Yildiz Palace Museum
Yildiz Palace Museum Yildiz Palace Museum is located in the Besiktas District on the outskirts of Istanbul along the sea. It takes a bit of a trek to get to, but is worth your time if you enjoy learning more about the governmental history of Turkey and the lives of its sultans.Yildiz Palace Museum
Yedikule Fortress
Yedikule Fortress Also known as the Fortress of Seven Towers, the Yedikule Fortress is located just over 3 miles southwest of Sultanahmet. It was first built as the Golden Gate during the reigns of Theodosius I and II in the 5th century. With enormous doors covered in gold, the gate had four tower
Yaliciftlik
Yaliciftlik Yaliciftlik is a small village located near the popular resort town of Bodrum, Turkey. It is just outside the Bodrum Peninsula along the Aegean Sea above a series of secluded coves, and its at the entrance to the Gulf of Gokava. Accommodations here run from simple to luxury. The towns
Water Planet Aqua Park
Water Planet Aqua Park The biggest water park on Turkey’s Mediterranean coast sits southeast of Antalya in between Manavgat and Alanya, overlooking the sparkling turquoise sea. With 24 rides from family slides to Kamikaze chutes, the park is a fun-filled day out for the whole family. There’s a spl
Viaport Venezia
Viaport Venezia Although just 15km from downtown Istanbul, the slick architecture and elegant shopping boutiques of Viaport Venezia are a world away from the eclectic stalls and overzealous sellers of the Grand Bazaar. Opened in 2014, the modern outlet shopping mall offers an entirely different ex
Urgup
Urgup Ürgüp in Cappadocia is famous for its hotels built into the soft volcanic ash rock tufa. Together with the nearby town of Göreme, it is the main center of tourism in this part of Turkey. The Göreme Valley is only 4 miles (6.5 km) from Ürgüp and is a UNESCO World Heritage site, due in large p
Turunç
Turunç Turunç is a small coastal village about 12 miles south of Marmaris, Turkey. It was once primarily a fishing village, but today it is also a quiet resort town. The village is small enough that you can walk from one end to the other in about a half hour. Its relaxed, small town atmosphere giv
Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum
Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum The Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum is located in Istanbul’s Sultanahmet Square, formerly the site of the ancient Hippodrome. Once the palace of Damad Ibrahim Pasha, the first grand vizier to Suleyman the Magnificent, the building housing the museum was built by the
Tombs of Osman and Orhan
Tombs of Osman and Orhan The Tombs of Osman and Orhan sit side-by-side on the top of a hill in Tophane Park in the city of Bursa. Osman Gazi, also known as Osman I, was the founder and first sultan of the Ottoman Empire. His son, Orhan, conquered Bursa, which became the capital of the Ottoman Empi
Terrace Houses
Terrace Houses The ruins of the ancient city of Ephasus are located in Selcuk, Turkey. The city was a major port city in its time, but the port has since silted over and the shoreline is quite a distance away. One of the important sections of the ruins are the Terrace Houses, which are on a hill a
Temple of Augustus
Temple of Augustus Built in 10 AD by the Galatian King Pylamenes as a tribute and sign of his fidelity to the Roman Emperor Augustus, the Temple of Augustus and Rome, also known as Monumentum Ancyranum, reminds visitors of Turkeys connections to ancient Rome. Though largely in ruins, the tem
Temple of Artemis
Temple of Artemis The Temple of Artemis, or Artemision, was a Greek temple in present-day Turkey dedicated to the goddess Artemis. It was one of the original seven wonders of the ancient world. It was built not far from Ephesus just outside the present-day town of Selcuk. The temple was completely
St Polycarp Church
St Polycarp Church St Polycarp Church dates from the mid-1600s and is Izmir’s oldest church. Dedicated to Saint Polycarp, a bishop who was martyred by the Romans in 155 AD, the church was been repeatedly damaged by earthquakes and its present building dates from 1690. Saint Polycarp was converted
St Anthony of Padua Church (Basilica di SantAntonio di Padova)
St Anthony of Padua Church (Basilica di SantAntonio di Padova) Located in the bustling neighborhood of Taksim in Istanbul, St Anthony of Padua Church (also referred to as Basilica di SantAntonio di Padova) is a Roman Catholic minor basilica that provides a respite from the shops and businesses sur
Sokollu Mehmet Pasha Mosque
Sokollu Mehmet Pasha Mosque The Sokollu Mehmet Pasha Mosque was designed by imperial architect Sinan for Grand Vizier Sokollu Mehmet Pasha, the husband of one of the granddaughters of Suleyman the Magnificent. Completed around 1571, it was built on a steep slope and, as a result, features an inter
Sirince
Sirince The small village of just 600 inhabitants has a long history that is intrinsically linked to Ephesus; indeed, rumor has it that it was founded by freed Greek slaves who named it “ugly” in Turkish to deter others from following them after the fall of Ephesus. It wasn’t until the early 20th
Shrine of Zoodochus Pege-Balikli Kilise
Shrine of Zoodochus Pege-Balikli Kilise One of Istanbul’s oldest and most revered shrines, this Eastern Orthodox sanctuary was first built in the fifth century. It was created beside a holy spring that was believed to have healing properties. After being destroyed by the Ottomans in the 15th centu
Serpent Column
Serpent Column The Serpent Column is what remains of an ancient bronze snake monument located at the Hippodrome of Constantinople in Istanbul. The column once featured three intertwined snakes, their jaws stretching open and supporting a golden tripod. This tripod, along with the heads and necks o
Selimiye
Selimiye Selimiye is a small seaside fishing village about 25 miles from the city of Marmaris, Turkey. It is located on the Bozburun Peninsula along the Aegean Sea. Due to its unspoiled and laid back charm, Selimiye is often referred to as the real face of Turkey. While there are a few small hotel
Rustem Pasha Mosque
Rustem Pasha Mosque Almost hidden among the narrow streets surrounding Istanbul’s Spice Bazaar, the Rustem Pasha Mosque is one of several Ottoman era mosques designed by famous imperial architect Mimar Sinan. Sitting on the site of an old Byzantine church, an inscription indicates that the mosque
