Hotels in Turkey

Rooftop hotels in Turkey give two very different readings of the country from above: Istanbul, where terraces look over water and minarets, and Ankara, where the capital spreads across the hills of the Anatolian plateau. In Istanbul, rooftops in Sultanahmet face Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque and the Sea of Marmara, while those in Karaköy and Beyoğlu look across the Golden Horn toward the Süleymaniye Mosque or down the Bosphorus. The terrace season runs roughly from May to October, and the call to prayer drifting over the roofs at dusk is part of the scene.

Ankara is a quieter, more local choice. Its hotel rooftops overlook the citadel of Ankara Castle, the Kızılay business district, the Atakule tower and, on clear evenings, the long ridge around Anıtkabir. Summers are dry and evenings cool quickly at altitude. Pick Istanbul for the classic skyline and water views, Ankara for calmer terraces and a capital seen from its hills.