Turkey Travel & Tourism

Travelers flock to this spectacular country to enjoy a stunning adventure through dramatic landscape and a tumultuous history. Although its territory may be speckled with battlegrounds, ruins of kingdoms and fallen empires, the much-disputed area is a history enthusiast’s dream. History buffs and literature aficionados alike will swoon as they stand upon the very ground where Alexander the Great defeated Gordion Knot and where the famed warrior Achilles fought the Trojans in the Iliad. Visitors can tread upon the remains of the Ottoman Empire as they make their way to the country’s tightly-knit cities and explore the country’s unique culture. Due to the region’s stunning geography, visitors can enjoy four completely different climates in a single day. Geographically, Turkey is surrounded by three different seas, providing it with a coastline adorned with islands, coves and harbors. In its center lie stunning mountains that offer a scenic wonderland for mountain climbers, skiers and hikers. The country offers cultural travelers ten UNESCO World Heritage sites, including the cities of Istanbul and Safranbolu.

Visitors who are interested in heading to one of the busiest cities in Turkey often flock to Istanbul. Here stunning Ottoman mosques collide with nightclubs, bars and art galleries to create a spectacular mixture of historic and modern culture. Visitors who are interested in learning more about the local culture can stop off at the Blue Mosque. Guests who walk into the landmark’s interior are surrounded by an awe-inspiring array of blue tiles, which contributed to the site’s nickname. Visitors who would like to learn more about what life was like as a sultan can stop by the architecturally stunning Topkapi Palace. Those who don’t mind loosing themselves within a plethora of shops and vendors can head over to the Grand Bazaar while visitors who are keen to see famous Alexander sarcophagus should stop into the Istanbul Archaeology Museum complex. Guests who would like to escape from the busy confines of the city can take solace in a ferry ride to Princes’ Islands, which features a spectacular array of wooden mansions.

Visitors who are looking for a trip to satisfy their wanderlust can enjoy a retreat to the Black Sea coast, located in the Eastern reaches of Turkey. The region features lush vegetation, solitude and the craggy reaches of the Pontic Mountains that can be explored via hiking trails. Visitors seeking isolation can head over to small towns such as Amasra and Giresun, which offer everything from Byzantine ruins to delectable, locally-grown delights. Travelers more seeking a more tourist-friendly coast can enjoy the ritzy developments that line Turkey’s Mediterranean Coast. Guests can get pampered at one of Alanya’s stunning resorts or retreat to the small town of Kalkan to enjoy the rustic charm of a historic seaside village.

Those who are interested in seeing the sights can choose from a variety of UNESCO World Heritage sites—ten, in fact. Visitors who would like to stay in a traditional town can head over to Safranbolu to enjoy a picturesque city that was featured in Homer’s Iliad. Archeological aficionados can’t pass up an opportunity to visit Hattusa, which stood as the Hittite Empire’s capital. Today tourists can tread through the open air museum to view a number of stunning statues located in the old Upper City and Lower City. Those who would like to see both a geographic and archeological wonder can head over to Cappadocia and Gorem National Park to view the naturally-carved ‘fairy-chimneys’ and learn more about the underground cities that once thrived in the region. Literature buffs can’t leave this stunning country without stopping by the archeological site of Troy, which starred in Homer’s Iliad. Guests can stroll through the architectural wonders of the city and learn more about its denizens as they tour the site. Visitors can delight in a number of other spectacular archeological sites including the Edirne Selimiye Mosque, Hierapolis, Xanthos and Letoon, and Adiyaman Nemrut Mountain.


Worldwide Tourism Popularity Ranking: 14 of 230


Air Travel

  • Quality of Airports: Average (5.4 of 7)
  • Number of Airlines: 93
  • Number of Arriving Passengers: 25506000

Hotels & Lodging

  • Quality of Lodging: Average (3.8 of 5)
  • Number of Hotels: 4475
  • Average Room Rate: $114.31
 

Purpose of Visit

  • Business Trip: 4%
  • Family Vacation: 32%
  • Couples Getaway: 45%
  • Friends Trip: 15%
  • Solo Travel: 5%
 

Top Vacation Destinations in Turkey

Most popular cities in Turkey in terms of percentage of visitors and number of hotels:

