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Kayseri sits on the high Anatolian plateau beneath the snowy cone of Mount Erciyes, and it has been a crossroads for thousands of years. As Caesarea it was the capital of Roman Cappadocia, and under the Seljuks of the 12th and 13th centuries it became one of their great cities, leaving mosques, madrasas and tombs that still shape the old centre.
Today it is a busy industrial and trading city, known across Turkey for its business sense and its food, especially pastirma, sucuk and tiny manti dumplings. The dark stone castle, the Hunat Hatun complex, the Grand Mosque and the old covered bazaar all lie within walking distance of each other, with the conical Doner Kumbet tomb a short ride away.
Beyond the city, Mount Erciyes has one of Turkey's leading ski resorts, the mound of Kultepe preserves Bronze Age Kanesh, and the Sultan Marshes draw flamingos and other birds. Kayseri Erkilet Airport makes the city a practical base for central Anatolia, with the valleys of Cappadocia about an hour to the west.
Commissioned in the 1230s by Mahperi Hunat Hatun, wife of the Seljuk sultan Alaeddin Keykubad I, this complex joins a mosque, a madrasa, a bathhouse and her own tomb. Its carved stone portals rank among the finest in Anatolia. Step into the madrasa courtyard to see the stonework up close.
Founded in 1206 in memory of the Seljuk princess Gevher Nesibe, this twin madrasa housed one of Anatolia's earliest hospitals and medical schools. Restored by Erciyes University, it now displays medical instruments and explains treatments of the era, including music and water therapy.
This 13th-century Seljuk tomb, built for a princess named Sah Cihan Hatun, has a twelve-sided body crowned by a conical roof. Its outer walls are carved with palm trees, lions and a double-headed eagle, among the finest reliefs of their time. Walk slowly around it to take in each panel.
Begun in the 12th century under the Danishmendid dynasty and completed by the Seljuks, the Grand Mosque is one of the oldest buildings in Kayseri. Inside, rows of thick stone columns create a calm, dim prayer hall that feels far from the traffic outside. Visit outside prayer times, modestly dressed.
Built of dark volcanic stone, Kayseri Castle stands in the heart of the city, its inner walls dating back to Byzantine times and its main fabric rebuilt by the Seljuks in the 13th century. Much of the interior is now a market. Walk around the outside of the walls to appreciate their towers.
Built in the Ottoman period in the 1850s, Kayseri's Covered Bazaar is a maze of vaulted lanes selling carpets, jewellery, textiles and household goods, close to the castle and the Grand Mosque. Shops nearby sell the city's famous pastirma and sucuk. Haggle politely and stop for a glass of tea.
The archaeological museum holds finds from across the region, above all from Kultepe, where Bronze Age Assyrian merchants left clay tablets written in cuneiform. A highlight is a Roman sarcophagus carved with the labours of Hercules. Visit before heading out to the Kultepe mound itself.
This traditional stone mansion of the Gupgupoglu family shows how wealthy Kayseri households once lived, with carved wooden ceilings, painted rooms, period furniture and costumes, and it has served as the city's ethnography museum. Look up at the ceilings, the finest details of the house.
The extinct volcano of Erciyes rises to about 3,900 metres south of the city and is the highest peak in central Anatolia. Its modern ski resort has long runs and lifts that make it a winter favourite, while summer brings hikers and mountain bikers. Pack warm layers, as the weather turns quickly.
Northeast of the city, the mound of Kultepe holds the remains of ancient Kanesh, a Bronze Age city where Assyrian merchants ran a trading colony almost 4,000 years ago. Tens of thousands of their clay tablets have been found here. Walls and house foundations can be seen across the excavated area.
South of Kayseri, the Sultan Marshes are a wide wetland of reeds, lakes and salt flats that draw flamingos, herons, pelicans and many migrating birds. Observation towers help with spotting across the open water. Spring and autumn migrations are the best seasons, so bring binoculars and patience.
The village of Agirnas, near the city, is the birthplace of Mimar Sinan, the great Ottoman architect of the 16th century. His family's stone house has been restored as a small museum, and the village's old houses sit above rock-cut passages and cellars. Wander the quiet lanes after your visit.
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