The capital of the Anatolian Seljuk, Konya enchants with its mystical atmosphere. From Mevlana to Çatalhöyük, Butterfly Valley to Sille, embark on a comprehensive cultural tour.
"Come, come, whoever you are..." For centuries, this ancient city has embraced the world with this call. Get ready to explore Konya, the capital of spiritual peace, with its elegant architecture of the Anatolian Seljuk State, Europe's largest butterfly garden, traces of the first humans, not as an ordinary tourist but as a true traveler.
Konya is not only the largest city in Turkey by area on the map; it is also the heart and soul of Anatolia with its deep history and spirituality. In this city, built on a vast and endless plain, you can follow the traces of Seljuk sultans with every step, unravel the mystery of the Neolithic era at Çatalhöyük, or feel like you're in the Amazon rainforest at the Tropical Butterfly Garden.
The city center (especially around Alaeddin Hill and Mevlana Square) is quite organized, flat, and very suitable for walking. The tram network connects the city very well. However, Konya's real surprises and priceless treasures (Beyşehir Lake, Salt Lake, Çatalhöyük, Meke Crater Lake) are kilometers away from the center.
Therefore, to ensure you don't just say, "I ate etli ekmek and saw Mevlana," we've prepared a wide and detailed Konya itinerary that extends far beyond the city, allowing you to explore freely by car.
Make sure to plan these fine details before you set off:
This structure, reached through rose gardens and formerly used as a Mevlevi Lodge, is today one of Turkey's most visited museums. The magnificent sarcophagus of Hz. Mevlana, the standing sarcophagus of his father Bahaeddin Veled (believed to have stood up out of respect), the world's oldest copies of Mesnevi, wax figures in dervish cells, and the kitchen (Matbah-ı Şerif) with huge cauldrons offer you a spiritual time journey.
The modest tomb of Shams of Tabriz, the spiritual companion who ignited the flame of divine love in Mevlana's heart, is just a 10-minute walk from the Mevlana Museum. This tomb, much quieter and more serene than the crowds, is the first stop for those who want to feel the true spirit of Konya ("Tears of Love").
Konya is a flat plain. The only elevation on this plain is Alaeddin Hill, an artificial mound. The Alaeddin Mosque on top is a masterpiece of Seljuk architecture, with the tombs of Seljuk Sultans in its courtyard. The Karatay Tile Works Museum located at the foot of the hill will amaze you with its turquoise tiles depicting the sky on its dome, a marvel of geometry and art.
Located just 8 km outside the city center (15 min by car), Sille is a historical Greek village with a 5000-year history where Muslims and Christians lived together in peace for centuries. It resembles a small demo of Cappadocia with one of the world's oldest churches, Aya Elena Church, restored stone bridges, a stream running through it, chapels carved into rocks, and cafes. It's a great option especially for a Sunday breakfast and a Turkish coffee break.
As soon as you step into this glass greenhouse built in the shape of a giant butterfly, its humid and warm 28-degree atmosphere instantly transports you to an Amazon rainforest. With giant blue morpho butterflies flying freely around you and on your shoulders, exotic plants, and insect villages, it is a dreamlike photo and experience area for children and a captivating one for adults.
Established with the support of TÜBİTAK, it is Turkey's first and largest interactive science center. From earthquake simulation rooms to robotic coding workshops, from a giant planetarium (space sphere) to biology exhibitions showing the inside of our bodies, it is a full-day family and educational activity where you can learn everything by "touching."
This is not just a museum but a discovery point that changed the course of human history. At this settlement, established exactly 9,000 years ago (7400 BC), seeing how people entered their homes via ladders from the roofs of contiguous houses without using streets or doors, and how they buried their dead under their beds, evokes historical shock and admiration in visitors.
Beyşehir, Turkey's largest freshwater lake, is a magnificent natural wonder under the shadow of the Taurus Mountains. It is considered one of the best places in the world to watch the sunset due to the islands on the lake. While there, be sure to visit the lakeside UNESCO candidate Eşrefoğlu Mosque; built in 1299, it is a wooden masterpiece standing with giant cedar tree columns without a single nail.
