Darende is a town in Eastern Anatolia, Turkey. It's one of the towns that was located on the Silk Road.

Get in

Somuncu Baba Shrine

Darende is located on highway D300 which connects Malatya with major cities of the country such as Ankara and Istanbul. The distance to Malatya is 110 km, while Sivas is 180 km away and Kayseri 250 km. There are buses from these centres to Darende.

The nearest airport is Erhaç (near Malatya) which receives daily flights from Ankara and Istanbul. The airport is 80 km away from Darende.

See

The Lion Rocks

• Abdurrahman Erzincani Mosque (Abdurrahman Erzincani Camii). 
• Aslantaslar (Lion Rocks) (20 km away from town). Two rocks resembling lion statues. Rumour has it that, they were part of some ancient temple. The lions face the direction from which sun rises. 
• Gürpinar (8 km from town). Waterfall. 
• Tomb of Somuncu Baba (Somuncu Baba Türbesi). Tomb located in a beautiful garden. Post-2023 earthquake status: no damage; serves as a temporary accommodation for survivors. 
• Zengibar. A citadel built during the Hittite civilization. 

Do

• Kudret. Hot spring pool. 
• Rafting. 

Make time to walk around the town. It's quite small but very typically Turkish and the people are very friendly.

Eat

• Kenger is a local, traditional chewing gum.

Sleep

• Tiryandafil Otel, Somuncu Baba Bulvarı (on the Kayseri-Malatya highway), ☏ +90 422 615 1818. Hotel with swimming pool. 

Go next

Routes through Darende

Konya ← Kayseri ←	W  E	→ (W) → Malatya
Tokat ← Sivas ←	N  S	→ Malatya → Gaziantep