Pamukkale, which in English translates to "Cotton Castle," is located in the southwestern province of Denizli. It stands over the ruins of the ancient and sacred city of Hierapolis. This magical place is especially famous for its white limestone travertines shaped by calcium-rich hot springs and has been used as a thermal treatment center for millennia. The spot's first spa dates back to the founding of Hierapolis, established by Eumenes, king of Pergamum, in the second century B.C.
There are few places on Earth that beguile visitors with majesty and a mystic aura. Mount Nemrut in southern Turkey is one of those places. However, it is not its height of a towering 2,134 meters that makes Nemrut a UNESCO World Heritage-worthy site, but rather, it is the gigantic statues of gods commissioned by King Antiochus I of Commagene for his own tomb that makes it a world wonder.
Ani, a medieval Armenian city on the Turkish border, was deemed worthy of being called a treasure of world cultural heritage when UNESCO recognized it as such in the early hours of July 15, 2016.
Once a hustling and bustling commercial center on a branch of the ancient Silk Road, sitting at the crossroads of other trade routes that flowed into the heart of Anatolia, Ani now lies off the beaten track – deserted and exotic in all its remoteness.
Cappadocia, which means the "land of fine horses" in old Persian, is famous for its fairy chimneys. Tourists who would like to escape the stress of their hectic lives can follow the traces of history while wandering around Cappadocia's millions-of-years-old volcanic valleys and carved churches on horseback.
The Sümela Monastery is a site of unique historical and cultural significance and a major tourist attraction in Turkey's Trabzon province. It was included on UNESCO's temporary list of World Heritage sites in 2000.
Declared a first-degree natural protected area on Turkey's western coast of Fethiye, Butterfly Valley is one of the most fascinating natural wonders in Turkey. Since any type of construction is prohibited in the area, and the valley's location is away from prying eyes, all you can get during your stay are nature, fresh air, a vivid blue sea, colorful butterflies flying above and a hidden valley waiting to be explored.
Home to many civilizations throughout history, Mardin is a favorite among local and foreign tourists due to its history and architecture. It boasts several cultural, historical and natural draws, such as stone houses, filigree embellishments, narrow streets, historical and cultural places, inns and wonderful cuisine.
Founded in the third century B.C. as the capital of the Attalids, the city of Pergamon (also called Pergamum) is located 26 kilometers (16.2 miles) from the coastline of the Aegean Sea on a foreland on the north side of the river Caicus (modern-day Bakırçay) and northwest of the present-day Bergama district of Izmir province in western Turkey.
Where the Cayster (Kaystros) River empties into the Aegean Sea lays the ancient Greek city of Ephesus, nowadays gracing the Selçuk district of Izmir on Turkey's western shores with its glorious presence and history that dates back a few millennia.