🧂 Salt Lake (Feeling of Infinity) (130 km)On the Ankara road (Cihanbeyli/Şereflikoçhisar side), an endless whiteness where the horizon merges with the sky and disappears. Walking barefoot on that hard crystal salt layer (and shallow water), especially taking photos on the mirror-like surface reflecting the sunset's red hue, is an otherworldly experience.
🌋 Meke Crater Lake (The Evil Eye of the World) (105 km)Located in the Karapınar district, this magnificent geological structure was formed by the filling of an extinct volcanic crater with water and the formation of a second volcanic cone in the middle. From above, it resembles a giant "evil eye." Although its waters have receded in recent years, its geographical shape is worth seeing.
The cuisine of Konya, a legacy of Mevlevi culinary culture, is rich in pastries and meat. Forget about diets and enjoy this feast:
🥩 Etli Ekmek (and Bıçakarası)Never call it "Lahmacun"! It is about 1 meter long, baked on thin dough with minced meat spread over it and cooked in a wood-fired oven.
🍖 Oven KebabA feast of lamb or sheep meat cooked in its own fat in ovens for 5-6 hours until it falls off the bone.
🥘 Okra Soup & TiritIndispensable for wedding meals, the sour and meaty small "Flower Okra" soup and the legendary Tirit made by pouring yogurt/meat over pita.
🥧 Sac ArasıA local dessert closure with plenty of pistachios, syrup, and clotted cream, crispy after heavy meals.
Konya is a vast geography larger than countries like the Netherlands. If you want to leave the center to explore the mystery of Çatalhöyük, watch the sunset at Beyşehir Lake, or turn the steering wheel towards Salt Lake, the distances in between are quite long.
To explore this unique geography without getting tired, without being tied to tour buses, and by creating your own route with your family, you will need a comfortable, well-maintained vehicle. Rent your car with the assurance of LenaCars and enjoy the endless Anatolian plains.
Explore Konya Rental Cars → 📞 24/7 Travel and Reservation Support*You can pick up your vehicle instantly from our airport or city center offices.
10 dk
7 dk
12 dk
The capital of the Anatolian Seljuk, Konya enchants with its mystical atmosphere. From Mevlana to Çatalhöyük, Butterfly Valley to Sille, embark on a comprehensive cultural tour.
"Come, come, whoever you are..." For centuries, this ancient city has embraced the world with this call. Get ready to explore Konya, the capital of spiritual peace, with its elegant architecture of the Anatolian Seljuk State, Europe's largest butterfly garden, traces of the first humans, not as an ordinary tourist but as a true traveler.
Konya is not only the largest city in Turkey by area on the map; it is also the heart and soul of Anatolia with its deep history and spirituality. In this city, built on a vast and endless plain, you can follow the traces of Seljuk sultans with every step, unravel the mystery of the Neolithic era at Çatalhöyük, or feel like you're in the Amazon rainforest at the Tropical Butterfly Garden.
The city center (especially around Alaeddin Hill and Mevlana Square) is quite organized, flat, and very suitable for walking. The tram network connects the city very well. However, Konya's real surprises and priceless treasures (Beyşehir Lake, Salt Lake, Çatalhöyük, Meke Crater Lake) are kilometers away from the center.
Therefore, to ensure you don't just say, "I ate etli ekmek and saw Mevlana," we've prepared a wide and detailed Konya itinerary that extends far beyond the city, allowing you to explore freely by car.
Make sure to plan these fine details before you set off:
This structure, reached through rose gardens and formerly used as a Mevlevi Lodge, is today one of Turkey's most visited museums. The magnificent sarcophagus of Hz. Mevlana, the standing sarcophagus of his father Bahaeddin Veled (believed to have stood up out of respect), the world's oldest copies of Mesnevi, wax figures in dervish cells, and the kitchen (Matbah-ı Şerif) with huge cauldrons offer you a spiritual time journey.
The modest tomb of Shams of Tabriz, the spiritual companion who ignited the flame of divine love in Mevlana's heart, is just a 10-minute walk from the Mevlana Museum. This tomb, much quieter and more serene than the crowds, is the first stop for those who want to feel the true spirit of Konya ("Tears of Love").
Konya is a flat plain. The only elevation on this plain is Alaeddin Hill, an artificial mound. The Alaeddin Mosque on top is a masterpiece of Seljuk architecture, with the tombs of Seljuk Sultans in its courtyard. The Karatay Tile Works Museum located at the foot of the hill will amaze you with its turquoise tiles depicting the sky on its dome, a marvel of geometry and art.
