Turkey

Country · Asia, Western Asia

Turkey is a country in Western Asia, bordering nations including Greece, Bulgaria, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Iraq, and Syria. With an area of about 784,000 square kilometers and a population of about 86 million, its capital is Ankara. The country offers travelers a wide range of historical sites and cities.

Highlights

This site covers 74 sights across the country. Istanbul is a major destination, featuring landmarks such as the Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, the Basilica Cistern, the Topkapı Palace, the Dolmabahçe Palace, the Süleymaniye Mosque, and the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. Beyond the city, travelers can visit significant archaeological locations like Ephesus, Troy, Pergamon, Sardis, Hattusa, and the Temple of Artemis. Other notable sites include the Göbekli Tepe, Karahan Tepe, Çatalhöyük, the Derinkuyu underground city, the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, and the Durupınar site. Natural landmarks include Mount Ararat. Cities such as Antalya, Selçuk, Bodrum, Boğazkale, Burdur, Demre, and Kuşadası serve as bases for exploring these areas.

Food and drink

Local offerings include dishes like menemen, imam bayıldı, sujuk, and pastirma. Accompaniments and snacks include meze, taramasalata, kashk, and kashkaval. For drinks, options include ayran, boza, and rakı. Dondurma is available for dessert.

When to go

The following climate data is for the capital, Ankara. Summers are warm and dry, with daily highs reaching 30 °C to 31 °C in July and August, accompanied by minimal rain. Spring and autumn offer milder temperatures, with highs ranging from 11 °C in March to 26 °C in June and September. Winters are cold, with highs of 5 °C to 7 °C and lows dropping to -3 °C in January and February.

Practical notes

The currency is the Turkish lira (TRY) and the official language is Turkish. The country uses 230 V electricity with plug types C and F. Driving is on the right side of the road. The time zone is UTC+03:00.

Key facts

Capital	Ankara
Population	85,878,556 (2025)
Area	783,562 km²
Currency	Turkish lira (TRY)
Official languages	Turkish
Calling code	+90
Driving side	Right
Power plugs	Type C, F · 230 V
Time zones	UTC+03:00
Internet domain	.tr

Cities

Food and drink to try in Turkey

Ayran
Boza
Rakı
Meze
Sujuk
Dondurma
Pastirma
İmam bayıldı
Kashk
Kashkaval
Taramasalata
Menemen

Top sights in Turkey

PergamonUNESCO
Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople · Istanbul
Durupınar site · Doğubayazıt
Dolmabahçe Palace · Istanbul
Hattusa · BoğazkaleUNESCO
Karahan Tepe
Süleymaniye Mosque · Istanbul
SardisUNESCO
Golden Horn · Istanbul
Galata Tower · Istanbul
House of the Virgin Mary · SelçukUNESCO
Sumela Monastery · Trabzon
Fatih Mosque, Istanbul · Istanbul
Mount Nemrut · KâhtaUNESCO
Beyoğlu · Istanbul
Myra · Demre
Maiden's Tower · Istanbul
Library of Celsus · Selçuk
Laodicea on the Lycus · Denizli
The Chora · Istanbul
Patara · Patara
Carchemish · Karkamış
Princes' Islands · Istanbul
AphrodisiasUNESCO
The Museum of Innocence · Istanbul
Selimiye Mosque, Edirne · EdirneUNESCO
Yıldız Palace · Istanbul
Church of Saint Peter · Antakya
Pammakaristos Church · Istanbul
Rumelihisarı · Istanbul
Column of Constantine · Istanbul
Termessos
Beylerbeyi Palace · Istanbul
Sagalassos · Burdur
Bodrum Castle · Bodrum
Gordion · PolatlıUNESCO
Hadrian's Gate · Antalya
Lake Tuz · Aksaray
Kaymakli underground cityUNESCO
Perga · Antalya
Cyzicus · Erdek
Eyüp Sultan Mosque · Istanbul
Historic Areas of Istanbul · IstanbulUNESCO
Magnesia on the Maeander · Kuşadası
Dara · Nusaybin
Little Hagia Sophia · Istanbul
Uludağ
Istanbul Archaeology Museums · Istanbul
Xanthos · KınıkUNESCO
Aqueduct of Valens · Istanbul
Aspendos · Antalya
St. Nicholas Church, Demre · Demre
Lake Salda · Burdur
Palace of the Porphyrogenitus · Istanbul
Çankaya Mansion · Ankara
ArslantepeUNESCO
Hagia Sophia, Trabzon · Trabzon
Museum of Anatolian Civilizations · Ankara
Kocatepe Mosque · Ankara
Zeugma Mosaic Museum · Gaziantep
Wooden Hypostyle Mosques of Medieval AnatoliaUNESCO
Green Mosque, Bursa · Bursa
Letoon · KınıkUNESCO
Yazılıkaya · BoğazkaleUNESCO
Mount Hasan · Aksaray
Van Fortress · Van
Grand Mosque of Bursa · Bursa
Divriği Great Mosque and Hospital · DivriğiUNESCO
Muradiye Complex · BursaUNESCO
Bin TepeUNESCO
Göreme Historical National ParkUNESCO
Saint Bartholomew Monastery · Van
Mount Tendürek · Van
Great Mosque of Diyarbakır · Diyarbakır
Ephesus Archaeological Museum · Selçuk
Bagras · Antakya
Gaziantep Castle · Gaziantep
Asansör · İzmir
Zerzevan Castle · Diyarbakır
Fatih Mosque, Trabzon · Trabzon
Kadifekale · İzmir
Grand Synagogue of Edirne · Edirne
Üç Şerefeli Mosque · Edirne
Liberation Mosque · Gaziantep

UNESCO sites in Turkey →

Weather by month

The warmest month is August, with an average high of 31 °C. Rain is spread fairly evenly through the year.

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Average high, °C	5	7	11	17	22	27	31	31	26	20	12	7
Average low, °C	-3	-3	0	5	9	13	16	17	12	8	2	-1
Rainfall, mm	44	37	40	52	48	33	17	12	17	34	39	49
Rainy days	9	6	9	6	12	12	3	4	4	4	5	8

Temperatures and rainfall: 1981–2010 averages for Ankara (4 km grid), from CHELSA. Rainy days: 2015–2024, NASA POWER.

Also worth a look

Ahrida Synagogue of Istanbul
Alanya Castle
Anadoluhisarı
Anastasian Wall
Ankara Castle
Antalya Museum
Arakelots Monastery
Arap Mosque
Arycanda
Ashkenazi Synagogue of Istanbul
Aslanhane Mosque
Belgrad Forest
Bodrum Mosque
Bulgarian St. Stephen Church
Cape Baba
Cape Gelidonya
Cathedral of Ani
Church of Mary
Church of Saint Anthony of Padua, Istanbul
Column of Marcian
Damlataş Cave
Dilek Peninsula-Büyük Menderes Delta National Park
Elaiussa Sebaste
Emir Sultan Mosque
Ethnography Museum of Ankara
Eşrefoğlu Mosque
Fortifications of Diyarbakır
Giresun Island
Great Mosque of Adana
Green Mosque, İznik
Hacı Bayram Mosque
Hagia Sophia, İznik
Hagia Triada Church, Istanbul
Hevsel Gardens
Hidirlik Tower
Ihlamur Pavilion
Ishak Pasha Palace
Issus
Istanbul Modern
Jewish Museum of Turkey