Central Anatolia travel guide: Cappadocia, Ankara, Konya and the Turkish heartland

E By Emma · Updated 21 October 2026 · 3 min read

Airports

Kayseri (ASR), Nevşehir Kapadokya (NAV) and Ankara (ESB), via Istanbul

Best time to go

April-June and September-October

Type

Region

Central Anatolia is the high, open plateau at the centre of Turkey, one of the country's seven geographical regions and home to thirteen provinces. Much of it is steppe and wheat fields at around 1,000 metres above sea level, broken by volcanoes, salt lakes and some of the oldest settlements on earth.

Most UK visitors come for Cappadocia and its fairy chimneys, cave hotels and balloon flights. The wider region rewards a little more time: the capital Ankara has the best museum of ancient Anatolia, Konya is the spiritual home of the whirling dervishes, and Eskişehir is a lively student city. For entry rules and the bigger picture, see our Turkey guide.

Things to do

1. Cappadocia – valleys of rock cones, cave churches at the Göreme Open-Air Museum and dawn hot-air balloon flights. See our Cappadocia guide.
2. Underground cities – Derinkuyu and Kaymaklı, carved many levels deep into the soft rock.
3. Ihlara Valley – a gorge in Aksaray province with a riverside path and frescoed rock churches.
4. Ankara – Atatürk's mausoleum, Anıtkabir, and the Museum of Anatolian Civilisations with finds from the Hittites and earlier.
5. Konya – the Mevlana Museum, built around the tomb of the poet Rumi, and fine Seljuk buildings. Whirling ceremonies are held through the year, with a major festival in December.
6. Çatalhöyük – a Neolithic settlement near Konya and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, among the oldest towns known.
7. Eskişehir – restored Ottoman houses in Odunpazarı, a modern art museum and a pleasant riverside centre.
8. Mount Erciyes – a volcano above Kayseri with a modern ski resort in winter.

Provinces in Central Anatolia

• Aksaray – Ihlara Valley and the Sultanhanı caravanserai
• Ankara – the capital, plus the ancient Phrygian site of Gordion
• Çankırı – a salt cave and a quiet provincial capital
• Eskişehir – Odunpazarı and Phrygian valley monuments
• Karaman – Byzantine churches at Binbir Kilise
• Kayseri – Mount Erciyes and Seljuk monuments
• Kırıkkale – a small industrial province east of Ankara
• Kırşehir – Seljuk tombs and thermal springs
• Konya – Rumi, Seljuk architecture and Çatalhöyük
• Nevşehir – the heart of Cappadocia
• Niğde – the Aladağlar mountains and Gümüşler monastery
• Sivas – the Great Mosque and Hospital of Divriği
• Yozgat – a pine-forest national park and Roman baths

Where to stay

Getting there

There are no regular direct UK flights, so connect through Istanbul. Flights from Istanbul to Kayseri or Nevşehir take about an hour and a quarter, and both airports are under an hour from central Cappadocia. Ankara is about an hour from Istanbul by air, or roughly four and a half hours by high-speed train. Konya and Eskişehir are on the high-speed network too. Long-distance coaches fill the gaps.

Best time to visit

Spring and autumn give warm, clear days and cool nights, ideal for walking valleys and for balloon flights. Summer is hot and dry, though the altitude keeps nights pleasant. Winters are cold, with snow that makes Cappadocia beautiful and brings skiing to Mount Erciyes.

Top attractions in Central Anatolia

Landmark

Hagia Sophia

Istanbul's 1,500-year-old former cathedral and imperial mosque, with a vast dome and glittering Byzantine mosaics.

Central Anatolia on the map

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