Kars blends tsarist Russian architecture with Caucasian highland culture and millennia of Armenian, Byzantine, and Ottoman history. The highlight for most visitors is the Ani Ruins — a haunting city of stone churches, mosques, and palaces stranded on a plateau above the Arpaçay River gorge. Back in Kars city, the castle above the Kars River gives sweeping views, the Kümbet Mosque (a 10th-century Armenian church) stands near the town centre, and the evening food scene rewards anyone who seeks out kaz (goose) stew and aged gravyer cheese. The city is small enough to walk across in 20 minutes yet rich enough to fill three days.
Best souvenirs
Authentic items worth bringing home.
Kars Gravyer Cheese
Turkey's finest Gruyère-style aged cheese, produced in the Kars province highlands. Buy vacuum-packed at Gravyer Şarküteri or Boğatepe Cooperative for travel.
Price: ₺200–₺600/kg (~$6–$19)
Where: Gravyer Şarküteri & Bistro (Cumhuriyet Cad. No:18); Boğatepe Cooperative (30 km west)
Kars Wild-Flower Honey
Dark, intensely flavoured honey from highland wildflower pastures. Often sold alongside cheese in the same shops.
Price: ₺150–₺400/500g (~$5–$13)
Where: Saturday market; Kars Covered Bazaar; Gravyer Şarküteri
Kilim and Carpet (regional)
Hand-woven wool kilims from the Caucasian highland tradition. Patterns reflect Georgian and Azerbaijani design influence.
Price: ₺500–₺5,000+ (~$16–$156+) depending on size and quality
Where: Kars Covered Bazaar; specialist shops on Cumhuriyet Caddesi
Copper and Brass Crafts
Handmade copper trays, samovars, and decorative items in the Ottoman craft tradition.
Price: ₺100–₺800 (~$3–$25)
Where: Kars Covered Bazaar
Kars Black Wool Socks (Çorap)
Thick hand-knitted wool socks in dark colours — practical and popular souvenirs for visitors to this cold city.
Price: ₺50–₺150/pair (~$2–$5)
Where: Kars Covered Bazaar; street vendors near castle
Dried Herbs and Spices
Local dried thyme (kekik), mint, and dried rose hips sold loose in the bazaar.
Price: ₺20–₺80/100g (~$0.60–$3)
Where: Saturday market; Covered Bazaar
Traditional markets
Where locals shop and travellers find treasures.
Kars Covered Bazaar (Kapalı Çarşı)
Local produce, cheese, spices, textiles, copperware
Where: City centre
Hours: Mon–Sat 09:00–19:00
Saturday Open-Air Market
Honey, cheese, seasonal vegetables, dried herbs, eggs
Where: Southern Kars, near bus terminal
Hours: Saturday 07:00–13:00