Kars

A frontier city in northeastern Türkiye where Russian-era buildings stand alongside Kars Castle; the base for visiting the ruins of Ani and riding the Eastern Express across snowy plains.

Kars sits on a plateau about 1,770 m above sea level in northeastern Türkiye, just a few dozen kilometres west of the Armenian border, and is the capital of Kars Province. Its history comes in layers: on the north side of the old town are the Ottoman castle, the 10th-century Armenian Church of the Holy Apostles and an Ottoman stone bridge, while the southern districts laid out under Russian rule (1878–1918) still have rows of basalt 'Baltic-style' buildings that give Kars a strong Eastern European feel. About 45 km east of the city, the ancient city of Ani is a World Heritage Site and the main reason to come to Kars. Winters are long and bitter, with temperatures often dropping to −20°C, yet this is the most popular season: ride the Eastern Express sleeper train from Ankara across the snowfields, take a horse-drawn sleigh and watch ice fishing on Lake Çıldır, or ski powder at Sarıkamış. Summer (Jun–Sep) is cool and the best time to explore Ani in depth. Getting there: Kars Airport has direct flights from Istanbul and Ankara, and the train station is the terminus of the Eastern Express; for Ani and Lake Çıldır you'll need a private car or a tour. Kars cheese, honey and roast goose are local specialities. Plan 2–3 days.

Top sights

• Ani Archaeological Site – The capital of the medieval Armenian Bagratid dynasty, whose ruins, known as the 'City of a Thousand Churches,' stand in a border gorge.
• Kars Castle – A fortress on a basalt hill north of the old town, with views over the Kars River valley, its stone bridge, and the whole city.
• Doğu Express (Kars Station) – A sleeper train that runs about 25 hours from Ankara to Kars and crosses the Anatolian snowfields in winter. It has become a Turkish cult f…
• Lake Çıldır – A highland lake at about 1,960 m. In winter, when it freezes over, horse-drawn sleigh rides and ice fishing become Kars' signature winter a…
• Church of the Holy Apostles (Kümbet Mosque) – A 10th-century Armenian church with reliefs of the Twelve Apostles on the drum of its dome, later converted into a mosque.
• Taşköprü (Stone Bridge) – A 16th-century three-arched basalt bridge spanning the Kars River, with an old Ottoman bathhouse and the castle hill at either end.
• Russian-era Old Town (Baltic Architecture) – A chessboard-plan district laid out under late 19th-century Russian rule, lined with “Baltic-style” buildings with basalt façades.
• Fethiye Mosque – Originally the Orthodox Church of St. Alexander Nevsky, built in the Russian period. Its spire and arched windows still carry Russian style.
• Kars Museum – Holds artifacts excavated at Ani, relics from the Urartian and Bronze Ages, as well as local folk culture and carpets.
• Caucasus Front War History Museum – A museum in a historic hilltop fortress south of the city, telling the story of the Russo-Turkish War and the Caucasus Front of World War I.
• Kars Cheese Museum – A small museum about Kars Gruyère and aged kuru kaşar cheese, with tastings and sales.
• Şeytan Castle – A medieval castle on a lone peak in a deep canyon near Çıldır, with cliffs on three sides and a dramatic setting.
• Sarıkamış Ski Resort – A ski resort famed for its “crystal snow” powder among pine forests. The dry, light snow makes it a winter hotspot in eastern Turkey.
• Katerina Hunting Lodge – A Russian-style timber lodge in the town of Sarıkamış, said to have been built for the hunting trips of Tsar Nicholas II.

Where to eat

• Hanımeli Kars Mutfağı – A family-run restaurant serving local Kars food, including hangel dumplings, piti and roast goose, with live folk music.
• Han-i Hanedan – A top-ranked restaurant in Kars on TripAdvisor. Its hangel and goose liver are well reviewed, the setting is clean, and…
• Gastrokars – A restaurant run by the local farm brand İpek Hanım Çiftliği. It serves both Kars and Russian-style dishes, and pairs t…

Itineraries

• Eastern Anatolian Highlands & Borderlands – Journey from Erzurum to Kars, pass beneath Mount Ararat, and end at Lake Van to see ruined capitals, palaces, and islan…
• Eastern Express Winter Journey to Kars – Take the tourist version of the Eastern Express from Ankara across snow-covered plains to Kars, then explore Ani and fr…