Things to Do in Hacılar: 5 Places to Visit

Places to Visit in Hacılar

• 1 Historic
• 3 Nature
• 1 Cultural

1 🌳 Nature

Mount Erciyes

Mount Erciyes, within the boundaries of Hacılar district, is an important geographical feature in the south-east of the district.

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2 🌳 Nature

Eğribucak Vineyards

Vineyards near Hacılar, famous for their mulberries.

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3 🏛️ Historic

Hacılar Mound

Hacılar Mound, dated to around 7500 BC, is one of the most important settlements of the Neolithic period. Excavations have revealed pottery, figurines and building remains.

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i Photo: Emin Başar ÖZDEMİR (CC BY 3.0) · Source

4 🌳 Nature

Mount Erciyes View

Hacılar lies at the foot of Mount Erciyes. The mountain's impressive view can be seen from every part of the district.

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5 🎭 Cultural

Hacılar Public Library

A public library that has served the district since 1962.

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While you are in Hacılar, you can also see the highlights of Kayseri province. These places are in other districts.

• Mount Erciyes and Ski Resort — An extinct volcano 25 km south of the city and, at 3,916 metres, the highest mountain in Central Anatolia; its ski resort, between 2,150 and 3,400 metres, is one of the largest in Türkiye.
• Kültepe (Kaniş-Karum) — The ancient city of Kaniş, 20 km north-east of the city, where Assyrian merchants had their trading colony in the early 2nd millennium BC; the cuneiform tablets found here are the earliest known written documents in Anatolia.
• Gevher Nesibe Hospital (Darüşşifa) — The "Twin Madrasa" (Çifte Medrese), consisting of a hospital and a medical madrasa, built in 1206 at the bequest of Gevher Nesibe, daughter of the Seljuk Sultan Kılıçarslan II; it is counted among the world's first centres of medical education and healthcare.
• Hunat Hatun Complex — A complex of mosque, madrasa, hammam and tomb built in 1238 by Mahperi Hunat Hatun, wife of Alaeddin Keykubad I; it is one of the first large complexes in Anatolia built by a woman.
• Kayseri Castle — A castle of black basalt in the city centre, begun in the Roman period and repaired under the Seljuks and Ottomans; inside are the Fatih Mosque and a bazaar.
• Döner Tomb — A twelve-sided tomb (kümbet) on the Talas road, built in 1276 for Şah Cihan Hatun, daughter of Alaeddin Keykubad I; its reliefs include human-headed lions, a double-headed eagle and tree-of-life motifs.

Practical Information for Visiting Hacılar

Suggested time

Half a day

Best time to visit

Spring and autumn

Places to visit

5 places

• 🥟

  Kayseri Mantısı

  Small pieces of dough filled with minced meat, boiled and served with yoghurt and garlic sauce. It can be tasted in its most authentic form at local markets and home-style restaurants.

• 🥩

  Pastırma (cured beef)

  Kayseri pastırma coated with fenugreek paste (çemen) is also prepared by traditional producers in Hacılar.

Culture, Local Products and Economy of Hacılar

• 🏛️

  Neolithic Heritage

  Hacılar Mound, with a settlement history of 9,500 years, is one of Anatolia's oldest settlements.

Local Products

• Hacılar Grapes — Grapes grown in Hacılar's vineyards, used for eating fresh and for making pekmez (grape molasses).

Economy

Hacılar's economy is based on agriculture and trade. Thanks to its proximity to Kayseri, it is also developing as a residential area.

How to Get to Hacılar

Hacılar is 10 km from Kayseri. Bus and minibus services run from Kayseri.

Get directions on Google Maps Getting to Kayseri

Hacılar: Frequently Asked Questions

Continue Your Trip

• 🍽️ What to Eat in Hacılar Famous dishes and local products →
• 🗺️ Things to Do in Kayseri The province's 12 best places and all its districts →

Other Districts of Kayseri

• Akkışla 6 places Akkışla Plateaus, Uğurlu Castle and Tabal Ruins
• Bünyan 5 places Bünyan Grand Mosque, Sultanhanı and Karatay Caravanserai
• Develi 9 places Sultan Sazlığı Bird Paradise, Southern Slope of Mount Erciyes and Öksüt Castle
• Felahiye 4 places Felahiye Castle, Felahiye Plain and Sıtmapınar
• İncesu 6 places İncesu Caravanserai, İncesu Underground City and İncesu Castle
• Kocasinan 7 places Kayseri Covered Bazaar, Kocasinan Park and Sultan Sazlığı Bird Paradise
• Melikgazi 12 places Hunat Hatun Complex, Kayseri Castle and Gevher Nesibe Medical Museum
• Özvatan 3 places Özvatan Plain, Özvatan Historic Mosque and Harsanız and Zırha Castles
• Pınarbaşı 6 places Zamantı River, Pınarbaşı Castle and Pınarbaşı Plateaus
• Sarıoğlan 6 places Kızılırmak Valley, Sarıoğlan Castle and Tuzla Lake
• Sarız 4 places Sarız Plateaus, Sarız Castle and Sarız Stream
• Talas 7 places Ali Dağı Ski Centre, Talas Historic Houses and Talas Virgin Mary Church
• Tomarza 7 places Tomarza Church, Tomarza Castle and Southeastern Slope of Mount Erciyes
• Yahyalı 7 places Kapuzbaşı Waterfalls, Aladağlar National Park and Hacer Forest
• Yeşilhisar 4 places Soğanlı Valley, Yeşilhisar Castle and Yeşilhisar Yeraltı Şehri