Asia
Turkey
Black Sea passes, Cappadocian plateaux and Aegean coast roads.
Why drive here
Driving in Turkey
Turkey's driving landscape spans an entire continent's worth of variety. The Black Sea coast hides high, damp mountain passes such as the climb near Bayburt, while the Kackar mountains further east offer some of the wildest, least visited alpine roads anywhere in Europe or Asia.
The Mediterranean coast around Antalya and Kemer gives a completely different drive, warm corniche roads above turquoise water, while central Anatolia's Cappadocia region offers open plateau roads through a landscape of volcanic cones and cave dwellings unlike anywhere else on earth.
Distances are considerable and road quality varies more than in Western Europe, so a Turkish road trip rewards careful planning and a realistic pace rather than an ambitious daily distance.
Regions
Where to drive in Turkey
Editors' picks
Top 5 roads in Turkey
Rize to Erzurum
Ovit Pass
A 2600 metre Kackar crossing of grass slopes, shepherd huts and switchbacks.
Ikizdere to Ispir · 70 km · D925
Driving
9
Scenery
9.4
Trabzon
Uzungol Road
A green gorge climb through tea terraces to an alpine lake in the Pontic mountains.
Of to Uzungol · 42 km · D010-06
Driving
8.6
Scenery
9.2
Antalya
Lycian Coast, D400
A Mediterranean corniche of pine forest, ruins and turquoise bays all the way.
Kas to Antalya · 190 km · D400
Driving
8.8
Scenery
9.5
Kayseri
Erciyes Mountain Road
A volcano flank road with long open bends above the Cappadocian plateau.
Kayseri to Develi · 45 km · D300
Driving
8.3
Scenery
8.8
Quick facts
Planning your trip
When to go
Late spring and early autumn for the coast, and July to September for the higher eastern mountain passes.
What to drive
A robust, comfortable car with good ground clearance suits the varied road surfaces better than a low, stiffly sprung sports car.
Sample itinerary
The Black Sea Highlands
5 days
Start in Trabzon, climb to Uzungol, then cross the Kackar range toward Bayburt before dropping back to the coast.
The library
Every great road we have mapped in Turkey
1 roads, scored for driving quality and scenery, with seasonal notes where they matter. Any of these can be threaded into a journey in the planner.