Things to Do in Kirikkale: The Highlights

By All Over InformationUpdated August 10, 20267 min read

Kirikkale is not the first name that comes to mind when you think of Turkish travel, and that is exactly why it rewards a visit: a real provincial city of the central Anatolian plain, with parks, a national museum, rivers and the quiet landscapes of the countryside. This list runs through the best things to do in Kirikkale, from the essential stops to the pleasures of the plain around it.

1. Walk the Yenişehir Park

The Yenişehir park is the green heart of Kirikkale and the best introduction to the city. Its lawns, trees and walks fill with families in the evenings and on weekends, and its calm makes it the perfect place to start a visit.

Sit on a bench, watch the life of the city go by, and let the park set the pace of your day. It is the social center of the province, and it shows you Kirikkale at its most relaxed.

The park is at its best in the late afternoon, when the light softens and the families arrive for the evening stroll. It is the easiest place in the province to feel the daily rhythm of the city.

The park was laid out as the city grew into its provincial role, and it remains the stage for the town’s festivals and its days off. In the evenings it fills with the families of the city, and the promenades are the easiest place to feel Kirikkale’s calm, friendly pulse.

2. Visit the Museum of Independence

The museum devoted to the War of Independence is the most important stop in the city, telling the story of the struggle that founded the Turkish Republic. Its documents, photographs and objects bring the national story to life.

The museum connects Kirikkale to the founding years of modern Turkey, and it gives the whole region context. Allow a couple of hours; it is a serious, moving place.

The museum is also a place of reflection, and the galleries are arranged so that the story unfolds in order. Take your time with the photographs and the documents; they carry the weight of the years.

Kirikkale, Turkey — Photo by rus-burkhanov on Pixabay

3. See the Old Bridge over the Kizilirmak

The most beautiful structure of the region is the old Ottoman bridge that carries the road across the Kizilirmak, the Red River of central Anatolia. The long stone span, with its arches reflected in the water, has served the region for centuries.

The bridge is best seen in the late afternoon, when the light picks out the stone and the river. It is the classic photograph of the region, and the single most memorable sight for most visitors.

The bridge’s setting, with the river and the fields around it, is the classic landscape of the region. The best time is the golden hour, when the arches and the water catch the light together.

4. Drive the Valley of the Delice River

The Delice River, which gives its name to one of the districts of the province, runs through the quiet northern lands of the region. Its valley is green, unvisited and full of the fields and villages of the plain.

A drive along the river takes you through the real countryside of central Anatolia, with picnic spots and old bridges along the way. It is the calmest excursion of the region, and the one that best shows the plain.

The valley is also the place of the region’s old ways, with the villages keeping the crafts and the cooking of the plain. The drives along the river are quiet and green, and the stops are friendly.

The Delice River has shaped the district that bears its name, and the valley is the province’s quiet heart. The old bridges over the water, the fields along its banks and the villages of the valley make it the best place in the region for a slow, green afternoon.

5. Explore the Market and the Food of the City

The market in the center of Kirikkale is the everyday face of the province: stalls of fruit, vegetables, cheese, honey and the produce of the plain. A walk through it is the best introduction to the region’s food.

The lokantas and pideci shops around the market serve the dishes of central Anatolia, from mantis and keks to the soups and pastries of the region. Eat where the families eat, and you will eat very well indeed.

The market is busiest in the morning, and the stallholders are happy to let you taste before you buy. The cheese, the honey and the fresh produce of the plain are the best of the province.

6. See the Industrial Heritage of the City

Kirikkale is an industrial city, and its steel works and arms factories are its identity. The great plants dominate the skyline, and the city grew around them in the early years of the Republic.

The industry is best appreciated from the roads and bridges that pass the plants, and in the stories of the people who work them. It is a different kind of sight, and a genuine part of the city’s character.

The factories have their own beauty, with the towers and the stacks of the plants lit at night. The industrial heritage of Kirikkale is a proud one, and the town wears it openly.

