The long list of weird and unusual places in Turkey stretches far beyond the Blue Mosque and the whirling dervishes of Istanbul. Often compared with Europe in terms of popular tourist attractions, Turkiye offers plenty of unique destinations to explore its cultural heritage if you want to get away from the usual beach summer holidays.
Quick Snapshot of Unusual Places in Turkey
Mount Nemrut (Adıyaman): A remote mountain peak with surreal, giant stone heads and a mysterious royal tomb.
Derinkuyu and Mazi Underground Cities (Central Anatolia): Massive, multi-level cities carved deep into volcanic rock that once housed thousands of people hiding underground.
Salda Gölü (Burdur): Often called "Turkey’s Maldives", Lake Salda features white magnesium-rich sand and bright turquoise water inside a volcanic crater.
Göbekli Tepe (Sanliurfa): The world’s oldest known temple, featuring carved T-shaped pillars that predate Stonehenge and agriculture by millennia. (UNESCO World Heritage Site of Asia.)
Kaklık Cave (Denizli): A subterranean cave featuring flowing thermal sulphur water, stalactites, and white travertine terraces underground.
Arapapıştı Canyon (Aydın / Mersin): A sheer-cliff canyon hiding rock-cut tombs and a winding river tucked deep within the Taurus Mountains.
Aspendos Roman Theatre: Unlike most ancient theatres that have lost their upper tiers, stage buildings, or roof structures to time and earthquakes, Aspendos retains its entire stage wall, vaulted galleries, and seating rows virtually intact.
More Weird Places to Visit in Turkey
1: Pamukkale and Hierapolis
The extraordinary rock formations at Pamukkale look like they belong to another world. Located on the outskirts of Denizli province, this natural wonder was formed over hundreds of years as carbonate deposits were funnelled into terraces by hot springs and streams. People travel from around the world to this UNESCO site to luxuriate in the thermal waters, and some even believe the waters have healing powers. Whatever your beliefs, this landscape is unforgettable. Sitting nearby is the ruined city of Hierapolis.
2: Mount Nemrut
This eerie site, filled with statues, is also home to the ancient tomb of King Antiochus, built in the first century. The mountain, located near Adiyaman in southeastern Turkey, contains statues of lions, eagles, and various Greek and Armenian gods. No one knows too much about the statues, or why they are there, so the silent figures will hold their secrets forever.
3: Mount Ararat
Mount Ararat is not only a striking Turkish landscape (at 5,137 metres tall, it is the tallest Turkish mountain and taller than Mont Blanc at 4,810 metres) along the Iran border, but many scholars also believe it is where Noah pitched his ark after the great flood. A 2007 expedition found seven large wooden compartments near the peak.
The partitions match how the ark would have been constructed, and carbon dating shows the wood is around 4,800 years old, which aligns with the time of the great flood according to the Bible, when Noah filled his ark with his family and pairs of every animal species on the planet to save them from the rising waters.
4. The Trojan Horse
Most people think that Troy, made famous in Homer's epic poem The Odyssey, is as fictional as the Cyclops or the Sirens who tried to tempt Odysseus to his death. Think again. Today's Troy in northwestern Turkey is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
According to ancient poet Virgil, after a ten-year siege on Troy, the Greeks built a large wooden horse and left it outside the city gates. The Trojans pulled the horse into the city, but the horse contained Greek soldiers, who destroyed the city and ended the war.
Today, wander around the ruins, climb inside a replica of the Trojan horse, and imagine the battle that brought down one of the most important cities. To continue the Trojan War theme, mythological legends say the gods watched it from Uludag Mountain in Bursa.
5: Avanos Hair Museum
This must be a contender for the world's weirdest and creepiest museum. What started as a publicity stunt has grown into a museum containing hair samples and the names and addresses of 16,000 women from around the world. The founder, potter Chez Galip, says the museum has increased attendance levels at his pottery workshops.
Hair covers the ceiling and walls of the museum, in a cave. Once a year, Galip randomly chooses ten hair samples and invites these women to stay with him for free and attend a pottery workshop. While in Avanos, also book tickets to see the Mevlevi order, known for their SEMA ritual.
6. Cappadocia for Fairy Chimneys and Cave Dwellings
Arrive in Göreme for an amazing Turkish delight of experiences. The Göreme Open Air Museum features 4th- to 11th-century churches carved from Tufa rock and painted with elaborate frescoes. Early risers can also enjoy watching hot air balloons at sunrise, or, if your budget allows, even take a trip yourself.
Trekking through the valleys takes you past fairy chimneys carved from volcanic rock called Tufa. The star however is Derinkuyu underground city that once housed 20,000 people. Extending approximately 85 metres (280 feet) below the surface, Derinkuyu is the deepest excavated underground city. It spans roughly 8 multi-level stories open to tourists. Local cuisine is also hearty and entirely different from Mediterranean cuisine.
