Things to Do in Turkey

The Ataturk Maouselum, part of the Anā±t Kabir (literally "memorial tomb"), is the mausoleum of Mustaga Kemal Ataturk, the leader of the Turkish War of Independence and the founder and first president of the Republic of Turkey. The Anit Kabir encapsulates both architectural impressiveness and historical significance, making it one of Anakara's must sees. 

Anit Kabir's construction spanned 9 years and commenced in 1944. It consists of four main parts - the Road of Lions, the Ceremonial Plaza, the Hall of Honor (the location of Atatürk's tomb) and the Peace Park that surrounds the monument.

Inside of the ceremonial plaza you can find several museum rooms displaying memorabilia and personal artifacts of Ataturk, giving visitors a sense of the famous leader's life. The Hall of Honor is an impressively lofty structure, lined in marble and decorated with mosaics. An immense marble cenotaph stands at the northern end of the hall above the actual tomb.

Located atop a hill in the heart of Ankara, the Ankara Citadel, or castle, serves as one of the most recognizable symbol's of Turkey's capital. Visiting the citadel is more than just seeing the impressive structure, with its 14-16 m (46-53 ft) high walls. A journey inside the citadel also provides you with a look at what ancient Turkey might have looked like.

The structures within and around the castle serve as some of the oldest authentic examples of traditional Turkish architecture. Although no one know for sure exactly how old the citadel is, its foundations were thought to have been laid by Galatians nearly 3,000 years ago. Inside the citadel, many of the old houses have been restored and converted into restaurants, creating the atmosphere of an ancient Anatolian village. The local people still live as if in a traditional Turkish town. As you wander along the narrow winding streets, you'll often see women beating and sorting through skeins of wool.

Exhibiting over 12,000 artifacts relating to the history of the Mediterranean and Pamphylia regions in Anatolia, Antalya Museum (also known as the Antalya Archaeological Museum) is one of the largest and most important museums in Turkey.

Born out of an attempt to prevent the country's archaeological treasures from being plundered by the Italians during World War I, the museum started its life in a mosque in 1922, only moving its collection to its present building in 1972.

Today the museum has 13 exhibition galleries that include regional excavations and galleries of prehistory, pottery, mosaics and various statues, as well as sarcophagi, coins, jewelry and ethnographic collections. There are also open-air galleries and a garden. 

Most of the best preserved finds from the ruined ancient cities of Anatolia can be found at the museum, and it's a fantastic way to grow your knowledge and understanding of these ancient civilizations, their Gods, culture and icons.

The Sadberk Hanim Museum was established by the Vehbi Koc Foundation and named in honor of Vehbi Koc's deceased wife, Sadberk. Featuring the private collection of Sadberk Koc, the museum consists of two 19th century villas in the Buyukdere neighborhood of Istanbul. Opened in 1980, the main building, known as Azaryan Yalisi, covers about 4,300 square feet and includes a ground floor gift shop and tea room. Exhibits include gold coins of the Ottoman Empire and Turkish Republic, Islamic and Ottoman art, Iznik tiles and ceramics, Chinese and Turkish porcelains, Beykoz and Bohemian glassware and women's traditional costumes.

An adjacent building, known as the Sevgi Gonul Wing, opened in 1988 and houses archaeological exhibits from Turkey's pre-Islamic period. Considered a fine example for contemporary museums, it was honored with the Europa Nostra Award the same year. Museum displays showcase a variety of lamps, jewelry, coins, beads, sculptures and glass from as far back as the late Neolithic and early Chalcolithic periods.
While the Sadberk Hanim Museum was founded with around 3,000 works, today it holds more than 18,000.

Considered to be one of Ankara's premier attractions, the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations is a must-see for history buffs or anyone interested in learning about ancient Turkey. Housed in a restored 15th-century covered market, the museum is home to a wide array of artifacts discovered in excavations throughout Turkey.

The Koza Hani, also known as the Cocoon Inn, was a caravanseri commissioned by Sultan Bayezid II in the late 15th century. Constructed in the city of Bursa, it was intended to provide income for the sultan's mosque in Istanbul. As the final stop on the Silk Road from China, the han was a place where merchants could try to sell the last of their goods, particularly silk.

Intricate turquoise tiling adorns the entrance to the han, which soon gives way to a cozy garden setting in the center courtyard. In classical Ottoman style, the structure features two stories of galleries surrounding an inner courtyard, with nearly 100 rooms altogether.  An absolution fountain and small prayer room sit in the middle of the courtyard and cells to the east of the han were built as stables and storage rooms.

The Koza Hani remains an active bazaar today and its tradition of being a center for the silk trade continues. Visitors can peruse a variety of shops and boutiques selling fine silk products and try their hand at haggling as prices are negotiable.

The remains of the ancient city of Perge, lie just 17km (11mi) northeast of Antalya and is the region's most significant Roman ruin.

Dating as far back as the Bronze Age, Perge was originally settled by the Hittites around 1500 BC and under Roman occupation grew to become one of the most beautiful cities of the ancient world. An important city for Christians during the Byzantine period, Saint Paul is said to have preached his first sermon here in 46 AD.

Excavations began on the site in 1946 and have since uncovered a large Greco-Roman theater with fine marble reliefs, a stadium that could seat over 12,000 people, a Hellenistic-Roman city gate flanked by ruined towers, a long colonnaded street, a large agora (central market), public baths and a gymnasium. Of these ancient remains, the theater and the stadium are Perge's best-preserved sites.

Many ancient scholars came out of Perge, including the physician Asklepiades, the philosopher Varius, the famous mathematician Apollonius (a pupil of Archimedes) and the female Roman ruler of the city Plancia Magna.