Kars

Kars: The Winter Fairytale & Russian Legacy

🌍 History & Culture

Kars is unlike any other city in Turkey. For 40 years, it was under Russian rule, which left behind a grid-planned city with unique Baltic architecture. It is the final stop of the famous Eastern Express (Doğu Ekspresi) train, making it a social media sensation. The city is also famous for its Gruyere cheese and goose meat.

📍 Top Tourist Attractions

• Ani Ruins (City of 1001 Churches): A ghostly, magnificent medieval Armenian city right on the border, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

• Lake Çıldır: In winter, the lake freezes completely. Visitors can ride horse-drawn sleighs across the ice and watch fishermen catch fish through ice holes.

• Kars Castle: Watching over the city, offering great views of the dark stone buildings below.

• Baltic Architecture Walking Tour: Exploring the wide streets and stone mansions left from the Russian era.