Eskişehir walking tour & city guide

Odunpazarı

The old quarter of Odunpazarı climbs a hillside above the center, its narrow streets lined with restored Ottoman houses painted in pastel colors, with overhanging upper floors and wooden bay windows. Many now hold small museums, craft shops and cafés, including workshops selling meerschaum, the soft white stone carved into pipes and jewelry here for centuries.

The Kurşunlu Mosque complex, from the 16th century, sits at the heart of the quarter, and nearby the striking Odunpazarı Modern Museum, built of stacked timber, shows contemporary art. The quarter is on UNESCO's tentative list.

The Porsuk river and center

The Porsuk river runs through the middle of the city, crossed by footbridges and lined with willow trees, cafés and promenades. Small boats and gondolas glide along it in summer, giving the center an unexpected canal-town feel.

Around the river, pedestrian streets such as Adalar and the area near the Köprübaşı bridge are full of students in the evening. Further out, Sazova Park has a lake, a fairy-tale castle and a replica pirate ship, and the city's science and art museums are popular with families.

A classic walk: Odunpazarı to the river

Begin at the Kurşunlu Mosque and wander the lanes of Odunpazarı, then walk downhill through the old bazaar streets, where shops sell dried fruit, nuts and coffee, toward the center. Pick up the riverside path at Köprübaşı and follow the Porsuk past the Adalar district and its bridges. The route is about four kilometers and the trams make it easy to get back.