It was a tower built in the 3rd century BC. during the Ptolemaic dynasty, in the reign of Ptolemy II on the island of Faro in Alexandria, to serve as a landmark of the port and as a lighthouse, with an estimated height of at least 100 meters. Although it stood until the 14th century, today only a few remains of its construction can be seen. It was one of the 7 ancient wonders of the world.

Officially the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque, it is a former Christian basilica, later converted into an Orthodox church, then a mosque, then a museum, and since August 1, 2020, back into a mosque in the city of Istanbul.Famous for its enormous dome, it is considered the epitome of Byzantine architecture and is said to have changed the history of architecture. It was the largest cathedral in the world by area for almost a thousand years. It was also the seat of the Patriarch of Constantinople and the religious focal point of the Byzantine Orthodox Church for almost another thousand years. In addition, it was the main mosque of Istanbul for almost five hundred years.

Located in the Sultanhamet district, it was the grand palace of the sultans in Constantinople, the largest and most important monument of Ottoman civil architecture. Of enormous dimensions, it consists of different buildings set in perfectly maintained gardens. The most visited areas are the Treasury, which has high-value objects, such as the Topkapi dagger, the most expensive weapon in the world; and the Harem, the residence of the Sultan, his family and, as its name suggests, the Sultan's harem.

Located very close to Sultanahmet, it's a must-see for any tourist who loves shopping and the art of haggling. Covered and well-organized, it boasts 64 streets lined with shops where you can find all kinds of jewelry and traditional crafts. Without a doubt, it's the best place to buy all sorts of gifts and souvenirs before heading home. For over five centuries, it has been one of the city's most important social institutions and embodies Istanbul's commercial character.

The Spice Bazaar, also called the Egyptian Bazaar, is one of the oldest markets in Istanbul and one of the best places in the city to buy typical products. It is made up of two aisles flanked by an infinity of shops, among which there are many spice shops, but also sweets, dried fruits, soaps, fabrics, perfumes and teas.Currently, despite that many of the spice stalls have been replaced by another type of business, the bazaar, still continues to give us the smells and flavors with which the delicious Turkish gastronomy is created. The variety of products is immense, you will find pots full of spices, dehydrated fruits, nuts, Turkish delight, baklavas and a wide variety of desserts that cause a visual and olfactory impact difficult to forget.

The Rüstem Pasha Mosque is located in the area of what was once the Eminönü market and is one of Istanbul's best kept jewels. It is not one of the best-known monuments, because one of its particularities is that it is built on the arcades of what were the market stalls, so it is not easily seen walking through the network of small streets that make up this neighborhood. It is an Ottoman mosque, built between 1550 and 1561 by the well-known architect of the time Mimar Sinan in honor of the Grand Vizier Rüstem Pasha, son-in-law of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent.The mosque It's not very big and the first thing that surprises you is finding it on the roof of the building you just entered. From here, you will see its beautiful entrance arch, forming a beautiful portico, the central dome, surrounded by semi-domes and its elegant minaret. The surprise awaits you in the calm interior because its tiled walls are a true wonder. These tile mosaics (originating from Iznik) create harmonious floral and abstract decorations that make the mosque dazzling. The small pieces are distributed throughout the venue, forming surprising combinations of colors and designs in which the blue color predominates, but full of nuances.

Situated atop the geological complex of Pamukkale is the ancient spa city of Hierapolis. Both places closely linked by history. In fact, if the classical Greeks founded this population center here, it was to take advantage of the medicinal benefits of the thermal waters.Thus, King Eumenes II of Pergamum signed the foundation of this city at the beginning of the century II before our era. It was given the name Hierapolis as a tribute to Hiera, queen of the Amazons, according to Hellenistic mythology.This ancient Hellenistic city, today in ruins. It was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1998 for its archaeological remains, among which stand out: The Temple of Apollo, built in large dimensions, was reduced with the reforms produced in the 3rd century; Plutonio or gateway to the underworld, was a grotto to which pilgrims came from different parts and paid the priests to make sacrifices in the name of Pluto; the Theatre, built in the 2nd century, is made up of three sections: Cavea, Scena and Ochestra. It had a capacity for between 15,000 and 20,000 spectators; the Roman baths, currently a museum; Martyrdom of San Felipe, an octagonal monument, built in the 5th century; and the tomb of San Felipe.Hierapolis underwent a great change with the arrival of the Romans, who exploited it during the imperial era as one of the most desired vacation spots for their nobles. And so it continued, until a great earthquake destroyed it in 1354.Fortunately, despite the oblivion that covered it for several centuries, successive excavations have uncovered a good part of the structure of the city and its its most outstanding buildings.