  • Istanbul

    Popularity: 1 | 25.88% Visitors | 648 Hotels

  • Marmaris

    Popularity: 2 | 10.02% Visitors | 317 Hotels

  • Antalya

    Popularity: 3 | 5.81% Visitors | 226 Hotels

  • Side

    Popularity: 4 | 4.24% Visitors | 184 Hotels

  • Belek

    Popularity: 5 | 3.73% Visitors | 62 Hotels

  • Oludeniz

    Popularity: 6 | 3.6% Visitors | 56 Hotels

  • Bodrum

    Popularity: 7 | 3.46% Visitors | 154 Hotels

  • Gumbet

    Popularity: 8 | 3.4% Visitors | 105 Hotels

  • Alanya

    Popularity: 9 | 3.29% Visitors | 263 Hotels

  • Kusadasi

    Popularity: 10 | 3.22% Visitors | 138 Hotels

  • Fethiye

    Popularity: 11 | 2.38% Visitors | 98 Hotels

  • Icmeler

    Popularity: 12 | 2.36% Visitors | 85 Hotels

  • Altinkum

    Popularity: 13 | 1.47% Visitors | 52 Hotels

  • Kemer

    Popularity: 14 | 1.32% Visitors | 117 Hotels

  • Colakli

    Popularity: 15 | 1.29% Visitors | 34 Hotels

  • Turgutreis

    Popularity: 16 | 1.17% Visitors | 43 Hotels

  • Sarigerme

    Popularity: 17 | 1.15% Visitors | 13 Hotels

  • Hisaronu

    Popularity: 18 | 1.11% Visitors | 30 Hotels

  • Goreme

    Popularity: 19 | 1.11% Visitors | 37 Hotels

  • Ovacik

    Popularity: 20 | 1.08% Visitors | 30 Hotels

  • Selcuk

    Popularity: 21 | 0.92% Visitors | 22 Hotels

  • Manavgat

    Popularity: 22 | 0.9% Visitors | 41 Hotels

  • Kalkan

    Popularity: 23 | 0.85% Visitors | 40 Hotels

  • Urgup

    Popularity: 24 | 0.84% Visitors | 40 Hotels

  • Dalyan

    Popularity: 25 | 0.84% Visitors | 55 Hotels

  • Pamukkale

    Popularity: 26 | 0.8% Visitors | 29 Hotels

  • Torba

    Popularity: 27 | 0.74% Visitors | 26 Hotels

  • Armutalan

    Popularity: 28 | 0.6% Visitors | 15 Hotels

  • Kas

    Popularity: 29 | 0.54% Visitors | 42 Hotels

  • Didim

    Popularity: 30 | 0.51% Visitors | 20 Hotels

  • Beldibi

    Popularity: 31 | 0.5% Visitors | 34 Hotels

  • Izmir

    Popularity: 32 | 0.5% Visitors | 70 Hotels

  • Kumkoy

    Popularity: 33 | 0.49% Visitors | 23 Hotels

  • Bitez

    Popularity: 34 | 0.47% Visitors | 37 Hotels

  • Konakli

    Popularity: 35 | 0.42% Visitors | 38 Hotels

  • Goynuk

    Popularity: 36 | 0.41% Visitors | 20 Hotels

  • Ortakent

    Popularity: 37 | 0.37% Visitors | 21 Hotels

  • Ozdere

    Popularity: 38 | 0.34% Visitors | 6 Hotels

  • Ankara

    Popularity: 39 | 0.33% Visitors | 93 Hotels

  • Yalikavak

    Popularity: 40 | 0.31% Visitors | 28 Hotels

 

Top Turkey Hotels

  • 1
    Hotel Amira Istanbul
    Kucuk Ayasofya Mh. , Mustafapasa Sk. No:79, Istanbul
    100% recommended | 266 reviews
  • 2
    Witt Istanbul Suites
    Defterdar Yokusu No. 26, Istanbul
    99% recommended | 236 reviews
  • 3
    White House Hotel Istanbul
    Alemdar Mahallesi Catalcesme Sokak no:21, Istanbul
    99% recommended | 462 reviews
  • 4
    Millennium Suites
    Akbiyik Caddesi, Istanbul
    100% recommended | 123 reviews
  • 5
    Tomtom Suites
    Bogazkesen Caddesi Tomtom Kaptan Sokak No:18, Istanbul
    98% recommended | 133 reviews
  • 6
    Hotel Seraglio
    Amiral Tafdil Sokak, Istanbul
    99% recommended | 145 reviews
  • 7
    Four Seasons Istanbul at The Bosphorus
    Ciragan Cad. No. 28, Istanbul
    96% recommended | 105 reviews
  • 8
    Hotel Sultania
    Ebusuud Cad. Mehmet Murat Sok. No: 4, Istanbul
    99% recommended | 122 reviews
  • 9
    Sirkeci Konak Hotel
    Taya Hatun Sokak #5, Istanbul
    99% recommended | 983 reviews
  • 10
    Esans Hotel
    Ishakpasa Yenisarachane sk. No:4 Sultanahmet, Istanbul
    99% recommended | 82 reviews