Things to Do in Kars

A 10th-century Armenian church converted to a mosque. The dome and stone carvings are intact. Free to enter outside prayer times.

🕐 Open daily, but closed during prayer times (check local adhan times)

💡 Visit between 14:00 and 16:00 to avoid prayer crowds. Look for the faint fresco traces on the ceiling.

The abandoned medieval Armenian capital, with churches and fortifications scattered across a windswept plateau near the Turkish-Armenian border. Entry costs 210 TL (as of 2024) but is worth it for the scale and silence.

🕐 08:00–19:00 (summer), 08:00–17:00 (winter)

💡 Go at opening time, 08:00, to avoid coach groups. Bring water and sunscreen; no shade on site.

Ottoman-era fortress on a hilltop overlooking the city. Free to climb and walk the walls. Views stretch across Kars to snow-capped Mount Aladağ.

🕐 Open 24 hours (outdoor site)

💡 Best at sunset when the light hits the stone. Wear sturdy shoes; the path is uneven rubble in places.

A small, calm lake in a city park, filled with carp you can feed from the bank. Surrounded by willow trees and benches, popular with locals for evening walks.

🕐 Open 24 hours

💡 Buy a bag of simit (2 TL) from the vendor near the entrance to feed the fish. Avoid the cooked corn sellers—overpriced.

Small museum in a former Russian building, housing artefacts from the Urartu, Seljuk, and Ottoman periods. Ticket is 15 TL (2024).

🕐 08:30–17:30 (closed Mondays)

💡 Don’t miss the preserved carpets and the carved stone Urartu lions. Takes 45 minutes max.