Tourist Places to Visit in Erzurum, Turkey, Europe

Tourist Places to Visit in Erzurum, Turkey, Europe

Erzurum is the capital city of Erzurum Province in the eastern part of Turkey, situated around 870 km east of the national capital, Ankara and 1240 km east of Istanbul, the largest city of Turkey. Housing different winter sports facilities, Erzurum was the site of the 2011 Winter Universiade. Erzurum is situated at an altitude of 1,900 meters above sea level, between 39°54′31″ N latitude and 41°16′37″ E longitude.

Erzurum headquarters Atatürk University, owing higher percentage of its economy from it and with around forty thousand students, Atatürk University is the Turkey’s one of the largest universities.

History of Erzurum:

The name Erzurum is a corrupted form of the name of the nearby city Artsn. Erzurum is one of the oldest cities of Turkey,came under the reign of Romans, Persians and many other ancient empires. Erzurum once became the part of the Russian Empire in 1829 for short period.

How to reach Erzurum?

Erzurum Airport is served by Onur Air, Turkish Airlines, and Pegasus with scheduled flight services from Izmir, Ankara, and Antalya and Istanbul as well as international flights from Russia, and Ukraine only during the winter months.

Erzurum is connected by daily trains to both Ankara and Istanbul. Buses are limited to surrounding cities only.

Due to its small size, Erzurum can be covered by foot and also one can use bus or taxi or rental cars.

Culture and Food in Erzurum:

Atatürk University is the focal point of the Erzurum’s culture with the organization of regular cultural programs displaying the cities culture and tradition.

Some nice specialty shops in Erzurum are:

Haspark Avm
Erzurum Alisveris Merkezi
Covered Bazaar

Must try dishes in Erzurum are Cağ Kebab, Su böreği, ekşili dolma, kesme çorbası, yayla çorbası and şalgam dolması.

Things to do in Erzurum:

Skiing
Snowboarding
Visiting clubs

Places of interest in Erzurum:

Citadel of Erzurum:

Located on the top of the hill, the Citadel of Erzurum is a historic castle featuring the clock tower and masjid. Entrance fee is YTL 3. Due to its position in the city centre, the citadel can be easily reached and explored by foot.

Palandöken ski resort:

Situated around 10 minutes bus travel from the downtown Erzurum, the Palandöken ski resort is one of the popular ski resorts in the eastern part of Turkey offering skiing (cost around 30 T) and snowboarding (around 40 TL). Hotels are abundant around the ski field.

Çifte Minareli Medrese:

Dating back to the late Seljuk period, the Çifte Minareli Medrese is a nicely carved and erected architectural monument in the Islamic and Seljuk architectural styles, featuring 2 equal size minarets. It is also the prime landmark of the city.

Atatürk University:

One of the identities of Erzurum, the Atatürk University was established in 1957 and it currently trains around 40,000 students in different colleges and locations with various courses. It is also a great learning point.

The Statue of Nene Hatun:

The Statue of Nene Hatun is dedicated to the folk heroine, Nene Hatun who was recognized for her effort in recapturing the Fort Aziziye from Russian forces during the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–1878. A typical one.

List of other places of interest in Erzurum includes:

Tortum Waterfall
Three Tombs
Lake Tortum
Erzurum Devlet Tiyatrosu
Cifte Minareli Medrese
Lala Mustafa Pasha Mosque
Cinebonus
Dadas Klas Sinemalari
Ataturk House Museum
Ulu Camii
Adurrahman Gazi hz turbesi
Archeological Museum
Cafe de Cinema

Best time to visit Erzurum:

Erzurum features a humid continental climate. The best time to visit Erzurum is during the winter months between November and March.

Accommodation options in Erzurum:

Although being a tourist destination, Erzurum houses a limited number of hotels, so it is advised for visitors to book hotel rooms prior reaching the city during winter months through online. Here are some top end hotels in Erzurum in Turkey: