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    Safranbolu

    Turkey

    Safranbolu

    CityCultureUNESCO

    Safranbolu, roughly 200 km north of Ankara in the Black Sea hinterland, is known for its Ottoman timber-framed houses. Its Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1994, is one of the country's best-preserved urban landscapes.

    by Felix Gillen

    1. Home
    3. Destinations
    5. Turkey
    7. Black Sea Coast
    9. Safranbolu
    Safranbolu, roughly 200 km north of Ankara in the Black Sea hinterland, is known for its Ottoman timber-framed houses. Its Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1994, is one of the country's best-preserved urban landscapes. The historic core is Eski Çarşı; new town shops are in Kıranköy. This city of around 53,000 residents is best explored on foot.

    Sights in Safranbolu

    Discover the most important sights and attractions

    Hıdırlık Hilltop
    Historic Landmark

    1Hıdırlık Hilltop

    The hill above the Old Town is the classic viewpoint for the rooftops and minarets of Çarşı. According to tradition, the first Turks settled here, and later rain prayers and the Hıdırellez spring festival took place on the hill. A small fee is charged for access.
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    Cinci Han
    Historic Landmark

    2Cinci Han

    The 1645 caravanserai is the old town's most imposing building, a reminder of Safranbolu's time as a trading post. Stone galleries surround the inner courtyard, where merchants and their animals once spent the night. Today, the Han is a hotel, and you can visit the courtyard even without an overnight stay.
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    Cinci Hamam
    Attraction

    3Cinci Hamam

    The 17th-century bathhouse is still in operation today. Men's and women's areas are separate but identically built. A visit reveals Turkish bathing culture in a historic space instead of a hotel spa.
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    City History Museum
    Museum

    4City History Museum

    The City Museum is in the old government building on the castle hill, built 1904-1906 and burned down in 1976. After its 2006 restoration, it tells Safranbolu's history. A great start before you wander the old town's alleys.
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    Bulak Mencilis Cave
    Attraction

    5Bulak Mencilis Cave

    The stalactite cave lies about 8 km from the center in Bulak village. At 6,050 m long, it is one of Turkey's longest caves. The initial 400 m are open to visitors; further exploration requires special equipment.
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    Yörük Köyü
    Museum

    6Yörük Köyü

    About 11 km east of the city, the village is a museum village. It has been a designated heritage site since 1997, boasting 93 listed historic buildings. Its history dates back to the 16th century.
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    Restaurants in Safranbolu

    1

    Stone House Art and Wine House

    The restaurant is situated in a restored old town house near the Kaymakamlar Museum, featuring a garden and rooftop views. It is known for its meat dishes, wine list, and desserts. Vegetarian guests will also find a selection.
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    2

    Safranbolu Cuisine

    The family restaurant in the Eski Çarşı near the Cinci Hamamı serves regional cuisine. The menu features Bükme-Pide, Peruhi, Yaprak Sarma with sauce, and Kuymak. And there's tea from the oven.
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    3

    Arasta Kahvesi

    The coffee house in Yemeniciler Arastası brews Turkish coffee over embers and serves it with Safranbolu lokum. Accompanying this is Ottoman şerbet.
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    Food and Drink

    Safranbolu's cuisine is down-to-earth, featuring dumplings, börek, and saffron sweets. Lokum and Helva can be found in many shops throughout the Old Town.

    Safranbolu Lokumu

    The local lokum is made fresh daily, with coconut, hazelnut, pistachio, saffron, rose, or mastic. It is lighter and less sweet than other lokum.

    Zerde

    The rice pudding is cooked with overnight-soaked saffron water and sugar, and served cold. Traditionally, it is served on festive days.

    Peruhi

    Small dumplings filled with strained yogurt and mint are folded into triangles, cooked, and drizzled with hot butter.

    Bükme

    This folded pide is a speciality of the town and is on the menu at many restaurants in the old town.

