Aya Sofya (Hagia Sophia), located in Istanbul, is considered to be one of the most beautiful buildings in the world.
This internationally renowned and stunning building was commissioned by the Byzantine emperor Justinian, consecrated as a church in 537, converted to a mosque by Mehmet the Conqueror in 1453 and made into a museum by Atatürk in 1935.
The Byzantine emperors were crowned while seated on a throne placed within inlaid marble on the main floor.
The main floor features numerous religious themed mosaics from the 9th and 10th centuries.
One exits the Aya Sofya through the Beautiful Gate, a magnificent bronze gate dating from the 2nd century bce.
A small courtyard includes a 6th-century baptistr which in the 17th century was converted into a tomb for Sultans Mustafa I and İbrahim I.
On the opposite side of Aya Sofya are the Baths of Lady Hürrem which were built between 1556 and 1557.

Ephesus is a city of colossal monuments and marble-columned roads. It is considered to be one of the most preserved still-standing Roman cities in the Mediterranean region.
Ephesus comprises successive Hellenistic and Roman settlements and excavations have led to discoveries of a number of outstanding monuments of the Roman Imperial period including the Library of Celsus and the Great Theatre.
The site includes small remains of the famous Temple of Artemis, one of the “Seven Wonders of the World,” which drew pilgrim visitors from all around the Mediterranean basin.
The Ancient City of Ephesus also features a classical Roman port city and harbor.

Cappadocia is world famous for its magnificent natural rock formations as well as its unique historical heritage.
Photographers worldwide enjoy the surreal, swooping rock valleys of Cappadocia.
Fairy chimneys, or tuff cones, have been formed as the result of wind and water erosion of two different volcanic layers. These have been hollowed out over many centuries to create houses, churches and storage facilities.
Culturally the valleys of Cappadocia feature frescoed rock-cut churches from the Byzantine Era.

The magnificently opulent Topkapi Palace transports one back to the glory days of the Ottoman sultans.

In 1453 Mehmet the Conqueror built the first part of the palace and it became the home of the sultans until the 19th century.

The interiors of the palace include rare tiling with a lavish jeweled décor. The once off-limits royal gardens are now open to the general public.

At the entrance to the Imperial Gate stands the rococo-style Fountain of Sultan Ahmet III, built in 1728

The first court of the palace contains the Byzantine church of Hagia Eirene, commonly known as Aya İrini.

The Second Court includes a park-like setting and in general the palace is built with pavilions, kitchens, barracks, chambers, and sleeping quarters, all built around a central enclosure.

Pamukkale is considered to be one of Turkey's most famous natural wonders with over two million visitors annually. The snow white travertine terraces of Pamukkale ("Cotton Castle" in English) roll down the mountain slope, a stark sheet of white on the green landscape.
Photographers prefer visiting Pamukkale at dusk where the travertines glow when the sun sets.
Pamukkale also features Hierapolis, with its historic ruins of an ancient Roman spa town,
The Pergamon Kingdom established the Hierapolis city 2.000 years ago and it became a popular  thermal health center.
The unique travertine and the ancient ruins are featured on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

A major attraction along the Black Sea Coast in Turkey's northeast region is the Sumela Monastery, or Monastery of the Virgin Mary.
The monastery is built into a cliff, high above evergreen forests, and the now abandoned structure is replete with dazzling frescoes,
The monastery was founded by Greeks in the 4th century and functioned until the 20th century.
Visitors can climb the 1.2 kilometer zigzag foot path while passing a 700 meter waterfall. On the path is the small Aya Varvara chapel where one can watch a video displaying some of the monastery's magnificent murals, while outside one can take in stunning views of the monastery.

The #1 sightseeing attraction in Eastern Turkey is the one-of-a-kind Mount Nemrut summit.
Mount Nemrut stands at  2,134 meter (7,001 feet) and the mountain’s edifices were founded in 62 bce by King Antiochus I Theos of Commagene.
On top of the mountain the king built a tomb surrounded by giant statues of himself, two lions, two eagles and a bunch of Greek and Persian gods.
Over time, the heads of these statues have toppled from the bodies and are found wondrously scattered throughout the site.
Visitors position themselves at th  eastern terrace during sunrise when the bodiless heads emit an eerily orange glow.
The summit of Mount Nemrut also provides a panoramic view of the surrounding mountains.

Just 48 kilometers from Antalya, the ancient ruins of Aspendos feature the mammoth Roman Theater of Aspendos.

According to legend, Aspendos was first founded by Greek colonists who came to the region after the Trojan War.

This incredibly preserved ancient amphitheater was built in the 2nd century ce during the reign of the Emperor Marcus Aurelius. The theater’s seating capacity is 15,000 people and today it still hosts performances and festivals.

Above the theater there is the acropolis with a excellent view of the river from the top, where one can see the ruins of a basilica, an agora, and a nymphaeum.

Among the numerous Greco-Roman ruins found in Turkey, Pergamum stands out. A small settlement during the Archaic Period, the city flourished, and became one of the most celebrated centers of culture of the Hellenistic period for 150 years.

Pergamum features an Acropolis area and a theater cut into the hillside. In the Acropolis there are the remains of the monumental tombs or heroons built for the kings of Pergamon during the Hellenistic period.

The Theater of Pergamum, has a capacity of 10,000 people and was constructed in the 3rd century bce.

Pergamum, was once home to one of the ancient world's most important libraries, with an outstanding 200,000 books.

Other attractions include the marbled Temple of Trajan, the 2nd century bce Temple of Dionysos and the horseshoe shaped Altar of Zeus. 

Safranbolu is considered to be Turkey's best-preserved Ottoman town featuring winding roads and restored wooden mansions which were once the home of wealthy merchants.
As early as the 13th century the city became an important caravan stop-over and destination on the East-West trading route. The prosperity of the city propelled it to influence and set the standard for Ottoman architecture.
Attractions such as The Old Mosque, Old Bath and Suletman Pasha Medrese were built in the 14th century.
Safranbolu consists of three historic sections, Cukur, the market place in the inner city, Kirankov and Bagler (the Vineyards).