, Turkey

Things to do guide

The best things to do in Turkey

Updated 1 October 2026 · 17 things to do

Pictured: Novotel Istanbul Bosphorus

Turkey is two holidays in one, and usually three. There's the city break: Istanbul, a megacity built across two continents, with Byzantine domes, Ottoman palaces and a bazaar that swallows an afternoon. There's the beach holiday on the Aegean and Mediterranean coasts, where pine-covered mountains drop into clear water. And there's the strange, wonderful inland, where volcanic rock has been carved into churches, homes and whole underground cities.

The country is huge, so don't try to do it all in one trip. Pair Istanbul with Cappadocia and a few days on the coast, or pick one stretch of sea and take day trips to Roman ruins from there. Eat everything. Breakfast alone is worth the flight.

Don't miss

  1. 1Hagia Sophia
  2. 2Grand Bazaar
  3. 3Göreme and the fairy chimneys
  4. 4Pamukkale
  5. 5Ölüdeniz

Istanbul

Start in Sultanahmet, where most of the old city’s great monuments sit within walking distance of each other.

  1. Hagia Sophia

    Landmark

    The domes and minarets of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul
    Photo: Alvesgaspar, CC BY-SA 4.0

    Built as a cathedral in the sixth century, later a mosque, Hagia Sophia has one of the great interiors of the world: a vast dome that seems to float above a hall of marble, gold mosaic and calligraphy. It's still the single building that best explains Istanbul, a city where empires keep layering themselves over each other.

    It's a working mosque, so dress modestly and expect visits to work around prayer times.

    Tip: Go first thing in the morning, when the queues are shortest and the light inside is softest.

  2. The Blue Mosque

    Landmark

    The domes and six minarets of the Blue Mosque in Istanbul
    Photo: Moonik, CC BY-SA 3.0

    Facing Hagia Sophia across a park, the Sultan Ahmed Mosque earns its nickname from the thousands of blue İznik tiles inside. Its six minarets and cascading domes are among the most recognisable shapes on the Istanbul skyline, and the courtyard is as impressive as the prayer hall.

    Tip: It closes to visitors around prayer times. Cover your shoulders and knees, and women should carry a scarf for their hair.

  3. Topkapı Palace

    Landmark

    A gateway at Topkapı Palace in Istanbul
    Photo: Carlos Delgado, CC BY-SA 3.0

    For centuries the home of the Ottoman sultans, this sprawling palace sits on the headland where the Bosphorus meets the Golden Horn. It's a series of courtyards, pavilions and tiled chambers rather than one building, with the treasury and the harem the main draws. The terraces have some of the best views in the city.

    Tip: Give it half a day, and leave time to sit on the terrace and look at the water.

  4. Grand Bazaar

    Market

    A covered lane inside Istanbul's Grand Bazaar
    Photo: Ank Kumar, CC BY-SA 4.0

    One of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world, a labyrinth of vaulted lanes lined with lamps, ceramics, carpets, leather, jewellery and thousands of shops. You'll get lost. That is the point. Stop for a glass of tea, haggle with a smile, and don't buy the first thing you see.

    The Spice Bazaar, a short walk downhill near the Galata Bridge, is smaller, more colourful and smells wonderful.

    Tip: Look at a few shops before you buy anything, and don’t be afraid to walk away politely.

  5. Basilica Cistern

    Landmark

    A Byzantine underground reservoir near Hagia Sophia, with hundreds of columns rising out of dark water and two carved Medusa heads propping up some of them. Cool, hushed and atmospheric, it's a welcome break from a hot day of sightseeing.

  6. A Bosphorus ferry

    Activity

    Istanbul sits on a strait that divides Europe from Asia, and the best way to understand the city is to cross it by boat. Public ferries shuttle between the two continents all day, passing wooden waterfront mansions, fortresses and the domes of the old city. Take a seat outside, buy a simit from the man with the tray, and watch the gulls.

Inland wonders

Central and western Turkey are where the landscape does the showing off.

  1. Göreme and the fairy chimneys

    Nature

    Rock formations and cave dwellings in the Göreme valley, Cappadocia
    Photo: Brocken Inaglory, CC BY-SA 3.0

    In Cappadocia, volcanic rock has been eroded into cones, spires and mushroom-shaped pillars, then carved out by people into homes, chapels and dovecotes. The Göreme Open Air Museum preserves rock-cut churches with Byzantine frescoes, and the valleys around the town reward hours of walking.

    Many people sleep in a cave hotel, which is touristy and glorious in equal parts.

    Tip: Walk the valleys at sunrise or late afternoon, when the rock turns pink and gold and the day-trippers have gone.

  2. Hot-air balloons over Cappadocia

    Activity

    A hot-air balloon over Cappadocia at sunrise
    Photo: MusikAnimal, CC BY-SA 4.0

    At dawn, dozens of balloons lift off together and drift over the valleys as the sun comes up. Even if you never leave the ground, watching them from a hotel terrace is a highlight. Flights depend on the weather, and are cancelled when it isn't right.

