From Wikitravel

Konya is a city in Central Anatolia in Turkey, known as the city of whirling dervishes and for its outstanding Seljuk architecture.

[edit] Get in

[edit] By plane

Take a plane from Istanbul to Konya. In the summer period there are also flights from Europe (The Netherlands, Germany, Norway, Denmark) to Konya. (Turkish Airlines, Onur Airlines, Pegasus Airlines).

[edit] By train

By train you can reach Konya from Istanbul, Eskişehir, Karaman, Adana and Gaziantep. Travelling by train is cheaper than travelling by bus, but it takes more time than travelling by bus or car.

[edit] By bus

From other major Turkish cities you can take the bus. Konya has got a modern busstation.

[edit] By car

Konya is a 3-hour drive from Ankara and 10 hours (660km) from Istanbul. From Izmir you will get in 7 hours in Konya. Also it takes 3 and half hour from Antalya by car.

[edit] Get around

In the city of Konya you can travel with the dolmus buses, big buses (belediye otobüsü), tram or taxi.

[edit][add listing] See

[edit] In and around the city

• Mevlana Museum:(Turkish spelling: Mevlana Müzesi) This must see tourist destination of Konya, is the tomb of the famous mystic/sufi/thinker Rumi (known shortly as Mevlana in Turkish, or with the full name Mawlana Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Balkhi-Rumi in English literature), as well as the neighboring museum that displays relics of his life and his time. The items on display in the museum range from old manuscripts, hand written copies of the Koran, musical instruments used at Rumi's time, as well as numerous art works dating from the Seljuk era.

Located 5-6 city blocks away from the museum, one can also find other historic buildings and mosques dating from the 12th and 13th century Seljuks Turks (the most significant one of these if the "İplikçi Camii").

Also interesting for the curious traveller, esp. for those looking for interesting photographic opportunities or a short walk through an authentic neighborhood, is the parts of the city that surrounds the Mevlana Museum. Since this neighborhood hasn't quite kept up with recent times, it still maintains an authentic feel from older days with narrow streets and houses of old architecture, almost with historic significance.

• İplikçi Mosque (Turkish spelling: İplikçi Camii). This old mosque dating from the 13th century was restored about 50 years ago and is still open for prayer service. It is a nice example of the Seljuk architecture to be seen in Konya, conveniently located b/w the city center and the Mevlana Museum.

• Ince Minaret Museum: Ince Minaret (Turkish spelling: İnce Minare, literally: Thin Minaret) is the remains of a 13th century madrasah (school) built by the Anatolian Seljuk Turks. Located close to the city center near the northern end of "Alaaddin Tepesi", this minaret and the surrounding small buildings today serve as a museum that displays various artefacts from the Seljuk and Ottoman eras. It is a popular tourist attraction, owing mostly to the noteworthy ornamental architecture which has been very well preserved over the centuries.

• Aleaddin Tepesi: This is an artificial hill that was built by the Seljuk Sultan Aleaddin Keykubat. Today it stands right in the middle of the city, and serves mostly as a park. Even though the small hill or the park on it may not be very interesting in themselves, the two places to stop by and see are 1) the Alaaddin Mosque, and 2)the remmants of an old palace with partly earthen construction located on the north end of the hill - this old structure is protected from the elements with a concrete umbrella.

• Meram is the district of Konya which lies somewhat away from the city center, with lighter construction and more greenery. The name "Meram" also refers to the popular picnic area located in the farther corner of the Meram district. Near this picnic area there are a few historic buildings to see, some of which are the "Tavus Baba Türbesi" and the "Ateşbazı Türbesi".

• Fuar
• Zafer
• Kule Site Shopping Center
• Truva Shopping Center

[edit] Around the region

• Çatalhöyük Çatalhöyük is a prehistoric archeological site located about an hour's drive away from Konya city center. It's significant being one of the earlier and well preserved human settlement sites discovered.

• Tuzgölü

Visit Kapu Mosque and Aziziye Mosque with different Minare's (The towers that muezzin reads Ezan)

[edit][add listing] Do

• Go shopping at Kule site shopping center. You can also shop in the small streets of Konya where you can find a lot of clothes and presents for a low price.
• Go to the Mevlana museum.
• Go chill at Alaattin Tepesi.
• Have a coup of coffee at Meram (Aydincavus), with a sight from Konya from above.
• Go to Fuar (funfair).
• Go to Afra shopping center.

[edit][add listing] Buy

• Souvenirs of Mevlana (and dancing/turning Semazen's).
• Traditional Mevlana-candy (white with a mint taste).

[edit][add listing] Eat

• Etliekmek: A long Turkish pizza (with meat or cheese) which can be 1 m. long! You can eat this in a lot of restaurants in Konya.

• Gülbahçesi Restaurant: At the back of Mevlana museum, you can eat here a lot of delicious traditional Turkish meals, in traditional turkish rooms and you have a beautiful sight on the Mevlana+garden of the Mevlana museum.
• Adanali Köfteci Osman: This restaurant is located near the famous trainstation of Konya. You can eat here delicious "Adana"; grilled meat. This restaurant is not expensive.
• Asya Restaurant: Here you can eat traditional meals.
• Kösk Mutfagi: Traditional meals in a villa restaurant on Piri Esat Cd (at end of Mengüc Cd, ca. 500 meter from Mevlana). Parking in front. No alcohol served. This restaurant is not expensive.
• Fast Food: Burger King, McDonald's and other American fastfood restaurants

[edit][add listing] Drink

[edit][add listing] Sleep

• Konya Rixos Hotel (3*)
• Konya Dedeman Hotel (5*)
• Konya Sheraton Hotel will be opened soon (42 high skycraper in the centre of Konya).

Hotel Balikcilar is a 3 and half star hotel. Nothing special about it except that it is literally across the street from the Mevlana Museum.

[edit] Get out

• If you intend to head south by hitchhiking, take public bus #26 (Karaman Yolu) from the stops in front of the Governor’s Office (Valilik/Vilayet) in the city centre, about 5-10 minutes walk away from Rumi tomb/Mevlana Museum. #26 takes you to the highway leading to south, to steppes out of city, almost until the middle of nowhere. Don’t get off the bus until it leaves the highway by turning left into a narrower road. (fare: YTL 1.10/person)

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