Things to Do in Çatalca: 5 Places to Visit

Places to Visit in Çatalca

• 2 Historic
• 1 Museum
• 2 Nature

1 🏛️ Historic

İnceğiz Caves and Rock Churches

The rock churches and caves near İnceğiz village in Çatalca are the remains of a Byzantine-era monastic complex. Churches and burial chambers carved into the rock shed light on the early Christian history of the region.

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2 🏛️ Historic

Çatalca Walls (Anastasios Walls)

Built in the 5th century by the Byzantine Emperor Anastasios I to protect Istanbul from the west, these walls form a 56 km line of defence from the Black Sea to the Marmara. Their remains can still be seen.

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3 🌳 Nature

Çatalca Forests and Natural Areas

Çatalca, the district with Istanbul's largest green areas, is covered with oak and beech forests. It has areas suitable for nature walks, horse riding and camping.

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i Photo: Mereyü (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Source

4 🖼️ Museum

Exchange Museum (Mübadele Müzesi)

Türkiye's first museum dedicated to migration, displaying exchange-related objects, documents and photographs.

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5 🌳 Nature

Durusu Lake

A lake within the district boundaries, and one of Istanbul's sources of drinking water.

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While you are in Çatalca, you can also see the highlights of Istanbul province. These places are in other districts; Çatalca is about 60 km from the provincial centre.

• Hagia Sophia (Ayasofya-i Kebir Mosque) — Built by the Byzantine emperor Justinian between 532 and 537, this was the largest cathedral in the world for about a thousand years; it was converted into a mosque in 1453 and a museum in 1934, and reopened for worship as a mosque in 2020. With its dome 55 metres high and its Byzantine mosaics, it is one of the turning points in the history of architecture.
• Topkapı Palace — Built by Mehmed the Conqueror at Sarayburnu in the 1460s, the palace was the seat of government and residence of the Ottoman sultans for about 400 years; with its Harem, Treasury, Holy Relics and courtyards, it is now a museum.
• Sultan Ahmed Mosque (Blue Mosque) — A six-minaret mosque built for Ahmed I between 1609 and 1616 by the architect Sedefkâr Mehmed Ağa; it is also known as the Blue Mosque because of the more than 20,000 İznik tiles decorating its interior.
• Basilica Cistern (Yerebatan Sarnıcı) — A vast underground cistern built in the 6th century under Justinian and carried on 336 columns; the Medusa heads under two of the columns are its most famous corner.
• Süleymaniye Mosque — Built by Mimar Sinan for Suleiman the Magnificent between 1550 and 1557, the mosque stands at the centre of a large complex with madrasas, a hospital, a soup kitchen and tombs; its silhouette on the hill overlooking the Golden Horn is one of the symbols of the city.
• Grand Bazaar (Kapalıçarşı) — One of the oldest and largest covered markets in the world, made up of more than 60 streets and thousands of shops that grew up around the bedestens built under Mehmed the Conqueror; carpets, jewellery, copperware and leather goods are sold.

Practical Information for Visiting Çatalca

Suggested time

1 day

Best time to visit

Spring and autumn (April-June, September-November)

Places to visit

5 places

• 🍖

  Çatalca Köfte

  Çatalca köfte, made from a mixture of beef and lamb mince, is grilled and served with piyaz and roasted peppers.

• 🍳

  Trakya Usulü Ciğer Tava (Thrace-style fried liver)

  Thinly sliced beef liver is dusted in flour and fried in hot oil. Ciğer tava, one of the classic dishes of Thracian cuisine, is served with onions and peppers.

• 🍽️

  Butter, cheese and yoghurt

  Dairy products linked to Çatalca, based on its livestock farming.

Culture, Local Products and Economy of Çatalca

• 🏰

  Byzantine Defensive Heritage

  Çatalca is home to the Anastasios Walls, the last line of defence protecting Istanbul from the west during the Byzantine Empire. This historic heritage reflects the strategic importance of the region.

Local Products

• Çatalca Ormanlı Pirinci (Çatalca Forest Rice) — Çatalca Ormanlı Pirinci was registered as a protected designation of origin on 17 September 2024 (TÜRKPATENT registration no. 1639). Product group: other products. Registered by: Istanbul Provincial Directorate of Agriculture and Forestry.
• Çatalca Honey — Flower and pine honey gathered from the district's rich forest cover. Natural and unadulterated, it is among the finest honeys in Istanbul.

Economy

Çatalca's economy is based on agriculture, livestock farming and forestry. Sunflowers, wheat and maize are the main crops. In recent years nature tourism and farm tourism have also been developing.

How to Get to Çatalca

Çatalca is 60 km from Istanbul's city centre. It lies on the TEM motorway. Regular bus and minibus services run to Istanbul.

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Çatalca: Frequently Asked Questions

Continue Your Trip

• 🍽️ What to Eat in Çatalca Famous dishes and local products →
• 🗺️ Things to Do in Istanbul The province's 22 best places and all its districts →

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