Day Trips from Konya: Çatalhöyük, Beysehir Lake, Ihlara Valley and More

Konya is positioned at the heart of the Central Anatolian plateau — which means the landscape around it rewards exploration in every direction. Within a 150km radius: a UNESCO Neolithic settlement that pre-dates any city in Europe, a pristine lake with a medieval Seljuk mosque on its shore, one of Cappadocia’s greatest volcanic canyons, and a meteor crater that looks like it was transported from another planet. None of these involve a long drive, and several can be combined into a single full day. These are the best day trips from Konya.

Çatalhöyük — 50 km south

Çatalhöyük is one of the most important archaeological sites in the world: a Neolithic proto-city occupied from approximately 7500 to 5700 BCE, housing 8,000–10,000 people in a dense honeycomb of mud-brick rooms — with no streets between them. Residents entered through holes in their roofs and moved across rooftops between households. This is the largest and best-preserved Neolithic settlement ever excavated.

Distance and time: 50km south of Konya, near the town of Çumra. By car: 40–45 minutes on the D695 road. By public transport: bus to Çumra (₺25, 45 minutes), then taxi from Çumra to the site (₺60–80 one way).

Entry fee: Approximately ₺150 as of 2026. The visitor centre and on-site museum are included.

What to see: Two active excavation trenches are open to visitors — you walk along elevated boardwalks above the actual Neolithic layers, looking into rooms that have been excavated layer by layer since the 1950s. The on-site museum holds original finds: terracotta figurines of the “Çatalhöyük Woman” (the site’s most famous object), obsidian tools, painted wall plaster, and the extraordinary ritual burial arrangements — the dead were interred beneath the floors of their own homes. James Mellaart led the original excavations in the 1960s; Stanford University has continued them since 1993.

Best time: Arrive early (opens at 8am) before the heat builds on the open plateau. Allow 2–3 hours. April to June and September to October give the most comfortable temperatures for the outdoor excavation walkways.

Practical tips: The site is well-signposted from the D695 near Çumra. Bring water — the site has a small café but it is not always open. Photography is permitted throughout. The site is not accessible by wheelchair on the boardwalks.

Beysehir Lake — 90 km southwest

Beysehir is Turkey’s third-largest lake and one of the cleanest freshwater lakes in the country — a shallow, reedy expanse in the western Taurus foothills, ringed by mountains and dotted with small islands. The town of Beyşehir on its eastern shore is worth the trip for the Eşrefoğlu Mosque alone.

Distance and time: 90km southwest of Konya on the D330 road. By car: approximately 1 hour 15 minutes. Direct buses run from Konya’s bus station (otogar) to Beyşehir: approximately 1.5 hours, ₺60–80.

Eşrefoğlu Mosque: Built in 1296 CE during the Karamanoğlu period, this is one of the finest surviving wooden-columned Anatolian Seljuk mosques in Turkey — 48 wooden columns holding a forest of carved ceilings, with a central skylight over a low wooden pool. The building is still used as a mosque. Entry: free; dress modestly and remove shoes. Open daily 9am–6pm (closes during prayer times).

Kubad Abad Palace: On the western shore of the lake (accessible by boat from Beyşehir), the ruins of a 13th-century Seljuk summer palace built by Sultan Alaeddin Keykubad I. The palace tiles — many now in the Karatay Museum in Konya — were among the finest Seljuk ceramics produced. Boat hire from Beyşehir: approximately ₺300–500 per group.

The lake: Swimming is possible from the lake shore at designated areas. Boat tours of the lake’s islands (there are 33) can be arranged from the Beyşehir waterfront for approximately ₺150–250 per person.

Practical tips: Beyşehir town has several lokanta restaurants for lunch; the lakeside fish restaurants serve the lake’s carp and freshwater fish. The lake is a Ramsar-listed wetland and national park — fishing restrictions apply in parts. From April to June the surrounding marshes have significant birdlife.

Aksaray and Ihlara Valley — 140 km northwest

Ihlara Valley is a 16km canyon carved by the Melendiz River through the volcanic rock southwest of Aksaray — one of the most remarkable natural formations in central Anatolia, and the less-visited alternative to Göreme for Byzantine rock churches. The canyon walls are riddled with carved churches, monastic cells, and frescoed chambers from the 9th to 13th centuries CE. Aksaray itself is a useful transit city with some Seljuk monuments.

