62 Cool and Unusual Things to Do in Turkey - Atlas Obscura

Unusual
Attractions
in Turkey

Fairy Chimneys

Aksaray, Turkey

Cappadocia

Entire cities carved into ancient volcanic rock formations.

38.4174, 34.1382

Added by jessiedevin

Denizli, Turkey

Pamukkale Water Terraces

Roman ruins top white travertine terraces formed by ancient hot springs.

37.7735, 29.0865

Added by Annetta Black

336 ancient columns

Istanbul, Turkey

Basilica Cisterns of Istanbul

A marvel of Byzantine engineering under the streets of Istanbul.

41.0084, 28.9779

Added by Annetta Black

A Lycian rock tomb.

Fethiye, Turkey

Lycian Rock Tombs

These tombs were built into the side of a mountain so that ancient angels could reach the dead.

36.6186, 29.1168

Added by SkareMedia

The ruins of Troy

Çanakkale, Turkey

Troy

This famous city eluded concrete detection until the early 2000's.

40.1553, 26.4142

Added by EricGrundhauser

Sarışeyh, Turkey

Gobekli Tepe

Hunter-gatherer architecture believed to be the oldest religious complex known.

37.2735, 38.9180

Added by CPilgrim

Inscription to the gods of the underworld at Pluto's Gate

Denizli Merkez, Turkey

Pluto's Gate

Ancient portal to the underworld.

37.9240, 29.1252

Added by Allison

Ocaklı Köyü, Turkey

Ani Ghost City

An abused and forgotten metropolis, abandoned for centuries.

40.5075, 43.5728

Added by ekoptev

See All 62 Things to Do in Turkey See All 62 Places

Unique
Food & Drink
from Turkey

Mad Honey

Gastro Obscura

Ritual & Medicinal

Mad Honey

This hallucinogenic honey can sell for over $60 a pound on the black market.

Gastro Obscura

Added by Anne Ewbank

Dondurma

Gastro Obscura

Dondurma

A rare orchid ingredient makes this ice cream stretchy and chewy.

Gastro Obscura

Added by Anne Ewbank

Pudding of Noah

Gastro Obscura

Pudding of Noah

The first thing eaten off the Ark.

Gastro Obscura

Added by Anne Ewbank

Tavuk Göğsü

Gastro Obscura

Tavuk Göğsü

We have the Ottoman sultans to thank for this creamy Turkish dessert made of chicken breast.

Gastro Obscura

See all 8 things to try in Turkey See all 8 things to try in Turkey

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donnakell10 wants to go to Cappadocia

chengela wants to go to Pamukkale Water Terraces

norrisjeanne has been to Basilica Cisterns of Istanbul

norrisjeanne has been to Museum of Energy

norrisjeanne has been to Istanbul Railway Museum at Sirkeci Terminal

Stories
About Turkey

John Hale, local resident Fettah Anli, Matthias Zeithoffler, Jelle de Boer (left to right) at the site of the Plutonium.

The Scientific Detectives Probing the Secrets of Ancient Oracles

Geological features, toxic fumes, and visions of the future.

by Kevin Krajick

The bud of a black rose sold on the Halfeti pier.

The Submerged History Surrounding Turkey’s Black Rose

Visitors flock to Halfeti for its unusually dark flowers, but there's much more beneath the surface of the half-drowned town.

by Pesha Magid and Laura Neumann

Holding up a cone of dondurma.

Watch a Dondurma Vendor Trick Customers Before Handing Them Treats

Turkish ice cream lends itself to delightful antics.

December 15, 2017

A cuneiform tablet with a marriage contract from Kültepe-Kaneshe, Turkey.

Found: A Cuneiform Marriage Contract That Addresses Infertility and Surrogacy

They had two years to procreate, or a hierodule would be hired.

by Vittoria Traverso

November 10, 2017

A 5,000-year-old toy chariot and wheels, found in the ancient city of Sogmatar, in southeastern Turkey

Found: A 5,000-Year-Old Toy Chariot

Kids have been playing with miniature vehicles since the Bronze Age.

by Sarah Laskow

October 18, 2017

Marchers at the 2014 Gay Pride Parade in Istanbul, Turkey. The pride march was banned in 2016.

The Changing Nature of Lubunca, Turkey's LGBTQ Slang

The language has long kept vulnerable groups protected, but is now being used for fun and visibility.

September 15, 2017

The Remains of an Ancient 'Skull Cult' Have Been Found

A new discovery at Göbekli Tepe in Turkey sheds some light on what the structure's purpose might have been.

by Erik Shilling

A demonstration of how an ancient drill might have worked.

Found: A 7,500-Year-Old Stone Drill Bit

by Sarah Laskow

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