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Erzurum

9 places · 1 route · Eastern Anatolia

A high, cold city of Seljuk stone, cağ kebab and ski slopes, and the crossroads of the east.

Today in Erzurum: sunrise 06:33 · sunset 17:23 (calculated)

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Erzurum and the Tortum valley1 day · 2 stops

Open / closed: Istanbul time, Fri 08:55. Ticket = foreign-visitor price. Visit times are our estimates.

  1. Culture · 200 m ~3 min walk

    Double Minaret Madrasa

    Hours not verified Not verified ~20–45 min

  2. Culture · 250 m ~3 min walk

    Erzurum Castle

    Open now €3 ~30–45 min

  3. Culture · 250 m ~3 min walk

    Erzurum Museum

    Open now €3 ~45 min–1 h

  4. Culture · 300 m ~4 min walk

    Three Tombs (Üç Kümbetler)

    Open space Free ~15–20 min

  5. Culture · 350 m ~5 min walk

    Yakutiye Madrasa

    Open now €3 ~30 min–1 h

  6. Culture · 400 m ~5 min walk

    Rüstem Pasha Bazaar (Taşhan)

    Open space Free ~20–40 min

  7. Nature · 5.1 km ~13 min by road

    Palandöken ski resort

    Hours not verified Not verified

  8. Nature · 15 km ~29 min by road

    Konaklı ski resort

    Hours not verified Not verified

  9. Nature · 90 km ~2.4 h by road

    Tortum Waterfall

    Hours not verified Not verified ~45 min–1.5 h

Also in this area

Adventure nearby: Rafting (Çoruh river)

On this map and in our themes: Tortum Waterfall (waterfall) · Palandöken ski resort (viewpoint)

Local food with a registered name: Oltu Cağ Kebabı · Erzurum Kadayıf Dolması

Caves & waterfallsHidden gemsViewpointsAdventureRegional food

Climate: when to go

Monthly averages for Erzurum province: warmest in August (average high 28.5 °C), coldest in January (average low -15.9 °C). Averages hide heat waves and cold snaps — check the forecast before you travel.

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Average high-4°-2°4°12°18°23°28°29°24°16°7°-1°
Average low-16°-15°-8°-1°3°6°10°10°4°0°-6°-12°
Sunshine, hours a day3.54.35.06.17.610.010.710.28.46.54.82.9
Rainy days10101217191388711910

Source: Turkish State Meteorological Service (MGM), 1991–2020 climate normals for Erzurum province (this month is highlighted). Values are averages for the whole province as MGM publishes them, not for one beach or hill.

Watch

  • ERZURUM, Türkiye 🇹🇷 4K Scenic Drive in Turkey's Most Religious City

    Driving OZ · Watch on YouTube (new tab) ↗

Videos by independent creators on YouTube; we don't endorse tours or offers in them. The player loads from youtube-nocookie.com only when you press play.

About Erzurum

Erzurum is one of the highest cities in Türkiye and one of the coldest in winter. Its centre keeps a compact group of Seljuk and Mongol-era monuments — the Double Minaret Madrasa, the Great Mosque, the Three Tombs and the Yakutiye Madrasa — within a few minutes' walk of each other.

Above the city, the Palandöken and Konaklı ski resorts make Erzurum a winter destination; in summer, the Tortum valley to the north leads to waterfalls, lakes and old Georgian churches on the way to the Black Sea mountains.

Is Erzurum worth visiting?

For a day or two, yes: the Seljuk monuments are superb, the food (cağ kebab) is a reason in itself, and it is the natural stop between Kars and the Black Sea or central Türkiye.

In winter it is one of the country's main ski bases. Outside the ski season most visitors pass through rather than stay long.

Best for
Skiers, architecture lovers, travellers crossing the east.
How long
1–2 days; a week in the ski season.
Getting there
Erzurum airport has flights from Istanbul and Ankara; the city is on the Eastern Express line and on the main bus routes east. General directions, not checked against timetables.

Best time to go Jun–Sep · Dec–Mar for skiing

Summers are short, sunny and cool; the ski season usually runs from December into March, when the city is snowbound and very cold.

Safety: what government travel advice says

A plain summary of two governments' advice, as published when we checked. We do not rate safety ourselves; read the full pages before you go and check again close to your trip.

UK government (FCDO) — Turkey travel advice ↗

  • Advises against all travel within 10 km of the Turkey–Syria border, because of fighting in Syria near the border and a heightened risk of terrorism. Roads towards the border in Hatay province can close at short notice.
  • Mount Ararat (Ağrı province) is a special military zone: climbing needs a permit from the Doğubayazıt government office and a fee.
  • In Hakkari province, visits near the borders with Iraq and Iran need permission from the local Governor's Office.
  • Nationwide: terrorists are likely to try to carry out attacks in Turkey, and most attacks have been in the south-east, Ankara and Istanbul. Avoid demonstrations and follow local authorities.
  • The FCDO does not advise against travel to the rest of Turkey; read its full page before you go.

Page dated 21 Sep 2026 · read by us on 30 Sep 2026.

German Federal Foreign Office — Türkei: Reise- und Sicherheitshinweise ↗

  • Advises against all non-essential travel to the immediate border areas with Syria (the provinces of Şanlıurfa and Mardin) and with Iraq, because of the fighting across the border.
  • A terrorist threat has to be assumed in all parts of Türkiye; since 2015 the PKK and a splinter group have carried out attacks mainly in the south-east, but also elsewhere.
  • In the south-east and east it recommends avoiding large crowds, the surroundings of government and military sites, remote areas and little-used country roads.
  • Two strong earthquakes hit the south-east in 2023 (among the provinces named: Adıyaman, Diyarbakır, Gaziantep, Malatya and Şanlıurfa); many buildings were destroyed or badly damaged.

Page dated 18 Sep 2026 · read by us on 30 Sep 2026.

On this region: Neither office advises against travel to Kars, Van, Doğubayazıt or Erzurum as such. Climbing Mount Ararat needs a permit; the areas near the Iraqi and Iranian borders (Hakkari) need permission.

Emergency number in Türkiye: 112. Travel advice changes quickly; your own government's page is the one that matters for your insurance.

Part of Eastern Anatolia — all destinations, when to go and more places in the region.