Places worth the detour in Turkey
Turkey has 1,296 places worth going out of your way for on Detourmap, across 16 kinds — the biggest group is ancient & archaeological sites (354). The best known is Hagia Sophia. 967 of them are hidden gems most guides skip. Every place below has a photo and a Wikipedia article — click any of them to fly the map there.
Ancient & archaeological sites in Turkey 354
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Troy
Ancient & megalithic · 30th century BC · Iconic
Ancient Homeric-era city in northwest Asia Minor; it is known as the setting for the Greek myth of the Trojan war
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Temple of Ephesian Artemis
Ancient & megalithic · 4th century BC · Iconic
Temple in Ephesus, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World
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Mausoleum at Halicarnassus
Ancient & megalithic · 4th century BC · Iconic
One of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World
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Göbekli Tepe
Ancient & megalithic · 100th century BC · Iconic
Neolithic archaeological site in Turkey
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Pergamon
Ancient & megalithic · 8th century BC · Renowned
Ancient city of Ionia in modern-day Turkey and UNESCO World Heritage Site
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Miletus
Ancient & megalithic · 11th century BC · Renowned
Ancient city of Ionia, in modern-day Turkey
Churches, temples, monasteries & shrines in Turkey 318
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Hagia Sophia
Sacred sites · 6th century · Iconic
Mosque, museum, and former church in Istanbul, Turkey
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Sultan Ahmed Mosque
Sacred sites · 17th century · Iconic
Historic mosque located in Istanbul, Turkey, also known as Blue Mosque
Museums & galleries in Turkey 139
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Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum
Museums & galleries · 20th century · Notable
Museum of Islamic arts in Istanbul
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The Museum of Innocence
Museums & galleries · 21st century · Notable
Museum located in the district Çukurcuma in Beyoğlu district of Istanbul in Turkey
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İstanbul Modern
Museums & galleries · 21st century · Notable
Contemporary art museum in Istanbul, Turkey
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Troy Museum
Museums & galleries · 21st century · Notable
Archaeological museum in northwestern Turkey.
Castles, palaces & forts in Turkey 97
Parks, canyons & rock formations in Turkey 93
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Golden Horn
Natural wonders · Renowned
Urban waterway and the primary inlet of the Bosphorus in Istanbul, Turkey
Bridges & aqueducts in Turkey 93
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Galata Bridge
Great structures · 20th century · Notable
Bridge that spans the Golden Horn in Istanbul, Turkey
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Aqueduct of Valens
Great structures · Notable
Roman aqueduct supplying Constantinople (Istanbul, Turkey)
Monuments & statues in Turkey 78
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Obelisk of Theodosius
Monuments & statues · 15th century BC · Notable
Ancient Egyptian obelisk of Pharaoh Thutmose III re-erected in the Hippodrome of Constantinople (known today as At Meydanı or Sultanahmet Meydanı, in the moder…
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Serpent Column
Monuments & statues · 5th century BC · Notable
Victory column in Istanbul, Turkey, from Delphi
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Column of Constantine
Monuments & statues · Notable
Roman triumphal column in Constantinople (Istanbul, Turkey)
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Mevlâna Museum
Monuments & statues · 20th century · Notable
Museum dedicated to the poet Rumi, including Rumi's tomb
Towers & lighthouses in Turkey 30
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Maiden's Tower
Towers & lighthouses · 12th century · Renowned
Lighthouse at the southern entrance of the Bosphorus in Turkey
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Atakule
Towers & lighthouses · 20th century · Notable
Observation tower and shopping mall in Ankara, Turkey
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İzmir Clock Tower
Towers & lighthouses · 20th century · Notable
Clock tower in İzmir, western Turkey
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Beyazıt Tower
Towers & lighthouses · Notable
Fire-watch tower located in the Istanbul University's campus
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Kızıl Kule
Towers & lighthouses · Notable
13th century building considered to be the symbol of Alanya, Turkey
Caves & caverns in Turkey 22
Catacombs, shipwrecks & cemeteries in Turkey 20
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Zincirlikuyu Cemetery
Macabre & curious · 20th century · Notable
Burial ground in the European part of Istanbul, Turkey
Parks, gardens & arboretums in Turkey 18
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Gezi Park
Parks & gardens · 20th century · Notable
Urban park in Taksim Square, Beyoğlu district, Istanbul, Turkey
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Dilek Peninsula-Büyük Menderes Delta National Park
Parks & gardens · 20th century · Notable
National park in Turkey
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Emirgan Park
Parks & gardens · Hidden gem
Historical urban park in the Sarıyer district of Istanbul, Turkey
