The Ultimate Eskisehir Travel Guide

Eskisehir, one of Turkey’s most unique and livable cities dating back to 3000 BC, will fascinate you with both its cultural and natural beauties. The city, which has a young and dynamic population with its three major universities, is also home to a rich heritage with its historical texture. Porsuk River runs through the center of the city, which is one of the most important features of Eskişehir. There are many museums and art galleries in the city. Some of them are the first and only in Turkey. Eskisehir’s culinary delights are also among the unforgettable ones. In this article, I will tell you about all these beauties of Eskisehir and I will give you recommendations so that you can plan a more efficient trip. If you are ready, let’s start, here is the complete Eskisehir Travel Guide…

When to go to Eskisehir? How many days to visit Eskisehir?

Eskisehir has a harsh continental climate. Winters are cold and snowy, summers are hot and dry. I can say that the best time to travel to Eskişehir is spring and autumn. The weather is milder and rainfall is less during these months. You can also see the natural beauties of the city better during these months, the parks will be lush and green. I think you can easily visit most of Eskişehir in 2 days, it is an ideal weekend trip route. If you go when the days are long, you can plan a day trip with a lot of hustle and bustle, or if you want to enjoy it, you can stay 3-4 days.

How to get to Eskisehir? How is public transportation in Eskisehir?

The easiest way to get to Eskisehir is by high speed train. There is a train from Istanbul to Eskişehir from 6:38 in the morning and there are 19 departures until 12 at night. You can also go to Eskişehir by high speed train from Konya and Ankara. Those who want to go from Izmir can also use the train, but there is no high speed train, you can use the train that takes around 10 hours. Public transportation in Eskişehir is quite easy with the tramway system called Estram. You can already walk to most places, but you can use it to reach more distant places, I used it 2 times.

Where to stay in Eskisehir? Eskisehir Accommodation

The two most beautiful hotels in Eskişehir are Tasigo and OMM Inn. Tasigo is a thermal hotel, so I would not recommend it for those who will have an busy travel program to Eskişehir, but if you want to both enjoy the hotel and visit Eskişehir, this place is ideal. OMM Inn is located next to Odunpazari Modern Museum and it is very good in terms of location and design. If you are not interested in these, other alternatives are Park Dedeman, Merlot Hotel, Ramada Plaza, Hilton Garden Inn or Anemon.

Where and What to Eat in Eskisehir? Eskisehir Food Guide

The most famous foods in Eskişehir are Çibörek, Balaban Kebab and Met Halva. I can say that Balaban Kebab is a kind of iskender doner made with meatballs. But where to eat Balaban kebab in Eskisehir? The most famous place is Abdüsselam Balaban Kebab Hall, and the other one is Fahrettin Usta Ütülü Balaban, which makes balaban meatballs with iron. Çibörek is a Tatar food and the most recommended places for çibörek in Eskişehir are Kırım Çibörek Restaurant in Kentpark and Kırım Tatar Kültür Çi Börek Evi in Odunpazarı.

For normal meatballs (not Balaban style), Tatlıdil köftecisi, for breakfast Ayten Usta Gourmet Restaurant or Doyuran Breakfast Hall, for hamburgers Pino or Gorill Burger, for nuts Kurtuluş. I didn’t go because I don’t like liver, but Ciğerci Ahmet is highly recommended, both the liver and the snacks are great. If you want to eat something healthy, Pure Kitchen is very good, you can find vegetarian and vegan food.

If you like Boza, Karakedi Bozacısı’s Boza is really very delicious, I recommend you try it. For dessert, you should try halva at Tanınmış Helvacı, a Turkish pudding at Mazlumlar Muhallebicisi and an ice cream at Tadım Fadima. Petifür, a small pastry of French origin, has also become famous in Eskişehir, and Petifürcü Lalezar and Süreyya patisserie are very famous for it.

For alcoholic/non-alcoholic drinks with friends, I recommend Haller Youth Center or Varuna Gezgin. Dudes is a good option for cocktails. For coffee, Kokopelli Coffee Co. is a very nice place.

Places to Shop Local Souvenirs in Eskisehir

If you want to take something from Eskişehir as a gift to yourself or your loved ones, you have many options for shopping. You can find handicrafts, glass and ceramic objects, delicious desserts and many other products that reflect the historical and cultural texture of the city.

One of the most popular souvenirs of Eskişehir is meerschaum. Since this stone is soft and easy to work, it is used to make ornaments, jewelry, trinkets and of course meerschaum. You can buy meerschaum at Atlıhan Handicraft Bazaar or Eskişehir Meerschaum Museum. Another specialty of Eskişehir is its well-developed glass art. Here you can find various objects, ornaments, jewelry and souvenirs made of glass. For glass gifts, you can visit the Museum of Glass Arts or Glass Things.

If you want to buy something to eat, you can buy met halva, walnut halva and tahini halva from Tanınmış Helvacı, boza from Karakedi, poppy seed walnut bread from the Tarihi Odunpazarı Taş Fırını or nuts from Kurtuluş.

Things to Do in Eskisehir

Porsuk River One of the most important symbols of Eskişehir, is located in the city center. You can ride a gondola or take a tour of the islands by boat.

Vecihi Hürkuş Aviation Park: Here, you can see civilian and warplanes of various types and models, entrance is free.

TÜRASAŞ Museum of Revolution Cars: In this museum, you can see Turkey’s first ever domestic vehicle, the Revolution Automobile and locomotives produced by Turkish engineers and workers, entrance is free.

KentPark: A very large park with a pond, swimming pools, an artificial beach, which is the first of its kind in Turkey, restaurants, horse riding areas, and children’s playgrounds.

Waterfall Park: This is a park where you can enjoy a panoramic view of the city. It has an artificial waterfall, windmill, children’s playgrounds, mini amphitheater, restaurant, cafe, tea garden, walking paths, observation terrace.

Places To Visit in Eskisehir

Odunpazari Houses: This region is a must-visit with its historical texture, houses, bazaar, streets and museums. It is also on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Odunpazarı Modern Museum: Some of the best examples of contemporary art are exhibited here. The exhibitions in the museum change regularly, so you can see different works when you go at different times.

Kurşunlu Complex: Kurşunlu Mosque, one of the oldest mosques in Eskişehir, is a historical building from the Seljuk period and is located in Odunpazarı. The complex consists of a mosque, madrasah and tombs.

Independence Museum: It is a museum that tells the story of the Turkish War of Independence with miniature sculptures, wax sculptures, photographs and a movie. You can take a photo with Atatürk at the exit.

Eti Archeology Museum: One of the most worth visiting museums in Eskişehir. In the museum, historical pieces obtained from archaeological excavations in the region are exhibited.

Other museums you can visit: Museum of Contemporary Glass Arts, Meerschaum Museum, Yılmaz Büyükerşen Wax Sculptures Museum, Turkish Bath Museum.

Sazova Park: This park, which is built on a very large area, has museums, science centers, a zoo and a fairytale castle. You can also take a train inside the park.

Turkish World Science, Culture and Art Center: This museum is free of charge and it is really nice, you should definitely visit it. It includes the leading science and art geniuses of the entire Turkish world. There was also a music section.

I hope my article will be a good guide for you on your trip to Eskisehir. There may be something I missed, if you have any other questions, please leave them in the comments. If you have additional suggestions, I would like to hear them in the comments as well. Have a nice trip!

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