It is an ancient city in the central Aegean region of Turkey that was founded about 3,000 years ago by Ionian immigrants, near contemporary Selçuk. Its excavated remains reflect centuries of history, from classical Greece to the Roman Empire, when it was the main commercial center of the Mediterranean until the spread of Christianity. The archaeological site of Ephesus is one of the most impressive in the ancient world in the Mediterranean. After many decades of archaeological and restoration work, Ephesus appears as the most complete Greco-Roman city and only 20% of what is estimated to have been this great metropolis in its heyday has been unearthed. As the capital of Roman Asia Minor, it was a great city of 200,000 inhabitants, and its port and great temple of Artemis attracted an incessant flow of merchants and pilgrims. It was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2015. Currently excavations and reconstructions continue, so it is very likely that in a few years it will be an even more impressive place. On a visit to Ephesus, these would be the archaeological remains that you should not miss: Baths of Ephesus, State Agora, Odeon, Pritaneo, Sacred Quarter, Sacred Ramp, Temple of Ephesus, Nike Relief, Hidreion Fountain, Gate of Heracles, Nymphaeus of Trajan, Baths of Varius, Temple of Hadrian, hillside houses, Hadrian's Gate, Celsus Library, South Gate, Ephesus Trade Agora, Via Arcadiana, the Great Theater and the Temple of Artemis.

Originally it was a Hellenistic theater and it was later restored, adapted and enlarged by the Romans, in the 1st century AD, until reaching its current capacity of 25 thousand people. It is considered the largest theater in Turkey or ancient Antioch and is one of the most impressive buildings in Ephesus. The stands have the shape of a horseshoe of 220 degrees and a diameter of 151 meters, and its upper row was 30 meters above the orchestra. The exterior stairs were originally vaulted, to facilitate access to the upper rows. The setting, whose ruins can be seen today, is an ornate three-story building from Roman times. There are no appreciable elements from the Hellenistic period in the construction of the settings. The façade is divided into many niches filled with ornaments and motifs. The ground floor of the stage consisted of a long corridor with eight rooms and five large doors leading to the stage. In its moment of splendor, with marble pavements that have disappeared, it was an impressive place where works by classical authors were performed, but also parties were held and it was the great meeting place of the city.

Library and mausoleum built to commemorate Tiberius Julius Celsus Polemaeanus, a member of the Roman Senate and proconsul of Ephesus from AD 105 to 107. A little-known detail is that Celsus was buried in a lead urn inside a marble sarcophagus below the library floor, near the apse wall. When Celso's son wanted to build this funerary monument for his father, they only gave him permission if the building had another function, so he dedicated a large amount of money to obtain bibliographic funds and thus was able to bury his father's tomb in the basement, which was discovered by archaeologists in 1904.Located in the center of the city, just to the left of the agora near its monumental arched portico, the Library of Celsus is one of the most spectacular buildings in all of Ephesus and from the Roman Empire, a typical example of the architectural style of the Emperor Hadrian period with an elaborate, richly ornamented two-story façade. In ancient Ephesus, it became a repository for more than 12,000 scroll manuscripts. Today, of this grand building, only the impressive façade remains, a silent witness to the city's importance as a great center of early Christian learning and discipline during the Roman period.

Probably the most interesting place to see in the vicinity of Çanakkale, this area was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1998. Its ruins were found by the German archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann when he was searching for Ilium, the city that gave its name to The Iliad of Homer. Many peoples passed through there: Hittites, Greeks and Romans. The ancient city of Troy was not just one city, but several in one. There were 9 Troys, each one being built one on top of the other. The first dates from the third millennium B.C. and the last of the year 500 AD. The remains of the archaeological site of Troy show what these phases of occupation of the city were and you can see, for example, an access ramp from Troya II built on top of Troya I, remains of the stone wall and houses from Troya VI, a small Roman theater of Troy IX (Ilion), etc. It was a city visited by the emperors Alexander the Great and Caracalla at different times in history, to go to the tomb of Achilles to pay homage to the mythical warrior. The downfall of the Trojan boom may have been brought about by a major earthquake around AD 500. and, thanks to its abandonment and the fact that it was not built on it, today you can visit the Trojan settlement on the hill of Hisarlik, near the strait, in a high place from where its rulers could control the territory.

It is a city in which the houses cannot be seen with the naked eye, but they can be discovered underground, built by the Berbers of the area more than 1,000 years ago to escape from the heat and cold and as protection against any possible invasion. They are made up of a patio excavated about 6 meters deep and rooms in open tunnels on the sides. Even today there are Berbers who live there. Apart from the beauty of the area, Matmata makes you reflect on the few means that are necessary to live. The lunar landscapes that can be enjoyed make you think of being in a science fiction movie, it was the setting for the filming of Star Wars giving life to the desert planet Tatooine.