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Central Anatolia

Somewhere between the cracks in the Hittite ruins, the fissures in the Phyrgian burial mounds and the scratches in the Seljuk caravanserais, the mythical, mighty Turks raced across this highland steppe with big ideas and bigger swords. Alexander the Great cut that eponymous knot in Gordion where King Midas displayed his deft golden touch. Julius Caesar came, saw and conquered, and in Konya, the whirling dervishes first spun. This central sweep of Turkey was also where Atatürk forged his secular revolution along dusty Roman roads that all lead to Ankara; an underrated capital city and geopolitical centre. Further north through the nation's fruit bowl, in Safranbolu and Amasya, 'Ottomania' is still in full swing; here wealthy weekenders come to capture a glimmer of a bygone age amid bendy-beamed mansions. Central Anatolia is the meeting point between the fabled past and the present – a sojourn here will enlighten and enchant.

Explore Central Anatolia

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Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Central Anatolia.

  • Museum

    Museum of Anatolian Civilisations

    The best place in the country to get to grips with the complex weave of Turkey's history, the exhibits here house artefacts cherry-picked from just about…

  • Museum

    Boğazkale Museum

    Excellent information boards provide a thorough grounding in both Hittite history and culture while the pieces on display – all unearthed at Hattuşa –…

  • Mosque

    Mahmud Bey Cami

    Amid rolling hills and fertile fields, the hamlet of Kasaba, 17km northwest of Kastamonu, is a pretty but unlikely place to find one of Turkey's finest…

  • Museum

    Tokat Museum

    Tokat's impressive museum is housed within the beautifully restored Arastalı Bedesten (covered market). The collection packs in intricately decorated…

  • Architecture

    Eski Çarşı

    The real joy of Safranbolu is simply wandering the cobblestone alleys. Everywhere you look in Eski Çarşı (Safranbolu's old town) is a feast for the eyes…

  • Mosque

    Ulu Cami

    Tokat's historic neighbourhood of slouching Ottoman houses, nestled at the foot of the castle hill, hides this gem of a mosque with floral motifs crawling…

  • Museum

    Mevlâna Museum

    For Muslims and non-Muslims alike, the main reason to come to Konya is to visit this former lodge of the whirling dervishes and home to the tomb of…

  • Mausoleum

    Anıt Kabir

    The monumental mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk (1881–1938), the founder of modern Turkey, sits high above the city with its abundance of marble and air…

  • Tomb

    Tombs of the Pontic Kings

    Looming above the northern bank of the river is a sheer rock face with the conspicuous rock-cut Tombs of the Pontic Kings. The tombs, chiselled deep into…

  • Gate

    Yer Kapı

    Hattuşa's star attraction is this postern gate complex with an artificial mound pierced by a 70m-long tunnel. The Hittites built the tunnel using a…

  • Museum

    Amasya Museum

    Amasya's museum packs in treasures from the Chalcolithic era up to the Byzantine age in its ground-floor galleries. Look out for the famous bronze…

  • Mosque

    Sultan Beyazıt II Cami

    The graceful Sultan Beyazıt II Cami (1486) is Amasya's largest külliye (mosque complex), with a medrese (seminary), fountain, imaret (soup kitchen) and…

  • Historic Building

    Şifaiye Medresesi

    Dating to 1218, this was one of the most important medical schools built by the Seljuks and was once Anatolia's foremost hospital.

  • Museum

    Erimtan Archaeology & Arts Museum

    Ankara's newest museum houses the astounding collection of mostly Roman (but also Bronze Age, Hittite and Byzantine) artefacts collected over the years by…

  • Museum

    Tile Museum

    Gorgeously restored, the interior central dome and walls of this former Seljuk theological school (1251) showcase some finely preserved blue-and-white…

  • Historic Building

    Çifte Minare Medrese

    Commissioned by the Mongol-İlkhanid vizier Şemsettin Güveyni after defeating the Seljuks at the battle of Kosedağ, the Çifte Minare Medrese (1271) has a…

  • Archaeological Site

    Hattuşa

    In the Bronze Age, the Hittite kingdom encompassed an area that stretched west to the Aegean Sea and south into Syria with its command centre here in the…

  • Archaeological Site

    Çatalhöyük

    Rising 20m above the surrounding flat Konya plains, the East Mound at Çatalhöyük is one of the most important, and largest, Neolithic settlements on earth…

  • Mosque

    Ulu Cami & Darüşşifası

    This grand complex, combining both a mosque and hospital, lords it up on the hill above the village. Renowned for its craftwork, the entrance doorways are…

  • Rock Art

    Yazılıkaya

    Yazılıkaya means 'Inscribed Rock', and that's exactly what you'll find in these outdoor rock galleries, around 2km from Hattuşa. There are two galleries:…

Top experiences

Whether it’s a guided tour of a historic landmark, private tasting of local delicacies, or an off-road adventure — explore the best experiences in Central Anatolia.