Where Is Turkey?

Turkey's Location on a World Map

A map shows you that Turkey is located partly in Europe and Asia, bridging the two continents. It is a Eurasian country, with most of its national territorial area in Asia and only a small area in Europe.

Turkey shares its land borders with eight countries: Greece (to the west), Bulgaria (to the northwest), Georgia (to the northeast), Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Iran (to the east), and Iraq and Syria (to the southeast).

Turkey's geographical position and geopolitical strategic significance are extremely important as it is at the crossroads between Europe and Asia.

Quick Facts about Turkey

The Main Cities in Turkey

Istanbul is the most popular city in Turkey and the largest city in the country. Another important city is the capital, Ankara, which is the political center of the country. Other major cities include Antalya, Izmir, and Bursa.

Istanbul

Istanbul is the only city in the world that straddles Asia and Europe. It was the capital of three ancient empires — the Roman Empire, the Byzantine Empire, and the Ottoman Empire. This is the largest city in Turkey with 20% of Turkey's population and it has a history of cultural coexistence due to immigration.

Downtown Istanbul is divided into three parts by the Bosporus: Asia to the east, the new European city to the north, and the old town to the south. The old and new towns are separated by the beautiful Golden Horn Bay.

You can discover the ancient traces of the Greeks, Romans, and Venetians scattered throughout the towns. You can see most of the historic sites in the old town of Istanbul, including the Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, the Byzantine churches, and the Topkapi Palace.

Ankara

Ankara is the capital of Turkey. It is a modern city with government buildings, commercial enterprises, universities, and foreign embassies. Ankara is also an important transportation hub for Turkey, connecting travelers to other major Turkish destinations.

It's worth stopping to do some sightseeing there. The oldest area in Ankara is located near the Ankara Citadel. The mosque still retains its Seljuk art and wooden craftsmanship.

The Museum of Anatolian Civilizations is a must-see in the city, which is located near the gate of Ankara Citadel. This museum contains artifacts from the Paleolithic, Neolithic, Hatti, Hittite, Phrygian, Urartu, and Roman periods. Meanwhile, the huge mausoleums of Anitabil and Ataturk are also worth visiting.

Izmir

Izmir is located in the southeast corner of Izmir Bay in the Aegean Sea. It is the largest industrial and trading city along the Aegean area as well as the third-largest city and the second-largest port in Turkey. It is the main commercial and industrial center of Turkey and is also one of the most modern cities in Turkey.

The rise of Christianity in Roman times made it the central city of the Aegean and it developed rapidly. Izmir has many historical sites, such as the ancient clock tower, the 15th-century Hisar Mosque, the Temple of Artemis (one of the seven wonders of the ancient world), the ancient Greek ruins of Ephesus, the Virgin Mary's last retreat, and so on.

Antalya

This metropolitan city is the biggest international sea resort in Turkey. It is located on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea with the beautiful Conyaat Beach to the east, the endless Lala Beach to the west, the clear Mediterranean Sea to the south, and the lush Taurus Mountains to the north.

It has fantastic beaches, romantic coasts, and shady palm-lined boulevards. In addition to the beaches, as it had previously ruled by the Roman Empire, the Byzantines, the Seljuks, and the Ottoman Empire, we also recommend exploring the historical sites: 13th-century churches and seminaries, the city's canals, baths, theaters, temple gates, and so on.

Meanwhile, some of Turkey's best restaurants are in Antalya.

The Most Popular Places to Visit in Turkey

We would like to introduce some of the most popular places for you to visit, according to your interests.

Cappadocia

This amazing wonderland is right in the middle of Turkey. It is located just one hour away from Istanbul.

In an extraordinary meeting of nature's artistic splendor and humankind's resourcefulness, Cappadocia is one of those rare places that must be experienced at least once in a lifetime.

AThere are so many fascinating things to see in Cappadocia. The main 'must-see' attractions are the two large open-air museums and the best of the underground cities. Of course, as one of the best places in the world to fly with hot-air balloons, taking a hot-air balloon flight to get a bird's-eye view of the lunar landscape of Cappadocia will be a remarkable experience.

Marmaris

Marmaris is in the southwestern Turkish province of Mugla and is one of Turkey's most popular seaside resorts.

Its terrain extends into the sea: the Aegean to the north and the Mediterranean to the south. Along the coast, there are pine-covered mountains, jagged bays, stone islets, white-sand beaches, and turquoise waters.

In Marmaris, your exploration must start from the beach. We recommend sunbathing or strolling along the beach — there are bars, restaurants, and cafés. You will love the ambience and can just relax.

However, besides the beaches, we would also encourage you to explore the nearby small villages or spend a day watching the fishermen catch good hauls.

Ephesus

It is located in the south of Izmir and is the most complete classical metropolis in Europe. Ephesus was established as a port and used to be the most important commercial center. It was also a religious center for early Christianity and remains so today.

Only part of the ruins of Ephesus have been excavated so far, although the excavations and restorations still continue. These parts have revealed much about the city's original prosperity. It is well worth visiting this place.

The ancient city of Ephesus was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2015.

Getting to Turkey

The most popular gateway city for Turkey is Istanbul. There are two international airports in this city — one is Istanbul Airport and the other is Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen International Airport.

Apart from the national carriers of Turkey, such as Turkish Airlines, other airlines have regular flights to Turkey, such as Alitalia, Air France, British Airways, KLM, Lufthansa, Olympic Air, and SAS.

Tourist visas for Turkey can be obtained via the online platform from the official government website or via Turkish embassies and consulates worldwide.

Visit Turkey with Us

Would you like to experience the perfect trip to Turkey but don't know where to start? Our experienced trip advisors will help you to tailor-make a trip. We will take care of all the details so you can just relax and have fun during your vacation..