The most important tourist location in Turkey is the city of Istanbul. There are a number of hotels and other locations, which attracts the tourists from all over the world. Istanbul has its historic importance, as it was the capital of Byzantine and Ottoman. Some of the tourist spots in Istanbul are the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, the Hagia Sophia, Topkapi palace, Basilica Cistern, the Dolmabahce Palace, Galata Tower, Grand Bazaar, Spice Bazaar, and Para Palas. Istanbul also has Europe’s biggest mall and the world’s seventh larget mall, the Cevahir Mall. Some of the other malls are Metrocity, Akmerkez.
The tourists are also attracted towards the beaches in Turkey and the Blue Cruise. Most of the resorts are situated along the southwestern & southern baklava coast, especially along the Mediterranean coast near Antalya. The other tourist capital of Turkey is Antalya, Bodrum, Fethiye, Marmaris, Kusadasi, Cesme, Didim and Alanya are the major resort towns in Turkey.
Some of the other cultural locations in Turkey, which attracts a lot of tourists, are Ephesus, Troy, Pergamon, House of Virgin Mary, Pamukkale, Hierapolis, Trabzon, Konya, Didyma, and Church of Antioch. Sumela Monastery is one of the oldest monasteries, which is located in Trabzon. Ankara is not a famous tourist spot but it has a rich history. There are many museums and a place where various cultural events are conducted. The Anitkabir, the mausoleum of Ataturk is also in Ankara.
Most of the tourists in Turkey are from the regions of United Kingdom, Germany, Israel and Japan. The tourists from Arab countries, United States of America, France and Scandinavia also add to the tourist count. Most of the British tourist likes to spend their time in Turkey on the Aegean resorts like Bodrum and Marmaris. On the other hand, German and Russian tourists like the resorts of the Mediterranean coast of southern Turkey. Japanese tourists like to visit Istanbul other historic cities like Ephesus. Swedish people have started visiting Turkey in the recent years.