The industrial heritage of Kirikkale is also its social history, and the quarters built for the workers of the plants tell the story of the city’s growth. The housing, the schools and the institutions that grew around the factories are part of the town’s character, and they are worth a slow drive.

7. Visit the Districts of the Province

The province of Kirikkale spreads across the plain in small market towns, each with its own character. The district of Keskin, in the south, is famous for its handwoven kilims, and its carpet traditions are known across Turkey.

A drive through the districts takes you to mosques, bazaars and the slow life of the Anatolian countryside. The province is small, and its towns are easy to see in a day.

The district towns have their own markets and their own rhythms, and each has a story to tell. The kilims of Keskin are the best-known craft, and the weavers welcome a look at their work.

8. Walk the Riverbanks of the Region

Beyond the famous old bridge, the riverbanks of the Kizilirmak and the Delice offer quiet walks and views over the water and the fields. The valleys are green, calm and largely empty of visitors.

Bring a picnic, find a spot by the water, and watch the plain do its slow work of growing and flowing. It is the simplest and most restful experience of the region.

The riverbanks are also the place of the region’s birds, and the willows hold herons and kingfishers through the year. A quiet hour by the water is the province at its most peaceful.

The riverbanks of the region change with the seasons, from the green of spring to the gold of autumn, and each season has its walkers and its fishermen. The slow water and the wide sky make the banks the province’s best place for thinking.

9. Eat a Full Anatolian Breakfast

Breakfast in Kirikkale is the classic spread of the plain: white cheese, honey, olives, eggs, tomatoes and the fresh bread of the region, with tea served in the tulip glasses of Turkey.

The breakfast places of the city serve this spread through the morning, and it is the perfect start to a day of exploring. Allow an hour; in the provinces, breakfast is not a pit stop.

The breakfast tables of the provinces are generous, and Kirikkale’s are no exception. The cheese and honey of the region, with the fresh bread of the local bakeries, make the morning the best meal of the day.

Breakfast in the provinces is a ceremony, and the tables of Kirikkale are laid with the produce of the plain and the mountains. The tea flows, the conversation runs, and the morning becomes the day’s first and best event.

10. Pass Through the Plain at Golden Hour

The plain around Kirikkale is the classic landscape of central Anatolia: wheat fields, villages and the long horizons of the interior. At golden hour, the light across the plain is extraordinary.

Drive any road out of the city in the late afternoon, and you will see the region at its most beautiful. It is the free experience of Kirikkale, and in many ways the best one.

The plain’s long horizons make its sunsets among the finest in central Anatolia, with the light spreading across the fields. Find a quiet road, stop the car, and watch the sky do its work.

The plain at golden hour is the image the traveler takes home: the long light, the wide fields and the quiet roads of central Anatolia. It is the free gift of Kirikkale, and it is worth staying for.

Frequently asked questions

What is the most important sight in Kirikkale?

The museum devoted to the War of Independence is the most important stop, telling the story of the struggle that founded the Turkish Republic and the region’s part in it. For pure beauty, the old Ottoman bridge over the Kizilirmak is the most memorable sight of the region.

What is Kirikkale famous for?

Kirikkale is famous across Turkey as an industrial city, known for its steel works and its arms factories, which have dominated its economy since the early years of the Republic. It is also known for the Yenişehir park, its museum and the kilims of the Keskin district.

How much time do I need in Kirikkale?

A day is enough for the main sights: the museum, the park, the rivers and the districts of the plain. The city is compact and easy to get around, and its countryside is close at hand, which makes a single well-planned day a satisfying amount of time.

All Over Information

The All Over Information editorial team researches and writes practical English-language guides to Turkey. Facts are checked against official and local sources before publication, prices are published as dated ranges rather than quotes, and guides are revised when things change. We accept no sponsored posts, paid placements or paid links.