Distance and time: 140km northwest of Konya on the E90 motorway. By car: approximately 1 hour 45 minutes. By bus: intercity bus from Konya otogar to Aksaray (₺80–100, approximately 1.5 hours), then dolmuş from Aksaray to Ihlara village (₺20–30, 30 minutes).

The valley walk: The main canyon trail runs 8km between the villages of Ihlara and Selime — most visitors walk 3–4km of the most cave-church-dense section between Ihlara and Belisırma village, where several riverside restaurants serve trout (₺180–280 for a plate). The full trail between Ihlara and Selime takes 3–4 hours at a moderate pace.

Entry fee: Canyon entry approximately ₺150–200 as of 2026, covering the Ihlara trailhead. Selime Monastery (at the far end of the valley) charges separately — approximately ₺100.

Key churches: The Ağaçaltı Church (Daniyal Kilisesi) near the Ihlara entrance has the best-preserved frescoes in the valley — Annunciation and Nativity scenes from the 11th century. The Sümbüllü Church near Belisırma has a distinctive cross-in-square plan. Selime Monastery is the largest rock-cut religious complex in Turkey — a full monastery with cathedral, living quarters, stables, and kitchens carved into the cliff face.

Aksaray: En route, the Zinciriye Medrese (14th century) in Aksaray town centre is architecturally significant. Allow 30 minutes if passing through.

Guided tours: Day tours from Konya covering both Ihlara Valley and the Selime Monastery cost approximately ₺500–800 per person, including transport and guide. This removes the dolmuş connection difficulty and adds commentary.

Karapinar Meteor Crater — 100 km southeast

Meke Maar (Meke Gölü) is a volcanic crater lake 15km south of Karapınar — formed not by meteor impact (despite the popular name) but by a maar eruption, in which groundwater contact with magma produced a violent steam explosion. The result is visually extraordinary: a near-perfectly circular lake, 1.3km in diameter, with a secondary volcanic cone rising from its centre forming a ring-within-a-ring that gives the crater a bull’s-eye appearance from above. It is one of the most striking geological landforms in Turkey and almost completely unknown outside the region.

Distance and time: 100km southeast of Konya. By car: approximately 1 hour on the D715 toward Karapınar, then 15km south of Karapınar town on a signposted road. By public transport: bus from Konya to Karapınar (₺40–60, 1 hour), then taxi from Karapınar to the lake (₺80–120 return).

Entry: Free. The crater rim is accessible on foot — a 2km circuit of the rim gives views into the crater and across the lake surface. No facilities at the site; bring water.

What to see: The crater lake is saline and home to brine shrimp and flamingos in season (April–June). The secondary cone in the lake centre is accessible by boat when water levels allow, but there are no organised boat tours. The crater’s geometry is best appreciated from the rim walk or (ideally) drone footage. A second maar, Acıgöl, is 10km north — also circular, but dry and used for salt extraction.

Best time: April to June for flamingo sightings and green crater slopes. Summer visits are very hot (35–40°C) and exposed — early morning arrival is strongly recommended.

Getting around

Hire car: The most flexible option for combining Beysehir and Karapinar, or for reaching Çatalhöyük without taxi dependency. Major rental companies in Konya; expect approximately ₺1,200–1,800/day for a small car as of 2026.

Intercity buses (otogar): Konya’s main bus station handles regular departures to Aksaray (for Ihlara Valley) and to Beyşehir. Timetables and booking at biletall.com or directly at the otogar.

Guided day tours: Several operators in Konya run combination tours. A Çatalhöyük-focused half-day tour costs approximately ₺300–500 per person. A Ihlara Valley full-day tour (from Konya) costs approximately ₺600–900. Tours typically include transport, guide, and entry fees; confirm what is covered before booking.

Booking tips

Çatalhöyük and Meke Maar require no advance booking — simply arrive. Beysehir boat trips to Kubad Abad Palace are best arranged the morning of your visit at the waterfront. For Ihlara Valley, the independent bus/dolmuş route is straightforward in the morning (first bus from Konya otogar around 7–8am); guided tours are better value if three or more people are travelling together (the cost differential narrows). For car hire in July and August, book at least a week ahead — Konya’s car hire stock is smaller than coastal cities.

For the base, see Konya travel guide and things to do in Konya.

Booking trips: Browse tours and activities in Konya for guided day trips with free cancellation on advance bookings. For independent exploration, compare car hire options — a rental gives you full flexibility on timing and stops.