    Culture & History

    Trading City on the Caravan RouteThe city's name derives from the saffron it once traded. Caravanserais such as the Cinci Han, built in 1645, bear witness to this era. The Old Town boasts 25 mosques, five hammams, and three caravanserais.Half-Timbering and KonaksThe houses are built on a stone ground floor, topped with a half-timbered frame of pine wood filled with clay. The upper floors often overhang the alley. Many Konaks are divided into Haremlik and Selamlık, like the Kaymakamlar House from the early 19th century, which is now a museum. Many of the old houses are used today as guesthouses.Mosques and BazaarsThe Köprülü Mehmet Pasha Mosque was built in 1661/62; its courtyard features a sundial made of brass and marble. The İzzet Mehmet Pasha Mosque, dating from 1796, is considered a smaller version of Istanbul's Nuruosmaniye Mosque. In the Yemeniciler Arastası, 48 wooden shops line up, while coppersmiths work in the Demirciler Bazaar.

    Getting In & Around

    Getting ThereThe nearest international airports are Istanbul and Ankara. Buses take about 3 hours from Ankara and around 7 hours from Istanbul, sometimes with a change in Karabük. By car, it is about 227 km from Ankara.Getting AroundKarabük: Minibuses connect the provincial capital, about 9 km away, with Safranbolu roughly every 15 minutes.Old Town: Explore Çarşı on foot. The cobblestones are hard going with a wheelchair or pushchair.ExcursionsNorth of town lies the Tokatlı Canyon with a hiking trail of about 9 km along the stream. Above it, the glass viewing platform Kristal Teras juts out about 80 m above the canyon floor, and nearby the 116 m long İncekaya Aqueduct spans the canyon.

    Accommodations in Safranbolu

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    Nearby

    Ankara

    Ankara

    Ankara has been the capital of Turkey since October 13, 1923, and with approximately 5.9 million inhabitants, it is the country's second-largest city after Istanbul. Here you'll find Atatürk's Mausoleum and the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, featuring artifacts from the Hittite era; by high-speed train, you're about four hours from Istanbul. The old town of Ulus, with its Citadel and Hamamönü, is located in the north, while the modern center Kızılay and the nightlife streets around Tunalı Hilmi and Kavaklıdere are further south.
    Central Anatolia

    Central Anatolia

    Central Anatolia is the highland in the heart of Turkey, stretching from the capital Ankara to Konya in the south. Here lie Hattuşa, the capital of the Hittites, Seljuk buildings and the Mevlana Museum in Konya, as well as Atatürk's Mausoleum in Ankara. High-speed trains connect the major cities with Istanbul.
    Hattuşa

    Hattuşa

    From approximately 1650 BC, Hattuşa served as the Hittite capital and has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1986. The ruins are situated near Boğazkale in Çorum Province, approximately two hours by car east of Ankara. City walls, the Lion and Sphinx Gates, the Great Temple, and the Yazılıkaya rock sanctuary reveal how the Hittites built and worshipped their gods.
    Istanbul

    Istanbul

    Spanning Europe and Asia, Istanbul sits on the Bosphorus, linking Black and Marmara Seas. Byzantine churches, Ottoman mosques, and lively nightlife make Turkey's largest city the start of many Turkey trips. Most sights lie on historic Sultanahmet peninsula, south of the Golden Horn. North of it, Karaköy and Beyoğlu offer Galata Tower and bars. The Asian side's Kadıköy is a hub for market, food, nightlife.
    Black Sea Coast

    Black Sea Coast

    The Black Sea coast stretches as a green, rainy strip across the entire north of Turkey. To the west lies the Ottoman half-timbered town of Safranbolu, to the east Trabzon with the Sümela Monastery and the tea gardens at the foot of the Kaçkar Mountains. If you're looking for mountain villages, monasteries, and fish cuisine instead of a beach holiday, you're in the right place.

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