Konya

Konya, in central Turkey, is where the poet Rumi is buried and where whirling dervish semas are held every Saturday.

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Konya is a large city in central Turkey and the capital of Konya Province. The ancient name was Iconium, and in the 11th century it became the capital of the Seljuk Sultanate of Rum. The Mevlevi Order, known for its whirling dervishes, still has its center here. Rumi spent the last years of his life in the city, and his tomb, known locally as the Green Dome, sits inside the Mevlana Museum.

The main reasons to visit are the Mevlana Museum and the semas, the whirling ceremonies held every Saturday at the Mevlana Cultural Centre. Alaaddin Mosque, built in 1220 on Alaaddin Hill, is one of the city's Seljuk monuments, and Çatalhöyük, one of the world's oldest known settlements, lies southeast of the city. Konya is 3 hours by road from Ankara and 9 from Istanbul, and high-speed trains run from both. Summer days average about 30 °C with cool nights, and winter averages about −4 °C.

Konya in five

Visit the Mevlana Museum early or lateThe Ministry lists the museum as free and open daily 09:00 to 17:00, with ticket sales to 16:30. On Mondays the ticket office opens at 10:00. Expect school and tour groups in the middle of the day.Museum page
Book the Saturday Sema aheadThe Konya municipality lists a paid Sema program in the Closed Sema Hall of the Mevlana Cultural Center every Saturday at 19:00, with tickets through biletinial.com. Check the date before you plan a night.Municipality page
Give Çatalhöyük a half dayThe Neolithic mound is open daily 09:00 to 17:00 with ticket sales to 16:40, per the Ministry, which notes the North Shelter section is temporarily closed. Check the page for changes before you drive out.
Dress for a conservative cityKonya is more conservative than the coast. Cover shoulders and knees at the Mevlana complex, remove shoes where asked, and expect fewer places that serve alcohol.
Treat Konya as a stop between Cappadocia and the coastHigh-speed trains link Konya with Ankara and Istanbul, and Cappadocia is about three hours by road. Check the TCDD timetable before planning a late arrival.Ürgüp and Cappadocia

Things to do in Konya

See all attractions in Konya

Museum · Konyakaratay tile works museum

Mosque · KonyaAlaaddin Keykubad Mosque

Museum · KonyaMevlana MuseumGo early in the morning. The site is one of the most visited in Türkiye, and the tomb is crowded later in the day.

Free trip plannerPlan a trip to KonyaPut the places you like in Konya on a map, give them days, and let one button order each day. Free, with no account.Plan a trip

Need to know

Airport: Konya (KYA), limited flights; Ankara and Istanbul are the usual gateways
Getting there: High-speed trains from Ankara and Istanbul; buses from across Türkiye
Getting around: Tram and walking between the Mevlana complex and the center; taxis
Best base: Near the Mevlana Museum and Alâeddin Hill
Time needed: 1 night; 2 with Çatalhöyük

Weather by month

Rainy days
Snowy days

Best
Good
Mixed
Poor

JanuaryPartly cloudy9 rainy days2 snowy daysHigh5°Low-2°Cold, snow
FebruaryPartly cloudy6 rainy days1 snowy dayHigh7°Low-1°Cold
MarchPartly cloudy9 rainy days1 snowy dayHigh12°Low2°Cool
AprilPartly cloudy7 rainy daysHigh18°Low7°Spring
MayPartly cloudy10 rainy daysHigh22°Low11°Warm, green
JuneClear6 rainy daysHigh26°Low16°Warm
JulyClear1 rainy dayHigh30°Low19°Hot, dry
AugustClear1 rainy dayHigh30°Low20°Hot, dry
SeptemberClear2 rainy daysHigh26°Low15°Warm
OctoberClear3 rainy daysHigh20°Low10°Mild
NovemberClear4 rainy daysHigh13°Low5°Cool
DecemberPartly cloudy9 rainy days1 snowy dayHigh7°Low0°Cold

Average daily high and low in Konya, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.

Right now in Konya

Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.

Feels like: 9°
Humidity: 88%
Wind: 5 km/h
Chance of rain: 38%

Konya

11:47 PM

Monday, November 2

GMT+3

Today17°7°38%Monday: Rain. High 17°, Low 7°. Chance of rain 38%.
Tue19°9°40%Tuesday: Rain. High 19°, Low 9°. Chance of rain 40%.
Wed19°8°6%Wednesday: Cloudy. High 19°, Low 8°. Chance of rain 6%.
Thu13°6°20%Thursday: Rain. High 13°, Low 6°. Chance of rain 20%.
Fri8°5°28%Friday: Rain. High 8°, Low 5°. Chance of rain 28%.
Sat8°2°3%Saturday: Partly cloudy. High 8°, Low 2°. Chance of rain 3%.
Sun7°-1°3%Sunday: Partly cloudy. High 7°, Low -1°. Chance of rain 3%.

Updated 11:09 PM local time · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com

Money

Mid-market rate1 USD = 49.94 TRY

Amount

Converted to

TRY · Turkish Lira

Rates from Nov 2, 2026 · Rates By Exchange Rate API

Day trips by train

Çatalhöyükabout 1 hour by carA 9,000-year-old Neolithic settlement mound on the UNESCO list.
Silleabout 15 min by carA hillside village of rock-cut churches and old stone houses just outside Konya.
Sultanhanı caravanseraiabout 1.5 hours by carA large Seljuk roadside inn on the road toward Cappadocia.

Before you go to Konya

Hotels near the Mevlana complexWalk to the museum and Sema hallCheck availability

Çatalhöyük and Sille toursA guide and transport in one half dayCompare day trips

eSIM for central AnatoliaTickets and train changes on your phoneRead the guide

Insurance for a rail stopCover for missed connectionsRead the guide

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Rules for Konya, checked

Mevlana Museum: free; open daily 09:00 to 17:00, ticket sales end 16:30; on Mondays the ticket office opens at 10:00.Checked Oct 2, 2026 · Source
Çatalhöyük: open daily 09:00 to 17:00, ticket sales end 16:40; the North Shelter section is temporarily closed.Checked Oct 2, 2026 · Source
Mevlana Cultural Center: paid Sema program every Saturday at 19:00 in the Closed Sema Hall; tickets through biletinial.com.Checked Oct 2, 2026 · Source

Plan around Konya

Ürgüp

Wine town and Cappadocia base, about three hours away

Read the guide Cappadocia

Balloons, valley walks and cave hotels

Read the guide Antalya

The Mediterranean coast on the road south

Read the guide All of Türkiye

Regions, entry rules and when to go

Read the guide Türkiye e-Visa

Whether your passport needs one

Read the guide Getting around Türkiye

Flights, buses, trains and cars compared

Read the guide

Konya FAQ

Is Konya worth visiting?

Yes for the Mevlana Museum, the Sema tradition and Çatalhöyük. It is a city for history and religion rather than beaches or nightlife, and most visitors stay one night.

Is the Mevlana Museum free?

The Ministry's page lists it as free. It is open daily, with the ticket office opening at 10:00 on Mondays, and it can be crowded midday.

Can you see the whirling dervishes in Konya?

Yes. The municipality lists a paid Sema program in the Closed Sema Hall every Saturday at 19:00, with tickets through biletinial.com. Check the current date and booking rules.

How many days do you need in Konya?

One night covers the Mevlana Museum and a Saturday Sema. Two nights let you add Çatalhöyük and Sille without rushing.

What is the best time to visit Konya?

April, May, June, September and October. Winters are cold with snow, and July and August are hot and dry.