Mesoporous nanosized titania films and powders modified with Co 2+ , Ni 2+ , Mn 3+ and Cu 2+ ions have been produced by templated sol-gel method and characterized by optical spectroscopy, XRD, and BET surface area measurment. After calcinations at 400°C, XRD patterns showed the anatase nanocrystalline phase formation (8–20 nm). The characteristic bands of Co 2+ and Co 3+ in octahedral and tetrahedral oxygen environment registered in diffusion reflectance spectra indicated the formation of Co 3 O 4 spinel phase; crystallization of M/TiO 2 powders after heat treatment at 650°C led to an appearance of absorption bands belonging to Ni 2+ or Mn 3+ ions in an octahedral environment. Band gap energy and the position of flat band potentials were estimated by photoelectrochemical measurements. The films doped with transition metals possessed higher photocurrent quantum yield than that for undoped samples.