Turkey
Republic of Turkey
Western Asia · TUR
Editorial Snapshot
Why Go To Turkey
Turkey is one of the best value high-impact itineraries for travelers who want big-city energy, layered history, coastlines, and dramatic inland landscapes in one country. It suits first visits built around Istanbul plus one or two regions, whether that means Cappadocia, the Aegean coast, ancient ruins, or a longer overland route across the country.
Popular For
Things To See
- Istanbul
- Cappadocia
- Ephesus
- Pamukkale
- Antalya coast
- Göbeklitepe
Best Months
Best Months For Winter Travel
Know Before You Go
- Spring and fall usually offer the best balance of weather and crowds for classic Istanbul plus inland or coastal itineraries.
- Most first visits are stronger when limited to Istanbul and one or two additional regions rather than trying to cover the whole country.
- Domestic flights make longer distances manageable, but popular Cappadocia stays and balloon slots reward booking ahead.
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Flights
Hotels & Accommodations
Compare stays across major booking options
Open hotel and accommodation options for Turkey.
Guidebooks
Lonely Planet Turkey
Lonely Planet
Comprehensive guide to Istanbul, Cappadocia, and the Mediterranean coast with cultural tips.
View on Amazon →
DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: Turkey
DK Travel
Visually illustrated guide featuring 3D maps, cutaways, and recommendations for Turkish destinations.
View on Amazon →
Fodor's Essential Turkey
Fodor's Travel Guides
Full-color guide with expert recommendations on attractions and cultural experiences.
View on Amazon →Tours & Activities
Country Data
Stats At A Glance
Practical travel, safety, climate, and quality-of-life stats for Turkey.
Quick Facts
- Capital
- Ankara
- Population
- 85,664,944
- Area
- 783,562 km²
- Region
- Western Asia
Languages
- Turkish
Currency
Turkish lira (₺)
TRY
1 USD = 46.45 TRY
Cost of Living (World Bank)
35.2
Price level index (US = 100)
- Groceries
- 39.1
- Restaurants
- 37.1
- Rent
- 13.3
Safety & Peace
higher score = safer everyday environment · derived from World Bank homicide data
lower score = more peaceful · 1.0–3.5 scale
Monthly Climate Averages
These weather averages are based on data for Ankara (39.93°N, 32.87°E).
LGBTQ+ Friendly
30/100
Traveler LGBTQ score
- Legal protections
- 20/100
- Lived safety
- 48/100
This score blends legal protections with lived-safety context so strong laws alone do not automatically push a country to the top of the ranking.
- Homosexuality legal✅
- Relationship recognitionNone
- Adoption recognition❌
- Anti-discrimination laws❌
- Employment protections❌
- Legal gender recognition❌
- Conversion therapy ban❌
Human Development Index (UNDP)
0.853
Very high human development
- 5-year change
- +0.015
- 10-year change
- +0.051
- Trend
- improving
- Data year
- 2023
- Gender Dev. Index (GDI)
- 0.938
- Gender Inequality Index (GII)
- 0.227
- Planetary-adjusted HDI (PHDI)
- 0.729
UNESCO World Heritage Sites (22)
- 🏛️
Sardis and the Lydian Tumuli of Bin Tepe
Inscribed 2025
- 🏛️
Wooden Hypostyle Mosques of Medieval Anatolia
Inscribed 2023
- 🏛️
Gordion
Inscribed 2023
- 🏛️
Arslantepe Mound
Inscribed 2021
- 🏛️
Göbekli Tepe
Inscribed 2018
- 🏛️
Aphrodisias
Inscribed 2017
- 🏛️
Archaeological Site of Ani
Inscribed 2016
- 🏛️
Diyarbakır Fortress and Hevsel Gardens Cultural Landscape
Inscribed 2015
- 🏛️
Ephesus
Inscribed 2015
- 🏛️
Bursa and Cumalıkızık: the Birth of the Ottoman Empire
Inscribed 2014
- 🏛️
Pergamon and its Multi-Layered Cultural Landscape
Inscribed 2014
- 🏛️
Neolithic Site of Çatalhöyük
Inscribed 2012
- 🏛️
Selimiye Mosque and its Social Complex
Inscribed 2011
- 🏛️
Archaeological Site of Troy
Inscribed 1998
- 🏛️
City of Safranbolu
Inscribed 1994
- 🌍
Hierapolis-Pamukkale
Inscribed 1988
- 🏛️
Xanthos-Letoon
Inscribed 1988
- 🏛️
Nemrut Dağ
Inscribed 1987
- 🏛️
Hattusha: the Hittite Capital
Inscribed 1986
- 🏛️
Historic Areas of Istanbul
Inscribed 1985
- 🏛️
Great Mosque and Hospital of Divriği
Inscribed 1985
- 🌍
Göreme National Park and the Rock Sites of Cappadocia
Inscribed 1985
Natural Beauty (World Bank)
- Protected land area
- 7.0%
- Forest cover
- 29.5%
Source: World Bank.
Wildlife & Birdwatching
- Threatened mammal species (IUCN)
- 18
- Threatened bird species (IUCN)
- 22
Source: World Bank / IUCN Red List. Higher counts indicate richer biodiversity, typically in tropical rainforest, island, and savannah ecosystems.
Food & Cuisine
62/100
Food and dining score
Built from two layers: dining-scene breadth and open prestige signals. We combine restaurant density, cuisine diversity, distinguished restaurants, and gastronomy-city recognitions from open data sources.
Winter Sports
29/100
Ski infrastructure & alpine pedigree
Combines ski resort depth, ski resort density, and Winter Olympic skiing results. Separate from climate comfort.
Luxury Infrastructure
93/100
Luxury & premium accommodation score
Based on OpenStreetMap luxury hotel density and World Bank international tourism receipts.
US Travel Advisory
Exercise increased cautionExercise increased caution in Türkiye due to terrorism, armed conflict, and arbitrary detentions. Some areas have increased risk. Read the entire Travel Advisory. Exercise caution in crowded public spaces including transportation hubs, markets, malls, government buildings, hotels, restaurants, clubs, places of worship, educational institutions, parks, airports, and major events. Terrorism There is risk of terrorist violence, including terrorist attacks and other activity in Türkiye. Visit the U.S. Department of State’s country reports on terrorism to learn more. Terrorist groups continue plotting possible attacks in Türkiye. Terrorists may attack with little or no warning, targeting tourist locations. Be cautious in transportation hubs, markets, malls, and government buildings, as well as hotels, clubs, restaurants, religious sites, places of worship, and parks. Be careful in airports and at major events. Arbitrary Detentions The Turkish government has detained and arrested individuals, including Americans, for alleged links to terrorist groups based on scant evidence and minimal due process. Americans have also been subject to exit bans that prevent them from departing Türkiye. Protests not approved by the Turkish government can lead to arrest, as can criticizing the government, including on social media. Do not travel to the border region with Syria and Iraq due to risk of terrorism and armed conflict.
Read full advisory →Data current as of June 2026 and subject to change. Travel advisory information is sourced from the U.S. State Department and reflects conditions at the time of data collection, not real-time conditions. Do not rely solely on this information for travel decisions. Always check current government advisories for your nationality. Terms of Use · About our data