Kahramanmaraş is a city of roughly 550,000 people in southeastern Turkey, perched between the Taurus Mountains and the upper Euphrates plain. Famous throughout Turkey and the world for its uniquely stretchy dondurma (ice cream) and fiery Maraş pepper, the city pairs a proud culinary identity with a rich layered history — Hittite, Roman, Byzantine, Dulkadirli, and Ottoman — visible in its hilltop castle and archaeology museum. The city was at the epicentre of the devastating February 2023 earthquakes and has undergone significant reconstruction; visitors today witness both historic resilience and ambitious rebuilding alongside remaining ancient monuments.
Kahramanmaraş has a small city airport (KCM) just 4 km from the city centre — the closest in Turkey relative to city size. The otogar (intercity bus terminal) on İstasyon Caddesi connects to all major Turkish cities. Within the city, dolmuş (shared minibuses) and taxis are the primary options; a limited city bus network covers broader areas. There is no tram or metro system. Intercity travel is best by bus or domestic flight.
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