Kars district, Erzurum, Turkey

Places to visit near Kars

Kars is a town in Kars district, Erzurum, Turkey, home to about 77,486 people. Within 50 km by road there are 53 places to visit — 27 hill stations & viewpoints, 2 caves, 3 churches and 6 forts & heritage. The must-see places are Fethiye Cami (2 km), Kümbet Camii (Havariler Kilisesi) (2 km) and Church of the Holy Apostles (2 km).

Updated · Distances are road estimates · Open Kars on the map

Kars, Erzurum
Kars, Kars district, Erzurum, Turkey. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

Kars at a glance

Location
Kars district, Erzurum, Turkey
Population
about 77,486
Coordinates
40.5983° N, 43.0855° E
Places within 50 km
53 (8 must-see)
Best time to visit
October to February for cool, clear air for hill stations & viewpoints; October to February for forts & heritage; year-round for caves and churches

Top places to visit near Kars

Ranked by how worth the drive they are from Kars: must-see places and the closest well-loved spots first. Open a place for photos, today’s visitor status, timings and directions.

More places near Kars

Things to see near Kars, by type

Hill stations & viewpoints near Kars

75 hill stations & viewpoints within 100 km of Kars. The closest is Diktepe (4 km). Best time: october to february for cool, clear air.

All hill stations & viewpoints in Erzurum →

Caves near Kars

48 caves within 100 km of Kars. The closest is Allahverdi Mağarası (9 km). Best time: year-round.

All caves in Erzurum →

Churches near Kars

46 churches within 100 km of Kars. The closest is Church of the Holy Apostles (2 km). Best time: year-round.

All churches in Erzurum →

Forts & heritage near Kars

41 forts & heritage within 100 km of Kars. The closest is Cuma Baths (2 km). Best time: october to february.

All forts & heritage in Erzurum →

Lakes, dams & reservoirs near Kars

12 lakes, dams & reservoirs within 100 km of Kars. The closest is Lake Aygır (24 km). Best time: august to december when reservoirs are full and gates may open.

All lakes, dams & reservoirs in Erzurum →

Museums near Kars

9 museums within 100 km of Kars. The closest is Cheese Museum (1 km). Best time: year-round.

All museums in Erzurum →

A one-day trip from Kars

5 of the best places within 60 km, in driving order so you don’t double back: about 8 km on the road.

  1. Start in Kars
  2. 1 km Cheese Museum · museum, Kars
  3. 1 km Fethiye Cami · mosque or dargah, Kars
  4. 2 km Kümbet Camii (Havariler Kilisesi) · mosque or dargah, Kars
  5. 1 km Church of the Holy Apostles · church, Kars
  6. 1 km Kars Şelale Kordon Boyu · waterfall, Kars
  7. 2 km Back to Kars

Plan a longer trip from Kars — the planner adds a place to stay each night and keeps the route to one loop.

From travellers near Kars

No traveller has reported from around Kars yet. Been to one of these places recently? Open it and post what you found — is the waterfall flowing, how crowded was the temple, is the beach safe — so the next visitor knows before they drive.

Post an update from the map →

How to reach Kars

    All places near Kars by distance

    15–50 km — half-day trips

    50–100 km — one-day trips

    Count by type (within 100 km)

    Places near Kars by type
    TypeWithin 50 kmWithin 100 kmNearest
    Hill stations & viewpoints2775Diktepe (4 km)
    Caves248Allahverdi Mağarası (9 km)
    Churches346Church of the Holy Apostles (2 km)
    Forts & heritage641Cuma Baths (2 km)
    Lakes, dams & reservoirs412Lake Aygır (24 km)
    Museums39Cheese Museum (1 km)
    Mosques & dargahs47Fethiye Cami (2 km)
    Waterfalls37Kars Şelale Kordon Boyu (2 km)
    Other attractions06Jrapi Caravanserai (65 km)
    Buddhist sites13Khtzkonk Monastery (43 km)
    Rivers, islands & mangroves01Akhurian (54 km)

    Kars: questions travellers ask

    What are the best places to visit near Kars?

    Fethiye Cami (mosque or dargah, about 2 km), Kümbet Camii (Havariler Kilisesi) (mosque or dargah, about 2 km), Church of the Holy Apostles (church, about 2 km), Kars Şelale Kordon Boyu (waterfall, about 2 km), Cheese Museum (museum, about 1 km), Kafkas Cephesi Harp Tarihi Müzesi (museum, about 1 km).

    How many tourist places are there within 50 km of Kars?

    53 places on Spotwander: 27 hill stations & viewpoints, 2 caves, 3 churches, 6 forts & heritage, 4 lakes, dams & reservoirs.

    Which is the nearest viewpoint to Kars?

    Diktepe, about 4 km by road; Üçler Tepesi (16 km) is next.

    Which is the nearest cave to Kars?

    Allahverdi Mağarası, about 9 km by road; Azizbey Cave (13 km) is next.

    Which is the nearest church to Kars?

    Church of the Holy Apostles, about 2 km by road; Tekor Basilica (47 km) is next.

    What is a good one-day trip from Kars?

    Start in Kars, visit Cheese Museum, then Fethiye Cami, then Kümbet Camii (Havariler Kilisesi), then Church of the Holy Apostles, then Kars Şelale Kordon Boyu, and drive back — about 8 km by road in all.

    What is the best time to visit places near Kars?

    October to February for cool, clear air for hill stations & viewpoints; October to February for forts & heritage; year-round for caves and churches.

    Towns near Kars

    Sources: places from OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata and GeoNames; Kars’s location and population from GeoNames; see also Kars on Wikipedia. Data sources & credits.