Discover Çorum: Hittite sites, nature and regional cuisine

In Çorum, impressive traces of Hittite culture meet diverse landscapes. Rock reliefs, archaeological finds and museums each offer their own focus, alongside hiking and cycling routes, a canyon and a reservoir. When planning your trip, it is worth first considering whether you would mainly like to explore archaeological sites, spend time outdoors or discover regional cuisine.

Hittite heritage and museums

More than 90 gods, goddesses, animals and imaginary creatures are carved into the rock at the Yazılıkaya rock sanctuary. The figures make it a distinctive destination for anyone interested in Hittite imagery. Excavations at Sapinuwa uncovered an archive of nearly 4,000 cuneiform tablets and fragments.

The Çorum Museum displays Hittite finds from excavations at Hattusa, Alacahöyük and Yörüklü Hüseyindede in Çorum Province. Cuneiform tablets and seal impressions from Ortaköy-Sapinuwa are also among the exhibits. The Alacahöyük Museum focuses on finds from Alacahöyük spanning four periods: the Chalcolithic, Early Bronze Age, Hittite and Phrygian periods. The collections thus offer different ways to explore the sites and periods.

Hattusa and Alacahöyük

Hattusa is located in Boğazkale District and is included both on the UNESCO World Heritage List and in the UNESCO Memory of the World Register. This open-air museum contains the remains of temples, monumental gates, royal buildings and city walls. In Alacahöyük, the Sphinx Gate marks the entrance to a temple and is one of the city’s two most important entrance gates. Towers, stone blocks and reliefs on the outer wall define the gate. Other significant finds at the site include the Royal Tombs, known for their grave goods.

Those wishing to explore the area on foot can include Alacahöyük as a starting point for the Hittite Way. The route extends for 385 kilometres and comprises 17 hiking trails and six alternative routes, including mountain biking routes. This is on a different scale from the designated routes across the Kargı highlands: there, 162 kilometres of marked cycling routes and 108 kilometres of marked hiking trails are designated as routes in the Kızılırmak Basin for gastronomy and hiking. As markings may be updated, check the route status before setting out.

Canyon, nature park and Obruk Reservoir

The 12-kilometre-long İncesu Canyon is suitable for rafting and trekking. It is also home to the largest Hellenistic-period Cybele relief known in Anatolia. A 1.5-kilometre steel walkway leads to the relief, which can be visited at any time of year. Check trail and access conditions before your trip.

At Sıklık Nature Park, the focus is on nature walks, picnics, photography, and observing plants and wildlife. The fauna viewing area includes roe deer, gazelles, deer, wild goats and wild sheep; the presence of species may vary seasonally. Obruk Reservoir lies north of Çorum, is 30 kilometres long and is bordered by forested mountain ranges. The area is suitable for birdwatching and photography, although bird sightings are seasonal. Sailing, rowing, speedboating and fishing are also possible at the reservoir.

Regional cuisine and crafts

Çorum’s cuisine includes nearly 100 dishes. At various restaurants specializing in regional flavors, you can try Mayalı, Yanıç, Cızlak, Söbelek Dolması, Kömbe, Hingal, İskilip Dolması or Has Baklava, among others. Other examples include Oğmaç, Madımak, Tirit and Keşkek. Çorum’s yellow leblebi is made from dried chickpeas and sold in historic shops and leblebi stores; individual shops may change. Alaca Mor Soğanı is a geographically protected product from Alaca.

In Kargı, Kargı-Bezi continues to be maintained as a local craft. Courses and workshops run by the public education institution help preserve it; the availability of individual workshops may change. A trip through Çorum thus offers the chance to explore archaeological sites, landscapes and regional products as different points of focus.

Discover more destinations: Uzunyurt, Boğazkale, Çorum, Sungurlu, Kargı, Osmancık, Ünalan Köyü, Gökçebel Köyü.

Back to the main travel overview: Turkey’s Black Sea Coast.