Kahramanmaras
Kahramanmaraş, which used to be known as Maraş, is a city in Turkey, located on the crossroad of southern, eastern and southeastern Turkey.
Understand
Kahramanmaraş is the capital city of Kahramanmaraş Province in southeastern Turkey. The city lies on a plain at the foot of the Taurus Mountains and has a population of 400,100 (2010). The region is best known for its production of salep, a flour made from dried orchid tubers, and its distinctive ice cream.
Get in
By plane
Turkish Airlines operates daily direct flights from Istanbul, and Anadolu Jet operates direct flights from Ankara.
By train
As of 2019, there are no rail services to Kahramanmaras. Nearest train station is in the small town of Türkoğlu, 20 kilometers south, which is served by one train per day on the Adana-Elâzığ route.
By car
Adana - 2 hours (230 km) Gaziantep - 55 minutes (80 km)
By bus
Available from every city in Turkey
Get around
In the city of Kahramanmaras you can travel with the dolmuş minibuses (Fare: 1.25 TL), public urban buses (Halk otobüsü) (Fare: 1.15 TL) or taxi.
See
- The Castle Of Kahramanmaras
- The Covered Bazaar of Kahramanmaras
- Pinarbasi
- Ulu Mosque
- Kahramanmaras Zoo - Hanefi Mahcicek Ave. Ungut/Kahramanmaras
- Eshab-ı Kehf (Seven Sleepers) - Afşin/Kahramanmaras
- Taş Medrese — An Islamic center of learning close to Ulu Mosque
- Dongel Caves — Kahramanmaras - Kayseri road (57 km) Tekir/Kahramanmaras
- Kahramanmaras Museum on Azerbaycan Blv. — a small archaeological museum containing a diverse array of artifacts, most notably including a large Hittite collection.
Do
- Walk around at Trabzon Ave.
- Covered Bazaar: A must see. A big bazaar, where you can buy clothes, presents, etc. There are also a lot of lounges where you can sit.
Buy
Eat
| This page uses the following price ranges for a typical meal for one, including soft drink: | |
| Budget | 3.50–4.50 TL |
| Mid-range | 4.50–10 TL |
| Splurge | 10 TL+ |
- Soups: Tarhana, Eşkili Soup, Döğmeli Mercimekli Soup, Yoğurtlu Döğmeli Soup and Maraş Paçası
- Koftes (Burgers): Simit Köftesi, Kısır Köftesi, Içli Köfte, Sömelek Köfte, Suluyağlı Köfte, Eşkili Köfte, Yoğurtlu Köfte, Yavan köfte, Eşkili Aya Köftesi.
- Kebabs
- Ice Cream - In Yasar Patiserie Trabzon Ave.
- Baklava
Budget
Cinaralti Kebab (Azerbaycan Ave.)
Cumhuriyet Lokantasi (Covered Bazaar)
Antepli Lahmacun (Binevler/Kahramanmaras)
Mid-range
Selale Park Café (Trabzon Ave.)
Kasap Ibrahim (Hukumet Ave.)
Kucuk Ev Kebab (Trabzon Ave.)
Yenisehir Lokantasi (Trabzon Ave.)
Turaç (Sait Zaifoglu Ave. Orman St. No: 101)
Splurge
Sezal Restaurant (Hanefi Mahcicek Ave. near Kahramanmaras Zoo)
Drink
- The open-air café at Selale Park is good for a relief and some shade while watching the city during a summer day.
- All patiseries and cafes in Trabzon Ave. are attractive.
Sleep
Budget
Arıkan Oteli (Azerbaycan Ave.)
Mid-range
Buyuk Kahramanmaras Oteli (Trabzon Ave.)
Hotel Belli (Trabzon Ave.)
Stay safe
Kahramanmaras is one of the safest cities in Turkey for its size. There are no slums or districts you should avoid. In general, you can visit any part of the city at any time of the day without taking many risks — just use your common sense. At night, though, it is wise to avoid parks, as well as the area within and around Ulu Mosque and Castle. The drug scene at Castle hangs out there during the day, but they do not care at all about tourists. Just ignore them and they will ignore you.
Go next
- Andirin
- Baskonus
- Yesilgoz
- Tekir
- Dongel Caves