Blending the vivid color of saffron, the strength of iron and the beauty of nature, the northwestern province of Karabük stands out with Safranbolu, a well-preserved Ottoman town located 8 kilometers north of the city center.
Safranbolu, under protection since 1975 and on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1994, offers visitors a journey through time with its inns, baths, mosques and mansions. Known as “the city where time stands still,” it combines history with nature through its canyons, highlands and traditional crafts.
Historian and author Professor İlber Ortaylı describes Safranbolu as “Türkiye’s Italy.” Each October, the district hosts the Safran Festival to promote the valuable saffron flower, used for centuries in medicine, cosmetics and gastronomy. The event features saffron harvests, local food tastings, exhibitions and cultural activities.
Hıdırlık Hill, one of the best viewpoints for Safranbolu’s panorama, is an important ceremonial site from the Ottoman period and remains a popular stop for visitors and photographers. The hill is also associated with rain prayers and Hıdırellez celebrations.
Visitors can tour Yemeniciler Arastası, known for traditional leatherwork; Demirciler Çarşısı, where blacksmithing continues; Sipahioğlu Arastası with its handicrafts; and Kazdağlı Square, home to cafés, restaurants and shops selling lokum and saffron.
Kaymakamlar Museum House
Kaymakamlar Museum House reflects Safranbolu’s Ottoman domestic architecture. Built in the late 18th century for Hacı Mehmet Efendi, the three-story mansion now displays traditional clothing, kitchenware and examples of woodwork, offering insight into daily life in the region.
Köprülü Mehmet Paşa Mosque
Commissioned by Grand Vizier Köprülü Mehmet Paşa in 1661–1662, the mosque features a sundial in its courtyard, placed on a stone base and marked with Arabic numerals.
Yörük Village
Located 11 kilometers from Safranbolu, Yörük Village is known for its well-preserved traditional Turkish architecture. Protected since 1997 for its authentic character and 16th-century origins, the village includes 93 registered historical structures. Several artists, writers and journalists have restored houses here. Among the notable figures connected to the village are opera singer Leyla Gencer, fashion designer Cemil İpekçi and the grandmother of TV presenter Gülgün Feyman.
Hadrianopolis Ancient City
Hadrianopolis in Eskipazar stands as one of Karabük’s key archaeological sites. Thought to have been founded in the first century B.C., the city became an important religious and commercial center during the Roman and Byzantine eras. Excavations have revealed well-preserved mosaics, including bird and deer motifs, as well as remains of baths, a theater, fortification walls, water channels and vaulted structures. The site is often described as “the Zeugma of the Black Sea.”
Associate Professor Ersin Çelikbaş of Karabük University, head of the excavations, said archaeological work in the region began with rescue digs in 2003, followed by scientific studies in 2006. He noted that the excavations shed new light on Paphlagonia, an area previously lacking concrete archaeological data.
Çelikbaş said nine structures have been partially or fully excavated so far, five of which have been opened to visitors after restoration. Walking paths and a visitor center have also been completed. “Hadrianopolis is one of the rare places in Anatolia where nature and history come together and reflects local culture and art, unlike many cities in the Aegean and Mediterranean,” he said.
Şeker Canyon
Nestled in the Yenice district, Şeker Canyon stretches 6.5 kilometers and is known for its steep cliffs, rich vegetation and the clear Şeker Stream. Part of the Yenice Forests ecosystem, one of Europe’s most biologically diverse areas, the canyon is popular for hiking, camping, photography and nature observation.
Ihlamur Terrace
Ihlamur Terrace, also in Yenice, offers sweeping views of canyons, forests and valleys, surrounded by linden trees from which it takes its name. New facilities, including a café, walking paths and viewing platforms, have enhanced the site. The area also hosts a Plant Museum, providing an outdoor learning environment for students, researchers and nature photographers.
