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Region in West Asia
Photo: Niels Elgaard Larsen, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Central Anatolia (Turkish: İç Anadolu) is a region of Turkey. It extends over the country's central plateau, and the capital Ankara is here. It's been inhabited by multiple civilisations and so is dotted with places of interest.
Pleasant traditional towns go hand in hand with a lively student town, while the countryside is scattered by striking Phrygian and Roman ruins
Explore capitals ancient and modern, old towns astride major trade routes of yore, astonishing medieval heritage, and low-key national parks
Rumi's adopted hometown, lonely Byzantine monasteries, Alevi pilgrimage sites, other-worldly Cappadocia, and plenty of Seljuk monuments amidst arid landscapes
Ankara Esenboğa Airport (ESB) has flights hourly from Istanbul (IST), frequently from Istanbul (SAW), and daily from Izmir, Adana and other major cities. Very few international flights so you change in Istanbul.
Read in the guideEskişehir, Ankara, Konya, Kayseri, and Sivas are the main regional hubs for buses.
Read in the guideChoose an airport to see hotels, stations, taxi ranks and car rental desks around it.
Konya · International · KYA
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Ankara is the capital of Turkey, central within the country on the plateau of Central Anatolia. It's a sprawling modern place around an ancient citadel, and in 2022 had a population of almost 5.2 million (second in size to Istanbul), with a further 600,000 living in the wider metropolis.
Eskişehir (pronounced Ess-KEE-shay-hear) is a city in Western Anatolia, 228 km west of Ankara. In 2021 it had a population of 898,369, with almost as many again in the wider metropolis.
Kütahya is a city in the Central Anatolia region of Turkey, with a population in 2022 of 578,640. It's industrial but has a well-preserved old quarter, and is renowned for its decorated tiles.
Afyonkarahisar or Afyon is a city in Central Anatolia 250 km southwest of Ankara, with a population in 2020 of 245,405. Its fortress or citadel perches on a black volcanic crag, an obvious defensive position.
Konya is a city in Central Anatolia in Turkey, known as the city of "whirling dervishes" and for its outstanding Seljuk architecture. In 2021 Konya metropolis had a population of 2,277,017, the sixth largest in Turkey, but the area of most interest is compact.
Kayseri is a city in Central Anatolia, 350 km southeast of Ankara. In 2021 the population was 1.2 million.
Sivas is a city in Central Anatolia, with a population in 2020 of 335,570. I's 450 km east of Ankara, and stands at 1,278 m elevation.
wetlands with birdwatching facilities and the views of the striking 'Rainbow Hills' across
Çavdarhisar is a village in Central Anatolia 57 km southwest of Kütahya. It's at an elevation of 1017 m (3337 ft) and had population of 2084 in 2020.
Çatalhöyük is the remains of a Stone Age town in the South Central Anatolia region of Turkey. In 2012 it was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Cappadocia (Turkish: Kapadokya) is an area within South Central Anatolia in Turkey, with a surreal landscape dotted with underground cities, cave churches and houses carved in the rocks.
Boğazkale is a village in the Central Karadeniz or Black Sea region of Turkey, with a population of 1200 in 2022. The reason to visit is the Hittite city of Hattusa, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Divriği is an iron-mining town in the mountainous northeast of Central Anatolia. In 2022 its population was 10,623 and stable, while the countryside around has become depopulated.
Articles and travel topics about Central Anatolia and Türkiye.
Travel tipsIs it safe to travel to Turkey right now? Compare safety in Istanbul, Cappadocia, and Antalya with official travel advisories, taxi tips, and scam advice.
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Travel tipsMaster public transport with our Istanbul transit and historic peninsula guide, covering the Istanbulkart, Bosphorus ferries and Hagia Sophia rules.
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InspirationOur Cappadocia hot air balloon booking guide covers flight costs, seasonal weather rules, cancellations, sunrise viewpoints and safety advice.
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ItinerariesOur Turkish Riviera Turquoise Coast guide covers gulet cruising, Lycian rock tombs, sunken cities in Kekova and coastal travel from Fethiye to Antalya.
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