Turkish tourism suffered greatly with the arrival of COVID-19 curfews and travel restrictions. But Turkish tourism has been recovering rapidly since the lift of travel bans. Visitor numbers of Turkey’s historic sites exceeded pre-covid numbers in 2024! Let’s take a look at these numbers and I hope you will be visiting these sites in the upcoming times too!
| RANK | HISTORICAL SITE | VISITORS | DESCRIPTION |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Konya Mevlana Museum | 2,634,355 | The museum housing the tomb and works of Mevlana Celaleddin Rumi, located in Konya. |
| 2 | Izmir Ephesus Ancient City | 2,626,753 | One of the important centers of the ancient world, Ephesus is famous for its structures such as the Temple of Artemis and the Library of Celsus. |
| 3 | Denizli Hierapolis (Pamukkale) | 2,372,395 | Pamukkale travertines and the ancient city of Hierapolis attract attention with their natural and historical beauties. |
| 4 | Nevsehir Goreme Open Air Museum | 1,084,870 | The Göreme Open Air Museum in the Cappadocia region is known for its rock-cut churches and frescoes. |
| 5 | Nevsehir Zelve Pasabaglari | 906,110 | The Zelve Valley, famous for its fairy chimneys and historical churches, is one of the significant tourist spots of Cappadocia. |
| 6 | Ankara Republic Museum | 806,883 | Documents and artifacts related to the founding process of the Republic of Turkey are exhibited. |
| 7 | Sanliurfa Gobeklitepe | 709,643 | Göbeklitepe, known as the oldest temple complex in the world, stands out with its archaeological importance. |
| 8 | Istanbul Galata Tower | 677,048 | One of the symbolic structures of Istanbul, the tower offers a panoramic city view. |
| 9 | Nevsehir Kaymakli Underground City | 662,398 | Kaymaklı, one of the underground cities in Cappadocia, attracts attention with its historical structure. |
| 10 | Istanbul Archeology Museum | 507,700 | It is one of the leading museums in the world with its rich archaeological collections. |
