By visiting Anatolia you immerse yourself in the Asian part of Turkey. In other articles we mention the Black Sea, the Aegean Sea, the Mediterranean Sea and the Sea of Marmara, which form its limits.
Here we will focus on the interior of Anatolia: the center, the east and the southeast. Each area has its favorite cities and its tourist attractions. Let’s see how they are:
What to see in Central Anatolia?
Ankara
The capital of Turkey
Located in the center of the plateau and cradle of ancient civilizations today Ankara is a modern city where tradition and renewal are mixed. Kemal Atatürk moved the state capital from Istanbul to Ankara.
What to see
The Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, the mausoleum of the former Turkish leader, Ankara Castle, perched on a hilltop with panoramic views of the city, and the huge Kocatepe Mosque.
Nevsehir
- This city is the gateway to Cappadoci. Anticipate the region’s lush landscapes with its Seljuk-era fortress perched on a hill.
- About 20 km away is Kaymakli, a fortress carved into the rock. It has an inconceivable depth of 45 m and houses meeting rooms, wineries, chapel, small rooms, etc.
- Derinkuyu was also carved out of the rock, very close to Nevsehir, we are talking about true works of art. Other underground cities in the area are Özkonak, Acigöl and Mazi.
- If you are based in Nevsehir, we recommend visiting the Göreme Open Air Museum, one of the most interesting places in this part of the country.
Cappadocia
One of the things to do in Anatolia is to visit Cappadocia, a region with a rocky and lunar landscape as spectacular as it is ghostly. The desert takes the form of peaks, the rock turns into clay and the clay into reddish sand. Make a visit to https://madeinturkeytours.com/15-awesome-things-see-do-with-kids-in-turkey/ for the best information about the same.
- As you walk through this rugged terrain, you don’t quite understand how such a configuration is possible. At sunset, the colors bounce off the ground and permeate the air.
- Contact with the nature of Cappadocia is the highlight of the excursion to Central Anatolia: the volcanoes, like something out of a science fiction movie, are the culprits. On the walk you will discover prehistoric remains, cave churches and underground cities.
- Enter here to know the main tourist destinations in Turkey.
Kayseri
It was founded in the 2nd century BC In the time of Tiberius it was known as Caesarea. There are two main reasons to go to Kayseri: to learn about the production of its famous silk tapestries, and to visit the Sazligi Nature Reserve, where more than two hundred species of birds in danger of extinction live.
Konya
It is the second most important city in Central Anatolia after Ankara. It is one of the oldest human settlements in the world . Most of its monuments of interest date back to Seljuk times. Furthermore, it is one of the centers of Sufism, the mystical current of Islam.
- The Mevlana convent, founder of the order of whirling dervishes, became a museum in 1927, under Atatürk’s policy of secularization. Do not stop visiting it.
- The archaeological sites of Beysehir, Catalhoyuk and Binbir Kilise are very close. If you want to go back to the Neolithic period or walk among more than fifty Byzantine church ruins, take advantage of these getaways.
Nidge
In Nidge the Seljuk mausoleums stand out. The volcanic mountain setting is lovely.