Located just 8 km outside the city center (15 min by car), Sille is a historical Greek village with a 5000-year history where Muslims and Christians lived together in peace for centuries. It resembles a small demo of Cappadocia with one of the world's oldest churches, Aya Elena Church, restored stone bridges, a stream running through it, chapels carved into rocks, and cafes. It's a great option especially for a Sunday breakfast and a Turkish coffee break.
As soon as you step into this glass greenhouse built in the shape of a giant butterfly, its humid and warm 28-degree atmosphere instantly transports you to an Amazon rainforest. With giant blue morpho butterflies flying freely around you and on your shoulders, exotic plants, and insect villages, it is a dreamlike photo and experience area for children and a captivating one for adults.
Established with the support of TÜBİTAK, it is Turkey's first and largest interactive science center. From earthquake simulation rooms to robotic coding workshops, from a giant planetarium (space sphere) to biology exhibitions showing the inside of our bodies, it is a full-day family and educational activity where you can learn everything by "touching."
This is not just a museum but a discovery point that changed the course of human history. At this settlement, established exactly 9,000 years ago (7400 BC), seeing how people entered their homes via ladders from the roofs of contiguous houses without using streets or doors, and how they buried their dead under their beds, evokes historical shock and admiration in visitors.
Beyşehir, Turkey's largest freshwater lake, is a magnificent natural wonder under the shadow of the Taurus Mountains. It is considered one of the best places in the world to watch the sunset due to the islands on the lake. While there, be sure to visit the lakeside UNESCO candidate Eşrefoğlu Mosque; built in 1299, it is a wooden masterpiece standing with giant cedar tree columns without a single nail.
🧂 Salt Lake (Feeling of Infinity) (130 km)On the Ankara road (Cihanbeyli/Şereflikoçhisar side), an endless whiteness where the horizon merges with the sky and disappears. Walking barefoot on that hard crystal salt layer (and shallow water), especially taking photos on the mirror-like surface reflecting the sunset's red hue, is an otherworldly experience.
🌋 Meke Crater Lake (The Evil Eye of the World) (105 km)Located in the Karapınar district, this magnificent geological structure was formed by the filling of an extinct volcanic crater with water and the formation of a second volcanic cone in the middle. From above, it resembles a giant "evil eye." Although its waters have receded in recent years, its geographical shape is worth seeing.
The cuisine of Konya, a legacy of Mevlevi culinary culture, is rich in pastries and meat. Forget about diets and enjoy this feast:
🥩 Etli Ekmek (and Bıçakarası)Never call it "Lahmacun"! It is about 1 meter long, baked on thin dough with minced meat spread over it and cooked in a wood-fired oven.
🍖 Oven KebabA feast of lamb or sheep meat cooked in its own fat in ovens for 5-6 hours until it falls off the bone.
🥘 Okra Soup & TiritIndispensable for wedding meals, the sour and meaty small "Flower Okra" soup and the legendary Tirit made by pouring yogurt/meat over pita.
🥧 Sac ArasıA local dessert closure with plenty of pistachios, syrup, and clotted cream, crispy after heavy meals.
Konya is a vast geography larger than countries like the Netherlands. If you want to leave the center to explore the mystery of Çatalhöyük, watch the sunset at Beyşehir Lake, or turn the steering wheel towards Salt Lake, the distances in between are quite long.
To explore this unique geography without getting tired, without being tied to tour buses, and by creating your own route with your family, you will need a comfortable, well-maintained vehicle. Rent your car with the assurance of LenaCars and enjoy the endless Anatolian plains.
Explore Konya Rental Cars → 📞 24/7 Travel and Reservation Support*You can pick up your vehicle instantly from our airport or city center offices.
10 dk
7 dk
12 dk
Ücretsiz filo analizi ile tasarruf fırsatlarını keşfedin.
Türkiye'nin en geniş araç filosu ile güvenli ve konforlu yolculuklar.
Ücretsiz filo analizi ile tasarruf fırsatlarını keşfedin.
Türkiye'nin en geniş araç filosu ile güvenli ve konforlu yolculuklar.