What are the most spectacular roads in Turkey?

Nestled at the crossroads of civilizations, Turkey unfolds as a land of mesmerizing beauty and thrilling challenges for the road trip enthusiast. As you chart your course through its diverse terrains, the road itself narrates tales of empires, conquests, and nature's sublime artistry. The legendary D915, Bayburt-Of road, stands as a testament to this spirit of adventure. It's a drive that defies death, with precipitous drops, dizzying turns, and an aura that's palpably exhilarating.

Then, dare yourself to venture along the Kemaliye Stone Road. Carved into the mountains, its history spans over a century of relentless human effort. With harrowing drops, 38 unlit tunnels, and the sheer audacity of its construction, it speaks of mankind's indomitable will to conquer nature's hurdles. Such is the magic of Turkey, where every road is a journey through time. The Karabet Geçidi, standing tall among Europe's highest paved roads, offers panoramic views that seem to stretch across epochs. There were many construction companies established in Turkey that worked for building the new, better roads that attract many tourists each year. 

Meanwhile, the road to Kuş Yuvası Pass weaves a spell of its own – where every twist and turn feels like a dance between the heavens and earth. Each of these routes, in its unique way, embodies Turkey's rich tapestry of history, culture, and natural wonder. So, buckle up and embark on a journey across Turkey’s roads, where each mile promises a tale, a thrill, and a memory to cherish.

Zigana Dagi Geçidi is a high mountain pass situated at an elevation of 2,050m (6,725ft) above sea level, located in Gümüşhane Province, near Trabzon Province, in Turkey.

Osman Gazi Bridge is a 2,682m (8,799ft) long bridge located along the eastern end of the Sea of Marmara, in Turkey. Earthquakes and high winds are the main hazards. It’s one of the most spectacular bridges in the world.

Ilgar Dağı Geçidi is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2,550m (8,366ft) above sea level, located in the Ardahan Province of Turkey. It’s one of the highest paved roads in the country.

Mount Ararat is a dormant volcano located in Ağrı Province in the Eastern Anatolia Region, in the extreme east of Turkey, near the Armenian and Iranian borders. A mountain road near the summit ends at 3.297m (10,816ft) above the sea level. It's one of the highest roads of Europe.

Mt. Uludağ is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.145m (7,037ft) above the sea level, located in Bursa Province, in Southern Marmara of Turkey. It’s the highest mountain of the Marmara region.

Soganli Geçidi is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.372m (7,782ft) above the sea level, located in Bayburt Province, in northeast Turkey.

Mount Artos (Artos Dağı) is a dormant volcano at an elevation of 3.225m (10,580ft) above the sea level, located in Van Province in eastern Turkey. It’s one of the highest roads of Europe.

Tendürek Dağı is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.928m (9,606ft) above the sea level, located on the boundary of Ağrı and Van provinces of eastern Turkey, close to the border with Iran. It’s one of the highest roads of the country.

Mount Honaz is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2.519m (8,264ft) above the sea level, located in Denizli Province in the Aegean Region of southwestern Turkey. It’s one of the highest paved roads of the country. 

Gül Tepe is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 3.304m (10,839ft) above the sea level, located in the Ağrı Province of eastern Turkey, bordering the Van Province. It’s one of the highest roads of Europe.

Karagöl Dağı is a high mountain crater lake at an elevation of 2.620m (8,595ft) above the sea level, located in Giresun Province in the Black Sea Region of northeastern Turkey.

Kolsuz pass is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.514m (4,967ft) above the sea level, located in Niğde Province, in Turkey 's Central Anatolia Region.

Baltaş Tepesi is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 3.047m (9,996ft) above the sea level, located in Rize Province in the Black Sea region of Turkey. It’s one of the highest roads of the country.

Marsis Dağı is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.888m (9,475ft) above the sea level, located on the border of Rize and Artvin provines, in the Black Sea region of Turkey. It’s one of the highest roads of Europe.

Mount Nemrut is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2.134m (7,001ft) above the sea level, located in southeastern Turkey. The drive up the top is fabulous if you don’t mind heights and windy roads!

Girdev Lake is a seasonal lake located in the Muğla Province in the Aegean region of Turkey, at an elevation of 1.880m (6,167ft) above the sea level. The road to the lake doesn’t appear in most of the maps and is an adventure road. Expect an evil dirt track, big holes, large puddles and big stones that smash loudly into the chassis all the time.

Erciyes is a ski resort at an elevation of 2.220m (7,283ft) above the sea level, located in Kayseri Province, in central Anatolia, within the ancient region of Cappadocia, in Turkey.

Köse Dağı is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2.681m (8,795ft) above the sea level, located in the Ağrı Province of eastern Turkey.

Ardıçı Tepe is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2.633m (8,638ft) above the sea level, located in Erzurum Province, in the Eastern Anatolia Region of Turkey.

Ziyaret Dağı is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 3.002m (9,849ft) above the sea level, located in Trabzon Province in the Black Sea region of Turkey. It’s one of the highest roads of the country.

Danakıran Road is a high mountain road located in the Ağrı Province of eastern Turkey. It’s one of the highest roads of the country climbing up to 2.961m (9,714ft) above the sea level.

Karagöl Gölü is a glacial lake at an elevation of 2.661m (8,730ft) above the sea level, located on the borderline of Niğde Province and Mersin Province, in southern Turkey.

Şekersu Yaylası is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.497m (8,192ft) above the sea level, located in Trabzon Province, in the Black Sea region of Turkey.

Apivanak Yaylası is a high mountain plateau at an elevation of 2.523m (8,277ft) above the sea level, located in Rize Province in the Black Sea region of Turkey. 

Kışkılı Köyü is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2.587m (8,487ft) above the sea level, located in Bitlis Province, in eastern Turkey.

Uzungöl Yaylaları is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.674m (8,772ft) above the sea level, located in Trabzon Province, in the Black Sea region of Turkey. 

Karakaya Hill is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 3.148m (10,328ft) above the sea level, located in Erzurum Province, eastern Anatolia, in Turkey. The average gradient is 7.27%. It’s one of the highest roads of Europe.

Verçenik Yaylası is a high mountain plateau at an elevation of 2.622m (8,602ft) above the sea level, located in Rize Province of northeast Turkey, on the eastern Black Sea coast.

Durnalu Yaylası is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.625m (8,612ft) above the sea level, located in Trabzon Province, in the Black Sea region of Turkey. 

The Hayrangöl-Çetinsu Yolu is a high mountain road located in the Ağrı Province, in eastern Turkey.

Uzungöl is a high mountain plateau at an elevation of 3.087m (10,127ft) above the sea level, located on the border of Trabzon and Rize provinces, in Turkey. It’s one of the highest roads of Europe.

Köyceğiz Geçidi is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.301m (7,549ft) above the sea level, located in Erzurum Province, in the Eastern Anatolia region of Turkey.

Doğu Anadolu Gözlemevi (Eastern Anatolia Observatory) is a ground-based astronomical observatory at an elevation of 3.139m (10,298ft) above the sea level, located in Erzurum Province, eastern Anatolia, in Turkey. It’s one of the highest roads of Europe.

Aygır Gölü is a high mountain glacial lake at an elevation of 2.763m (9064ft) above the sea level, located on the border of Trabzon and Bayburt provinces of Turkey. It’s one of the highest roads of Europe.

Mount Nemrut is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2.779m (9,117ft) above the sea level, located in Bitlis Province in eastern Turkey.

The Muş Kulp Yolu is the name of a very exciting road located in southeastern Turkey.