Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Central Asia yurt night stars
Uzbekistan • 15 days, 14 nights
Central Asia Road Trip: Backroads & Bazaars
from
Caucasus - Geghard Monastery, Armenia
Armenia • 15 days, 14 nights
Caucasus Road Trip: Azerbaijan, Georgia & Armenia
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Midas Tümülüsü (Tumulus MM)
The Devil's Column
Weightlifting Hall of Fame
The khao soi at Gedhawa comes with a rich, coconutty broth.
Gedhawa
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
The khao soi at Gedhawa comes with a rich, coconutty broth.
Gedhawa
At Nai Mong Hoi Thod, the oyster omelet is worth waiting for.
Nai Mong Hoi Thod
In this deceptively simple dish, top-quality ingredients are paramount.
Kor Panich
Customize your bowl with sliced pork, pork balls, fish cake, and offal.
Rung Rueang
Pasties are an Upper Michigan tradition dating back to mining days.
Lehto’s Pasties
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
For Aguilar-Carrasco, nature is a powerful reminder of the interconnectedness of all life.
How Can National Parks Be Made Accessible to All? AO Wants to Know.
3 days ago
Podcast: Finding ‘The Great Gatsby’ in Louisville
4 days ago
Here’s which treats you can safely lug home without risking a fine.
Dear Atlas: What International Food Can I Legally Bring Into the U.S.?
5 days ago
Cely’s map is not only accurate, but captures the unique characteristics of Congaree’s trees and waterways.
How One Biologist Drew a Hyper-Accurate, Ranger-Approved Map of Congaree National Park
6 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Turkey Safranbolu Safranbolu, Turkey

Safranbolu, Turkey

Ottoman-era houses lovingly preserved.

Safranbolu, Turkey

Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
A street in historical Shoe-makers market of Safranbolu. (Wikimedia Commons)   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Safranbolu
A street in historical Shoe-makers market of Safranbolu. (Wikimedia Commons)   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Safranbolu
Street in historical center. (Wikimedia Commons)   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Safranbolu
Brook under the buildings and streets at historical center. (Wikimedia Commons)   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Safranbolu
General view. (Wikimedia Commons)   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Safranbolu
General view. (Wikimedia Commons)   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Safranbolu
General view. (Wikimedia Commons)   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Safranbolu
Roman constructions on brook under the buildings and streets at historical center. (Wikimedia Commons)   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Safranbolu
Safranbolu Pansiyon. (Wikimedia Commons)   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Safranbolu
Traditional houses. (Wikimedia Commons)   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Safranbolu
Traditional houses. (Wikimedia Commons)   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Safranbolu
Safranbolu, Turkey. (Wikimedia Commons)   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Safranbolu
Asmazlar konak interior. (Wikimedia Commons)   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Safranbolu
  egehzr / Atlas Obscura User
  egehzr / Atlas Obscura User
  egehzr / Atlas Obscura User
  egehzr / Atlas Obscura User
The town’s clock tower, dating back to 1797, is the oldest in Turkey.   egehzr / Atlas Obscura User
  egehzr / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Go ahead: Spend the night and enjoy a Turkish bath in the hamam in the morning. Get up early and explore this city, the one where even the Turks travel for vacation, before everyone else wakes up. It's the only way to see it unspoiled, we're told. But that's an exaggeration. This city is worth exploring any time of day and is the ideal destination for those who like to avoid the typical tourist traps and throngs of vacationers; you won't find many foreign visitors in Safranbolu.

Named after safran, which was a major export of this region, Safranbolu was an important caravan station on the major trade routes of the region that existed between the 13th and early 20th centuries. As it continued to grow, Safranbolu thrived; by the 17th century, the city's architecture influence most of the urban development throughout much of the Ottoman Empire.

The Old Town, which is the name of the city center in Safranbolu, still stands, preserved for visitors to enjoy. Many of the old buildings, which more than 1,000 registered historical artifacts, include 25 mosques, a private museum, tombs, several Turkish baths, a historical clock tower, foundations, a sundial, and hundreds of mansions and houses. Safranbolu also includes historical bridges, rock tombs, and ancient settlements, none of which are to be missed if you have the time to visit during your stay. The Old Town - the place that holds all of these buildings - is itself a site to behold, situated deep in a ravine.

Though it took its name from it, safran doesn't play as large a role in the continuing development of this city as the caravans have slowly dried up. Still, industrialization, while it has come to - and transformed - many nearby towns, has not yet hit Safranbolu. In 1994, UNESCO declared the city a World Heritage site because of its well-reserve Ottoman architecture and houses. Costumed staff in cafes and restaurants serve Ottoman cuisine to help keep the era alive.

Related Tags

Intriguing Environs Architectural Oddities Architecture Ecosystems

Know Before You Go

Take a Metro or Ulubus from Istanbul to Safranbolu; your pansiyon will pick you up at the bus station or you can take a cab.

Community Contributors

Edited By

nbj914, egehzr

  • nbj914
  • egehzr

Published

June 13, 2011

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • Turkey Travel Planner: Safranbolu, Turkey: http://www.turkeytravelplanner.com/go/CentralAnatolia/Safranbolu/
  • Wikipedia: Safranbolu: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Safranbolu
  • Organization of World Heritage Cities: Safranbolu, Turkey: http://www.ovpm.org/en/turkey/safranbolu
Safranbolu, Turkey
Safranbolu, 78400
Turkey
41.24374, 32.690334
Visit Website

Nearby Places

Ulus Victory Monument

Ankara, Turkey

miles away

Burj Al Babas

Mudurnu, Turkey

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Turkey

Turkey

Middle East

Places 127
Stories 20

Nearby Places

Ulus Victory Monument

Ankara, Turkey

miles away

Burj Al Babas

Mudurnu, Turkey

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Turkey

Turkey

Middle East

Places 127
Stories 20

Related Places

  • Casa de Fusta.

    Amposta, Spain

    Casa de Fusta

    This Canadian hunting lodge is a long way from home.

  • Water tower and other building in Fordlandia, Brazil.

    Aveiro, Brazil

    Fordlândia

    Henry Ford's failed rubber plantation in the middle of the Amazon rain forest.

  • Lucky visitors to the Supreme Court play basketball.

    Washington, D.C.

    The Highest Court In the Land

    There just so happens to be a court even higher than the U.S Supreme Court: a basketball court in the building itself.

  • Ithaa

    Rangalifinolhu, Maldives

    Ithaa Undersea Restaurant

    An underwater restaurant, surrounded by a coral reef.

  • Casa Grande Ruins

    Coolidge, Arizona

    Casa Grande Ruins

    Some of the tallest ancient American ruins continue to inspire awe and curiosity.

  • European architechture mixes with traditional Chinese iconography throughout the area.

    Shanghai, China

    Shanghai French Concession

    An out-of-place slice of France, smack in the middle of Shanghai.

  • View of Shanghai and the Oriental Pearl Tower

    Shanghai, China

    Oriental Pearl Tower

    The once highest point in China blends symbolic design with a kick of adrenaline.

  • Crestline, California

    Mozumdar Temple

    This temple, built by an eccentric religious leader before his death, sits guarded and in ruins.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.