Konya walking tour & city guide

The Mevlana Museum

The turquoise-tiled dome of the Mevlana Museum is the symbol of Konya. The complex houses the tomb of Rumi, who died in 1273, along with the former dervish lodge, where you can see musical instruments, manuscripts and the cells where dervishes lived. It is one of the most visited museums in Türkiye and a place of pilgrimage for many.

Every December, the Şeb-i Arus ceremonies commemorate the anniversary of Rumi's death, and the sema, the whirling ritual of the Mevlevi dervishes, is performed. Sema performances are also held at the Mevlana Cultural Center on other occasions throughout the year.

Seljuk Konya

Alaeddin Hill, a park at the center of the city, is crowned by the Alaeddin Mosque, the largest Seljuk mosque in Konya. Around it stand two masterpieces of Seljuk architecture: the İnce Minareli Medrese, with its intricately carved stone portal, now a museum of stone and wood carving, and the Karatay Medrese, whose dome is covered in exquisite tiles.

The modern city center, with its tram lines, wide streets and busy markets, is clean and easy to walk, as the walking tours show.

Day trips

About 50 kilometers away, Çatalhöyük is one of the oldest known human settlements, dating back around 9,000 years, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The village of Sille, with its stone houses and an old church, is close to the city. Konya has a dry continental climate, hot in summer and cold in winter.