    Tip: Book early and leave a spare morning in your plan in case your flight is postponed.

  3. Pamukkale

    Nature

    The white travertine terraces of Pamukkale
    Photo: Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 3.0

    Mineral-rich spring water has coated this hillside in terraces of dazzling white travertine, with shallow turquoise pools stepping down it. Above sit the Roman ruins of Hierapolis, a spa town that grew up around the same hot springs, with a theatre and a necropolis. Together they make one of Turkey's most famous day outings.

    Tip: Walk the terraces barefoot where you’re allowed to, and go late in the afternoon for the light and the cooler air.

  4. Ephesus

    Landmark

    The façade of the Library of Celsus at Ephesus
    Photo: Benh LIEU SONG, CC BY-SA 3.0

    One of the best-preserved Roman cities anywhere in the Mediterranean, near the town of Selçuk. Walk down a marble street past the Great Theatre and stop at the façade of the Library of Celsus, perhaps the most photographed ruin in Turkey. Easy to reach from the Aegean resorts as a day trip.

    Tip: Go early or late in the day. It is hot and shadeless at midday.

Coast and beaches

  1. Ölüdeniz

    Beach

    The sheltered Blue Lagoon at Ölüdeniz
    Photo: Kadirxmert, CC BY-SA 4.0

    A sheltered lagoon of impossibly calm turquoise water, backed by pine forest and Mount Babadağ, near Fethiye. The Blue Lagoon itself is a protected nature park, and the long beach beside it's one of the most photographed in Turkey. Paragliders drift down from the mountain above, and boat trips head along the coast to hidden coves.

    Tip: Beaches fill up in July and August, so arrive early or visit in the shoulder season.

  2. Kaleiçi and Hadrian’s Gate

    Neighbourhood

    Hadrian's Gate at the edge of Antalya's old town
    Photo: Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 3.0

    Antalya's old town is a maze of Ottoman houses, boutique hotels and cafés behind a Roman gate, leading down to a harbour set against the Taurus mountains. Wander the narrow lanes in the evening, when the stone cools and the restaurants fill up.

  3. Aspendos

    Landmark

    The Roman theatre at Aspendos
    Photo: Lee Vilenski, CC BY-SA 4.0

    Just inland from Antalya, the Roman theatre at Aspendos is among the best-preserved in the ancient world, with its stage building largely intact. It still hosts performances in summer, which is the best way to feel how it was meant to be used.

  4. Bodrum Castle

    Landmark

    The Castle of St Peter was built by the Knights of St John and dominates Bodrum's harbour. Inside is a museum of underwater archaeology. Afterwards, take a stroll round the marina and then a seat at a waterfront bar.

Eat and unwind

  1. A Turkish breakfast

    Food

    Forget cereal. A proper Turkish breakfast is a spread of white cheese, olives, tomatoes, cucumber, eggs, honey, clotted cream, jam and warm bread, brought to your table in a dozen little dishes and washed down with strong black tea. Make it a long, slow morning.

  2. Baklava

    Food

    Trays of baklava in an Istanbul sweet shop
    Photo: Maksym Kozlenko, CC BY-SA 4.0

    Layers of paper-thin pastry, nuts and syrup, sold by weight in dedicated shops across the country. Gaziantep in the south-east is the city most associated with it, and pistachio baklava is the classic. Have it with a small glass of tea to cut the sweetness.

  3. A traditional hammam

    Activity

    A Turkish bath is as much a ritual as a treatment: a warm marble room, a vigorous scrub and a foamy soap wash. Istanbul has some beautiful old bathhouses, and most coastal resorts offer a version. It's a very good way to recover from walking round ruins.

Where to stay in Turkey

Not sure which area suits you? Read our guide: Where to stay in Turkey →

Getting around

Turkey is large, so use domestic flights between Istanbul, Cappadocia and the coast. Within Istanbul, the tram, metro and ferries are easy and cheap. On the coast, local minibuses called dolmuş link resorts, and boat trips are the best way to see the bays.

When to go

Spring and autumn are the best seasons for Istanbul, Cappadocia and ruins like Ephesus. The coast is warm enough to swim from late spring into October, while high summer is very hot, so plan sights early in the day.

Questions about visiting Turkey

What is Turkey best known for?
Istanbul and its Byzantine and Ottoman monuments, the cave landscapes and balloons of Cappadocia, Roman ruins like Ephesus, white terraces at Pamukkale and the beaches of the Aegean and Mediterranean coasts.
Is Turkey worth visiting?
Yes. It combines city culture, ancient history and sea-and-sun holidays in one country, and is easy to mix, for example Istanbul with Cappadocia, or a beach resort with day trips to ruins.
How many days do you need in Turkey?
Three or four days covers Istanbul. Add two or three for Cappadocia and a week on the coast, so ten days to two weeks gives a good mix.
What is there to do in Turkey with kids?
Boat trips, beaches and the water parks at the big Antalya resorts, the cave houses and valleys of Cappadocia, and the Roman theatres at Aspendos and Ephesus, where children can run around and explore.

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