Choose from 196 Fun Things to Do in Turkey
Konyaalti Beach
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Mevlana Museum
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Patara Beach
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Miletus
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Miniaturk
The Istanbul section includes models of 57 structures, including the Aya Sophia, Rumeli Fortress, Suleymaniye Mosque, Tomb of Sinan, Beylerbeyi Palace and the Galata Tower, each built to scale at 1/25th of the original size. The Anatolia section features 51 models, including the Sumela Monastery in Trabzon, the Great Mosque in Diyarbakir, traditional stone houses in Mardin and the Mount Nemrut ruins.
Finally, the former Ottoman territories section includes 12 structures, including the Mehmet Ali Pasha Mosque in present-day Cairo, the Mostar Bridge in present-day Bosnia and several tombs that can be found today in Romania, Kosovo and Budapest.
Another highlight of the park is the Panorama Victory Museum, dedicated to the Turkish War for Independence. The park also includes a 400-seat amphitheater, a gift shop, playground, labyrinth and life-sized chessboard.
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Pergamon (Bergama)
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Kucuksu Palace (Kucuksu Pavilion)
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Myra Ruins
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Mihrimah Sultan Mosque
- Mihrimah Sultan Mosque is a must-visit for architecture buffs.
- The mosque is an active place of worship. Upon entrance, women are required to cover their heads and shoulders, and men to cover their knees.
- Prayer times can affect the opening hours of the mosque.
- Istanbul mosques usually provide scarves to cover yourself if you don’t have one.
Jurassic Land
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Kleopatra Beach
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Pasabag (Monk's Valley)
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Mausoleum (Mausoleum of Halicarnassus)
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Maiden's Tower (Kiz Kulesi)
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Kucuk Ayasofia Camii (Church of the Saints Sergius and Bacchus)
- The Kucuk Ayasofya is a must-visit for architecture buffs.
- This is an active mosque and is closed to visitors during prayer times.
- Bring a scarf or wrap to cover up appropriately before entering, and wear shoes that are easy to remove.
Pera Museum
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Pergamon
Pergamon is an ancient city dating as far back as the 5th century BC. Credited with the invention of parchment, this once great seat of learning and culture had a library with over 20,000 volumes and a medical center - the remains of which can still be seen today.
Listed in the Bible as one of the Seven Churches of Asia, Pergamon flourished until the 14th century when, under Ottoman rule, it was abandoned and left to decay. Today, much of the remains of this once magnificent city lie underneath the modern-day city of Bergama but, thanks to Pergamon’s hilltop position, the remains of its most important buildings are still visible.
The Acropolis of Pergamon is clearly visible from anywhere in Bergama and closer inspection will reveal two partially reconstructed temples (Temple of Trajan and the Temple of Athena), ancient aqueducts and the incredible hillside theater, which is said to contain the steepest theater seating in the world.
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Asclepion (the ancient medical center) was centuries ahead of its time in its use of therapies to cure ills. Here you’ll find a theater and several sacred pools whose purportedly radioactive waters were used to cure patients. Once accessed via the Sacred Way from the Acropolis, these days you’ll find the Asclepion across town, west of the Bergama Museum and city center.
Other important sites at Pergamon include the Red Basilica and the Zeus Altar.
Bergama (ancient Pergamon) is 100km (62mi) north of Izmir. Pergamon’s sites are spread over a large area and most people choose to see the ancient city on a guided tour.
Museum of Innocence
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Kadifekale
Restoration work is underway, but travelers can see the castle gate, Roman cisterns, watch tower and some castle walls upon visiting. The views from the castle ramparts are not to be missed.
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Beware of the hawkers that frequent the castle.