Konya is one of Turkey's oldest continuously inhabited cities, lying at the heart of the Anatolian plateau at 1,016 m elevation. It served as the capital of the Seljuk Sultanate of Rum (1077–1307) and is revered worldwide as the birthplace and final resting place of the 13th-century Sufi mystic and poet Mevlana Jalal ad-Din Rumi. The Mevlana Museum — one of Turkey's most-visited sites — draws pilgrims and curious travellers alike to its turquoise-tiled dome. Beyond spiritual tourism, Konya offers an extraordinary concentration of Seljuk monuments, a lively bazaar district, and a regional cuisine famous for etli ekmek (elongated meat-topped flatbread) and firin sut (baked milk dessert). As a conservative, predominantly religious city, Konya offers a glimpse of traditional Anatolian life rarely found in Turkey's coastal resorts.
Traditional markets
Where locals shop and travellers find treasures.
Karatay Pazar (Saturday Market)
Fresh produce, spices, olives, cheeses, herbs, seasonal fruit
Where: Karatay district
Hours: Saturday 07:00–14:00
Bedesten Covered Bazaar
Carpets, kilims, lokum, spices, textiles, copper goods
Where: City centre, Karatay
Hours: Mon–Sat 08:00–19:00