7: Mardin's Sandstone Buildings
The old quarter of Mardin city is built entirely of yellow chalk stone. The result is beautiful. The houses, decorated with different motifs, are very similar, giving the whole city a slightly unreal look, like a film set. Located on a hilltop in southeastern Turkey, Mardin's origins trace back a mind-boggling 4000 years.
Tourists are only now starting to discover this intriguing city and the majority get lost in its labyrinthine streets. Try the Turkish cuisine while you're there, and listen to the traditional music. Turkish coffee in Mardin is an experience deeply tied to history, cultural mosaic, and local flavours. Known locally as mırra or specialised regional coffee blends, enjoying a cup here is entirely different from standard Turkish coffee elsewhere.
8. Myra's Rock Tombs on the Turquoise Coast
In ancient times, the Lycian league dominated the Mediterranean coast. They placed their dead, wealthy, and important citizens in tombs carved into the hillside. This made it easier for winged creatures from the afterlife to reach them. Myra was part of the Lycian Empire, in modern-day Demre. Today, visitors see two groups of tombs, designed to look like temple fronts. These beautiful necropolises are haunting monuments to their mysterious occupants, who died thousands of years ago and still watch over their ancestors.
9: Sumela Monastery in Trabzon
This haunted-looking monastery, built over 1600 years ago is now a Greek Orthodox monastery dedicated to the Virgin Mary. It has changed identity several times over its lifetime under a succession of emperors and reigns. Located in Altindere Valley on the Black Sea, the monastery sits in a cliffside at an eye-watering altitude of 1200 metres. Don't look down! Today it's mainly a tourist attraction, but religious ceremonies are still held there from time to time.
10: Gemiler Island on the Lycian Way
To the casual observer, this uninhabited island just off Fethiye's Mediterranean shore is just coastal scenery. However, modern archaeologists believe that it's more than that. Gemiler Island was the final resting place of everyone's favourite, gift-giving saint: St Nicholas. The traditional name for the island is Gemiler Ada, or The Island of Boats - St Nick being the patron saint of sailors.
The island's ruined church contained the saint's tomb, where he was originally interred after he died in 326 AD. Around 650 AD, the remains were transferred to Demre, but pilgrims still visit Gemiler to pay homage to the saint who inspired the modern-day Santa Claus and visit the church ruins.
11: Amazing Landmarks in Istanbul
Ok, so everyone has heard of Istanbul, a famous spot on the old Silk Road, but beyond the main tourist sites like Topkapi Palace and the Hagia Sophia Mosque, there are attractive landmarks the world seems to pass by. Tour either side of the Bosphorus to see Ottoman palaces, Rumeli Fortress, and trendy villages like Bebek and Arnavutkoy, where millionaires sip Raki with amazing views. Serdar-ı Ekrem Street around the Galata Tower area makes you feel like you've stepped back into the 20th century with all the stylish architecture. Also head to Prince's Island, where they exiled Ottoman royalty who behaved badly.
FAQs: Unusual Destinations in Turkey
Q: What are some places in Turkey that are less touristy?
A: There are hundreds of less touristy towns, cities, and sites. Excellent choices include Gobeklitepe archaeological site in Sanliurfa, Kirkpinar oil wrestling festival in Edirne, camel wrestling across the Aegean coast, Amasya in the Black Sea that is home to Yeşilırmak River, Lake Van on the Border with Iran, the Ottoman architecture houses in Safranbolu that are famous for the saffron, and Saint Peter’s church in Antakya. The Varda Viaduct in Adana is famous for its James Bond connection, yet few foreign tourists visit. During winter, visit Mount Erciyes or Palandöken for some skiing.
Q: What are the top 10 most beautiful places to visit in Turkey?
A: The top ten will vary from person to person, but our choices include Oludeniz in Fethiye, where you can also catch a water taxi to Butterfly Valley. Kekova's sunken ruins and the nearby Simena village on the Turkish Riviera seem lost in time. Cleopatra beach in Alanya is often classed as the best in Türkiye, but for the old town cobblestone experience, explore the side streets of Marmaris castle. Likewise, Sirince near Ephesus is an old Greek village, as is Kayakoy ghost village near Fethiye. Visit Cappadocia and Pamukkale, and if you're in the Northeast, go to Sumela Monastery. Lastly, Aegean Bodrum is renowned for its white stone walls, architecture, and wooden gulet boats.
More About Turkey
We are Property Turkey, and we help investors purchase homes in the country. But when we are not selling houses, we put our local and countrywide knowledge into our blog to share the delights of this great country. From amazing destinations like Amasra or Assos to the well-known towns like Bodrum, read our blog for more beautiful and unusual places in Turkey.
Nezir Can 
Operations Manager
Nezir 'Nez' Can is Operations Manager at Property Turkey and a contributor on Turkish culture, lifestyle, and everyday life across the country. Since joining the company, he has helped international readers better understand what it is like to live, work, and settle in Turkey.
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