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.
Kars is connected to the rest of Turkey by air, rail, and intercity bus. The fastest option is the short flight from Istanbul (approximately 2 hours 10 minutes). For a scenic journey, the legendary Eastern Express train (Doğu Ekspresi) links Ankara to Kars in about 27 hours passing through spectacular Anatolian landscapes — this is itself a tourist attraction. Within the city, dolmuş minibuses and taxis are the main options; the city is small enough to walk across in 20 minutes.
Transport tips
Travel smarter, not harder.
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