Top places to visit in Konya

• Mevlana Museum

  Museum · 4.8 rating · about 1.5 h · free entry

  Turkey's most visited museum after the Hagia Sophia, the Mevlana Museum houses the türbe (mausoleum) of Jalal ad-Din Rumi (Mevlana), the 13th-century Sufi poet and mystic who founded the Whirling Dervish order. The distinctive fluted…

• Alâeddin Mosque

  mosque · 4.4 rating · about 0.5 h · free entry

  The oldest and largest mosque in Konya, dating back to the Seljuk era (12th–13th century), crowns the Alâeddin Hill with commanding city views. Its unique hypostyle prayer hall uses 42 ancient Roman columns gathered from earlier…

• Konya Mevlana Festival

  mevlana-festival · 4.8 rating · about 4 h · check the fee at the gate

  The Şeb-i Arus (Mevlana Festival) — Konya's spectacular annual December commemoration of Rumi's death, with the historic Whirling Dervish ceremonies, the famous spiritual heritage.

• Konya Sema Whirling

  sufi-ceremony · 4.8 rating · about 2 h · check the fee at the gate

  The Whirling Dervishes Sema ceremony — Konya's spectacular Sufi ritual at the Mevlana Cultural Centre, with the iconic UNESCO Intangible Heritage, the famous Rumi mystical heritage.

• Konya Anit Park Square

  urban-park · 4.5 rating · about 1 h · check the fee at the gate

  Konya Anıt Park — the spectacular central park with the iconic Atatürk Monument, the famous tulip gardens (April), and the lively local atmosphere in the heart of the city.

• Konya Karatay Madrasa

  seljuk-madrasa · 4.7 rating · about 1 h · check the fee at the gate

  The Karatay Madrasa — Konya's spectacular 1251 Seljuk theological school, with the iconic blue tile dome, the historic Anatolian Seljuk masterpieces, and the rich Islamic heritage.

• Konya Ince Minareli

  seljuk-madrasa · 4.6 rating · about 1 h · check the fee at the gate

  İnce Minareli Madrasa — Konya's spectacular 1265 Seljuk theological school, with the iconic carved stone portal, the historic minaret, and the now stone-carving museum.

• Çatalhöyük

  neolithic-unesco · 4.7 rating · about 8 h · check the fee at the gate

  A day trip from Konya to Çatalhöyük — the spectacular UNESCO World Heritage Neolithic settlement (7400-6000 BC), one of the world's oldest cities, with the iconic mud-brick houses.

• Konya Iplikci Mosque

  seljuk-mosque · 4.6 rating · about 0.5 h · check the fee at the gate

  The İplikçi Mosque — Konya's spectacular 1202 Seljuk mosque, the oldest in Konya, where Rumi taught and preached, with the iconic wooden roof and the rich Islamic heritage.

• Konya Sille Greek Village

  greek-village · 4.7 rating · about 2 h · check the fee at the gate

  Sille — Konya's spectacular Ottoman-Greek village with the historic 4th-century AD Aya Eleni Church (one of the oldest churches in Anatolia), the cobbled streets, and the rich heritage.

Things to do

• Whirling Dervish Sema Ceremony Konya Cultural · 1.5 h · from TRY 150 per person

Day trips and tours

• Konya Sufi & Seljuk Heritage Day 10 h · from TRY 1,400

Where to stay in Konya

• Mevlana Quarter about TRY 40 per night

  Staying within walking distance of the Mevlana Museum is the essential Konya experience — the turquoise-tiled mausoleum and the Saturday evening Sema ceremony are the city's twin highlights. The neighbourhood is…

Hotels

• Dedeman Konya Hotel 4-star · TRY 2,000 to TRY 5,500 per night
• Hilton Garden Inn Konya 4-star
• Ozkaymak Konya Hotel 5-star

Where to eat

• Semazen Et ve Mangal Turkish, Kebab, Central Anatolian · about TRY 280 per person
• Adra Restaurant Konya Turkish, Anatolian, Traditional · about TRY 250 per person

Getting to Konya

Airport: Konya (KYA)

Getting around

• Taxi
• Tram
• Transit Pass
• Walking

Safety and scams to avoid

• Unofficial "Dervish Show" Upsell

  Hotels, tourist restaurants, Mevlana Museum entrance

  Touts near the Mevlana Museum or hotel lobbies sell tickets to "authentic Whirling Dervish shows" in restaurants or hotel ballrooms, implying these are equivalent to the official Saturday Sema ceremony.

  How to avoid it: The only authentic Sema ceremony in Konya is at the Mevlana Cultural Centre on Saturday evenings (300 TRY). Restaurant "dervish shows" are theatrical performances for tourists, not genuine Sufi rituals. Book directly at the Cultural Centre or through your hotel.

• Overpriced Lokum / Spice

  Tourist shops near Mevlana Museum

  Shops near the museum charge tourist prices for lokum (Turkish delight) and spices — often 3–5x the price in local markets. Packaging is designed to look premium but the product is standard.

  How to avoid it: Buy lokum and spices from the Kapalı Çarşı (Covered Bazaar) or from Konya's local market streets rather than from museum-adjacent tourist shops. Konya's speciality is fırın sütlaç (baked rice pudding) and pestil — try these from local patisseries.

More in Turkey

• Istanbul
• Antalya
• Cappadocia
• Izmir
• Bodrum
• Pamukkale

Frequently asked questions about Konya

What are the top-rated places to visit in Konya?

The highest-rated places in our Konya guide are Mevlana Museum, Konya Mevlana Festival, Konya Sema Whirling, Konya Karatay Madrasa, Çatalhöyük.

Where should I stay in Konya?

Our guide covers these areas to stay in Konya: Mevlana Quarter.

How do I get around Konya?

Ways to get around Konya covered in our guide: Taxi, Tram, Transit pass, Walking.

What scams should I watch out for in Konya?

Scams reported to us for Konya include Unofficial "Dervish Show" Upsell; Overpriced Lokum / Spice. Each is explained in the guide, with how to avoid it.

Which airport is nearest to Konya?

The nearest airport to Konya has the code KYA.