Turkey Cultural Tours

Top Things to Do

Turkey is famous for its buzzing bazaars, traditional treats, and awe-inspiring architecture and landscapes. The country also has immense cultural riches that date back centuries, which explains why it is one of the most popular destinations for cultural tours.

Visitors can experience Turkey’s culture through its food and wines or walk through and touch the ancient ruins of yesteryear.

JOURNEY TO THE ORIGINS OF ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS

Turkey is a land of ancient wonders, with historical landmarks that date back millennia. One of the most notable is Gobekli Tepe, a site that is believed to be the world’s oldest temple, dating back to 10th century BCE. Another impressive site is Mount Nemrut, where you can find vast statues of
Persian gods that date back to the 1st century BCE. Then there is Catalhoyuk, one of the world’s oldest city settlements, which dates back to 7500 BCE. And Hattusas, the capital of the ancient Hittite Empire, which was founded in the 17th century BCE. These are just some of the many historical landmarks that can be found in Turkey. Each one is a testimony to the rich history and culture of this country.

JOURNEY TO THE HOME OF MYTHOLOGY

Turkey is home to some of the most important and well-preserved Greek and Roman ruins in the world.

Among the more than 20 Greek and Roman archeological sites in Turkey, Ephesus is the most famous one. It was once the largest city in the Roman Empire, and today it is home to some of the best-preserved Roman architecture in the world.

The ancient city of Pergamon was also an important center of learning, and its library was famous for its collection of scrolls.

Troy was the site of the Trojan War, and today visitors can see the scarce remains of the city.

Aphrodisias was once a center of sculptural production, and its ruins are home to some of the finest examples of Greek art.

Xanthos was the capital of the Lycian League, and its ruins are among the most brilliantly preserved.

Beyond these best-known ones, there are many others like Xantos, Letoon, Miletus, Lycian Rock Tombs, Zeugma, Didyma, Perge, Priene, and the list goes on. A privately-guided cultural tour of Turkey that includes some of these locations provides a fascinating window into Turkey’s rich past.

WITNESS THE GRANDEUR OF BYZANTINE AND OTTOMAN EMPIRES

Turkey is home to the most beautiful masterpieces of both the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires. The Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia are Istanbul’s most iconic landmarks, each with its own unique story to tell.

Istanbul and the rest of Turkey is dotted with many other Ottoman and Byzantine landmarks like mosques, cisterns, palaces, and fortresses. These treasures provide a fascinating glimpse into Turkey’s past, and the powerful empires that ruled over much of the world at their time.

MARVEL AT THE CULTURE AND FOLKLORE OF ANATOLIA

Your cultural Turkey trips will not be complete without a discovery of the quaint towns and villages of Anatolia and their folklore.

As you journey through unique places like cave-villages of Cappadocia and Ottoman village of Safranbolu, admire the intricate designs of both natural and man-made marvels.

Top Places to See

It’s a challenge to cover Turkey’s vast amount of historic and cultural treasures on a page, but here’s a glimpse of the most famous ones. If you want to explore Turkey, just contact us and talk to our Turkey Destination Specialists for insider advice and a customized itinerary.

Istanbul

Istanbul is a city like no other, a blend of east and west where ancient mosques stand alongside modern skyscrapers. It’s a place where you can haggle for trinkets in the Grand Bazaar, then go designer-shopping in its posh neighborhoods. There’s so much to explore in Istanbul. Many of the Ottoman and Byzantine landmarks are located in Sultanahmet area in Old Istanbul. You can see the stunning Hagia Sophia and the graceful Blue Mosque right across each other, competing in beauty and grandeur. Cistern Basilica and Hippodrome are other Byzantine treasures to see. After getting delightfully lost in the Spice Market, relax with a Turkish Coffee in one of the small traditional coffeehouses in the Grand Bazaar. Cruise along the Bosphorus watching the city’s skyline and the waterfront mansions, called yali, from the deck of a ferry. Istanbul is sure to enchant you, as it has enchanted the world for millennia!

Cappadocia

Cappadocia has one of the most unique landscapes on earth. Rock formations, called ‘fairy chimneys’ give the region an alien-like atmosphere, which is especially breathtaking when cruising on a hot-air balloon at dawn. Cultural experiences in Cappadocia include visiting the underground cities of Derinkuyu and Kaymakli, and the Goreme Open Air Museum, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which houses cave-churches from the early Christianity period.

Ephesus

Ephesus was once one of the most beautiful and prosperous harbor cities in the ancient world. Today, it is an awe-inspiring archaeological site, with some of the most impressive Greco-Roman ruins in existence. The Library of Celsus and its Great Amphitheatre are the highlights of Ephesus, but there are many other structures from houses to public baths that can be seen. This region is also home to Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, though little has remained from this monument.

Pamukkale

Pamukkale, meaning “cotton castle” in Turkish, is a natural wonder with its thermal pools overflowing snow-white cascading travertine terraces. The thermal pools which are open to public are said to have therapeutic properties. The area is also home to the ruins of Hierapolis, and ancient spa city in the Roman and Byzantine periods, now in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list. A cultural tour is not complete without visiting another UNESCO site nearby, Aphrodisias, the ancient city dedicated to the Goddess of Love.

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