Erzurum

About — Erzurum

Erzurum is a historic city on the high plateau of eastern Türkiye, at nearly 1,900 metres, known both for its Seljuk monuments and for winter sports. Erzurum Airport (ERZ) is about 2 hours by air from Istanbul and 15–20 minutes from the centre. In winter, families usually stay at the Palandöken ski resort, about 6 km from the city; at other times of year, central hotels are within walking distance of the main monuments. Two days are enough: one for the city and one for the slopes or a trip north.

The 13th-century Çifte Minareli Medrese is known for its twin fluted minarets and finely carved stone portal; just behind it stand the Üç Kümbetler, three tombs with conical roofs in a small garden. The Yakutiye Medrese, with its tiled minaret, houses a museum of Turkish-Islamic arts and ethnography, and Erzurum Castle, above the old centre, offers wide views over the city. The Rüstem Paşa bazaar (Taşhan) is the place to buy prayer beads of black Oltu stone. Palandöken has long, well-groomed slopes, chairlifts and ski schools that teach children. In late spring, Tortum Waterfall, about 1.5–2 hours to the north, is at its fullest as the snow melts.

Family tips: winters are long and very cold, often well below −15°C at night, so pack thermal clothing, and take the first day gently at this altitude. Halal food is the norm: try cağ kebabı, lamb roasted on a horizontal spit and served on small skewers with thin lavash bread, and kadayıf dolması, a crisp walnut-filled dessert in syrup. The Ottoman Lala Mustafa Paşa Mosque in the centre is a beautiful place for prayers. A private vehicle makes it easy to move between the ski resort and the city and to reach Tortum. Erzurum pairs well with Kars, about 3 hours away by road, and can be added to an Istanbul holiday with a short domestic flight.

City Guide — Erzurum

Erzurum is a city in eastern Türkiye, the largest city and capital of Erzurum Province, situated 1,757 metres (5,766 feet) above sea level. Known as "The Rock" in NATO code, Erzurum served as NATO's south-eastern-most air force post during the Cold War. The city uses the double-headed Anatolian Seljuk eagle as its coat of arms, a motif based on the double-headed Byzantine eagle that was a common symbol throughout Anatolia and the Balkans in the medieval period. Erzurum has some of the finest winter sports facilities in Türkiye and hosted the 2011 Winter Universiade. Little of medieval Erzurum survives beyond scattered individual buildings such as the citadel fortress and the 13th-century Cifte Minareli Medrese (the "Twin Minaret" madrasa). Six kilometres to the south of the centre of Erzurum is an important skiing centre on the Palandoken mountain range; there are several ski runs, the south ski run is 8 km long while the north ski run is intended for advanced skiers, and the summit of Mt. Palandoken, called Buyuk Ejder (Great Dragon), is at an altitude of 3,188 metres and can be reached with a chair lift rising to 3,100 metres. One speciality of Erzurum's cuisine is Cag Kebab; although this kebab variety is of recent introduction outside its native region, it is rapidly attaining widespread popularity around Türkiye. Kadayif Dolmasi is an exquisite dessert made with walnut. The main bus station has links to most major Turkish cities, Erzurum is the main railroad endpoint for the Eastern Anatolia region, and Erzurum Airport has the second longest runway in Türkiye.