Things to Do in Tokat: 10 Best Places to Visit

Getting to Know Tokat

Tokat lies in the interior of the Black Sea Region, in the Yeşilırmak valley, at the foot of the rocky outcrops of Tokat Castle. Known in antiquity as Comana Pontica (Komana), the city was an important religious and commercial centre in the time of the Kingdom of Pontus; the ruins of Komana lie on the bank of the Yeşilırmak, in the village of Gümenek in the central district. In the Seljuk period it was also known as Dar Ün-Nusret, and in the Mongol period as Sobaru.

Niksar was the capital of the Danishmendid state: after Gümüştegin Ahmed Gazi conquered the region, he chose Niksar as the capital for the struggle against the Greeks on the Black Sea coast. In Tokat itself, the Gök Madrasa (1277) of the 13th century is one of the important examples of Seljuk architecture; it housed Tokat Museum from 1926 to 2012 and was restored between 2021 and 2023. The fabric of the city also includes Ali Paşa Mosque (1572, reign of Selim II), the 17th-century Taşhan and the 18th-century Mevlevi Lodge.

Sulusokak is the street that forms the old city centre and bazaar, home to historic buildings such as the Arasta, Deveciler Caravanserai and Çukur Madrasa. Tokat Ballıca Cave is a large cave 680 metres long, with 5 levels and 9 halls, 33 km from Tokat city centre.

When to Go

Tokat has a transitional climate between Central Anatolia and the Black Sea: summers are hot and dry, winters cold and snowy. Averages for 1929–2025 from the Turkish State Meteorological Service:

Month	Avg. high	Avg. low	Rainfall	Rainy days
January	6.3 °C	−1.5 °C	43 mm	11
February	8.5 °C	−0.5 °C	34 mm	10
March	13.2 °C	2.5 °C	43 mm	12
April	19.2 °C	6.7 °C	53 mm	12
May	23.6 °C	10.2 °C	59 mm	13
June	27.0 °C	13.3 °C	41 mm	9
July	29.3 °C	15.6 °C	12 mm	3
August	30.0 °C	15.9 °C	9 mm	2
September	26.7 °C	12.4 °C	20 mm	5
October	20.8 °C	8.3 °C	36 mm	8
November	13.8 °C	3.5 °C	42 mm	9
December	8.1 °C	0.5 °C	44 mm	11

The best periods are April to June and September to October. The temperature in Ballıca Cave is 17–24 °C all year round.

How to Get to Tokat

By air: Tokat Airport opened in 1995; construction of a new airport began in 2018, and it reopened on 25 March 2022.

By road: Tokat is linked by road to Sivas, Amasya, Samsun and Yozgat. Zile is 67 km from the provincial centre, and Turhal 46 km.

Tokat Area by Area

• Merkez: Tokat Castle, the Gök Madrasa, Ali Paşa Mosque, Taşhan, Sulusokak, the Mevlevi Lodge and Tokat Museum.
• Gümenek (Komana): The ruins of Pontic-period Komana on the bank of the Yeşilırmak.
• Niksar: The Danishmendid capital; Niksar walnuts.
• Zile: Zile Castle (thought to have been built in the 1st century), Zile pekmez and Zile kömesi.
• Erbaa and Turhal: The Erbaa plain and Erbaa katmer; Turhal yoğurtmacı.
• Pazar (Ballıca): Ballıca Cave, 33 km from Tokat city centre and 8 km from Pazar.
• Reşadiye, Artova, Almus, Sulusaray, Yeşilyurt, Başçiftlik: Reşadiye pezik pickles and hammam scrubbing mitts; Roman ruins at Sulusaray.

Suggested Itineraries

Day 1 – Tokat centre: Tokat Castle, the Gök Madrasa, Ali Paşa Mosque, Taşhan and Sulusokak; Tokat kebabı in the evening.

Day 2 – Ballıca and Niksar: Ballıca Cave; in the afternoon, Niksar and its Danishmendid heritage.

Day 3 – Zile: Zile Castle, pekmez and köme.

Tokat Cuisine

Tokat cuisine is known for its kebab. Tokat kebabı is a local dish cooked on kebap pide with fresh lamb, tail fat, aubergine, tomato, pepper, potato and onion. The registered delicacies are Tokat kebabı, Tokat bez sucuğu (cloth-wrapped sausage), Tokat çöreği, Tokat ekmeği (Tokat bread), Tokat yağlısı (a meat-topped flatbread), Tokat honçası (a local pastry), Erbaa katmeri, Zile kömesi, Zile pekmezi, Turhal yoğurtmacı, Tokat üzüm tarhanası (Tokat grape tarhana) and Reşadiye kırmızı pezik turşusu (Reşadiye red pezik pickle). The registered products are Niksar cevizi (Niksar walnuts), Erbaa Narince bağ yaprağı (Erbaa Narince vine leaves), Tokat Narince salamura asma yaprağı (Tokat Narince brined vine leaves) and Tokat Karayaka kuzu eti (Tokat Karayaka lamb).

Handicrafts

Tokat yazması (hand-printed cloth) and the elmalı yazma (findi) are known for their local patterns. Tokat Dive dokuması (Dive weaving), Tokat Kızık kilimi (Kızık kilim), Tokat aynalı çarık (mirrored leather sandals), Tokat bileziği (mengil kolluğu) (Tokat bracelet), Tokat perperli küpesi (Tokat earrings), Reşadiye hamam kesesi (Reşadiye hammam mitt) and Zile Beji mermeri (Zile beige marble) all have registered geographical indications.

Practical Tips

• It is cool inside Ballıca Cave; wear a light top layer.
• Tokat kebabı is always eaten with its pide alongside.
• Visiting hours at the Gök Madrasa and other historic buildings may vary according to restoration work.