VISIT CENTRAL TURKEY, PLACES TO SEE AND THINGS TO DO

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Central Turkey, also known as Central Anatolia, is a region where history, culture, and nature intertwine across vast plains, volcanic formations, and ancient ruins. This area offers travelers a journey through time—from the fairy-tale landscapes of Cappadocia and the spiritual legacy of Konya to the modern buzz of Ankara. It is also home to the mighty ruins of Hattusa, the capital of the Hittite Empire, and the mysterious rock monuments of ancient Phrygia.

Cappadocia

Cappadocia’s surreal volcanic terrain is famous for its striking fairy chimneys, rock formations sculpted over millennia. Beneath the surface, entire underground cities like Derinkuyu and Kaymakli reveal the region’s ancient secrets and offered refuge during turbulent times.

Visitors explore the Göreme Open-Air Museum, a UNESCO site showcasing rock-cut churches with vivid frescoes, or hike through the scenic valleys such as Rose Valley and Pigeon Valley, dotted with cave dwellings and ancient chapels. The region is renowned for its spectacular hot air balloon rides, offering breathtaking dawn views over the unique landscape.

Cappadocia’s culinary delights include testi kebabı—a slow-cooked stew sealed in a clay pot and cracked open tableside—and local wines from Anatolian vineyards.

Ihlara Valley

Near the town of Aksaray, the Ihlara Valley offers a stunning 14-kilometer canyon walk lined with rock-cut churches and frescoes, set alongside a gently flowing river. This lush green valley is a refreshing contrast to the surrounding steppe, inviting long hikes through nature and history.

Konya

Konya is best known as the home of Mevlana Jalaluddin Rumi, the 13th-century mystic poet who inspired the Whirling Dervishes. The Mevlana Museum houses his tomb and hosts the mesmerizing Sema ceremony, where dervishes whirl in symbolic meditation.

The city’s architecture reflects Seljuk elegance, visible in the Alaeddin Mosque and the Ince Minaret Medrese. Konya’s bustling Bedesten Bazaar offers traditional crafts, carpets, and local foods such as etli ekmek, a thin meat-topped flatbread, and fırın kebabı, slow-roasted lamb.

Catalhöyük, One of the World’s Oldest Cities

Located near the modern city of Konya, Çatalhöyük is one of the earliest known human settlements, dating back nearly 9,000 years. This UNESCO World Heritage site offers a fascinating glimpse into Neolithic life with well-preserved mudbrick houses, wall paintings, and artifacts. Walking through Çatalhöyük feels like stepping back into the dawn of urban civilization, where agriculture, art, and community first took root.

Ankara

Turkey’s capital, Ankara, balances its political significance with rich cultural heritage. The monumental Anıtkabir is the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of modern Turkey.

The Museum of Anatolian Civilizations displays artifacts from the Hittite, Phrygian, Urartian, and Roman eras, offering insight into Anatolia’s ancient civilizations. The historic Kale district features winding streets lined with Ottoman-era houses, tea gardens, and artisan shops. Local treats include beypazarı kurusu biscuits and kabak tatlısı, a pumpkin dessert.

Hattusa

Near Boğazkale, Hattusa is a UNESCO World Heritage site and was once the powerful capital of the Hittite Empire (1600–1200 BCE). Visitors can walk along massive stone city walls, pass through monumental gates like the Lion Gate, and explore royal palaces and temples.

Close by, the Yazılıkaya Sanctuary is an open-air rock temple with intricate bas-reliefs of gods and goddesses, offering a rare glimpse into Hittite religious life.

Ancient Phrygia

The ancient kingdom of Phrygia lies west of Ankara and is famed for enigmatic rock-cut monuments such as the Midas Monument near Yazılıkaya. According to legend, King Midas, who turned everything he touched to gold, ruled here.

At Gordion, Phrygia’s capital, visitors find burial mounds, city ruins, and a museum with artifacts including items linked to Alexander the Great, who famously “cut the Gordian Knot” here. The surrounding landscape, dotted with wildflowers and ancient stones, invites hiking and exploration.

Silk Road Caravanserais, Ancient Inns of the Trade Routes

Central Turkey is dotted with well-preserved Seljuk-era caravanserais, once vital stops on the ancient Silk Road. These stone fortresses offered rest and safety for traders and travelers crossing the Anatolian plateau. Notable examples include the Sultanhanı Caravanserai, a stunning 13th-century structure with massive courtyards and impressive architecture, perfect for history buffs.