TR · Eastern Anatolia · 40.61°N 43.10°E

kars

Russian-era stone streets, tangy local cheese and the ruined city of Ani on an open plateau.

Best time
May–September is best for Ani and the plateau, and much cooler than western Turkey in summer. December–February is bitterly cold and snowy, which is when the sleeper train from Ankara is most popular.
How long
2–3 days
Getting there
Fly with one stop via Istanbul, about 15–17 hours all in. The airport is about 15 minutes from the centre. The Doğu Ekspresi sleeper train from Ankara takes about a day. Turkey is 5 hours behind KL all year.
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TR · Eastern Anatoliakars40.61°N 43.10°Egowherelah.com
Dear group chat,Russian-era stone streets, tangy local cheese and the ruined city of Ani on an open plateau.— gowherelahTo: whoever’s drivingKarsTR, Eastern Anatolia
KLkars
≈ 7,171 km from KL, as the crow flies
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Photo: Ben Men Lyun · CC BY-SA 4.0

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Photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each.

Kars feels unlike the rest of Turkey, with wide streets of grey stone buildings left from 40 years of Russian rule and a castle above the river. Nearby Ani, a ruined medieval city of churches on the Armenian border, is the reason most people come.

Makan

  1. Kars gooseRoast goose with bulgur pilaf, a winter speciality.Map ↗
  2. Kars gravyer and kaşarNutty Gruyère-style cheese and firm yellow kaşar from the plateau's dairies.Map ↗
  3. HangelSquares of boiled dough with yoghurt, fried onions and melted butter.Map ↗

Things to do

  1. AniThe ruins of a medieval Armenian capital, with churches and city walls scattered across grassland above a border gorge.Map ↗
  2. Russian-era streetsBasalt mansions and public buildings in a neat grid, built when Kars was part of the Russian Empire.Map ↗
  3. Kars CastleA hilltop fortress over the river and the old stone bridge, with views over the town.Map ↗
  4. Church of the Holy ApostlesA 10th-century Armenian church at the foot of the castle, now a mosque.Map ↗

Good to know

  • Ani is about 45 minutes away with no shade or food, so arrange a return taxi and take water.
  • The plateau is windy even in summer, so keep a warm layer in your bag.
  • Meat is halal as standard here.

Last checked October 2026. Things change, so check opening times, fees and transport before you go.