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Elazığ (pronounced ay-LAH-zuh) is a city in eastern Turkey.

The Keban Dam, 45 km from Elazığ, created an artificial lake whose banks encompass part of the city

Understand

A small city in eastern Turkey, Elazığ has a population of approximately 200,000 people. A city about 3,000 feet/1,000 metres above sea level, Elazığ is surrounded by mountains, lakes, and rivers. While rapidly developing, it is a traditional town and is relatively conservative. There is Firat University there and that is helping to change the culture of the city. It is very close to the historical city of Harput.

Get in

By plane

There are few daily flights to and from Istanbul and Ankara.

By train

The city station lies on the route of twice weekly Vangölü Ekspresi, which connects Tatvan on the Lake Van with several cities in central and western Turkey, such as Kayseri, Ankara, and Istanbul among others, as well as calling at nearby Malatya.

Elazığ station is also the eastern terminus of daily Fırat Express, which departs from the Mediterranean city of Adana at 8:38AM, calling at Malatya around 5:50PM, and finally arriving at Elazığ at 7:20PM.

See Turkish State Railways' website for more information [1].

By bus/minibus

From nearby Malatya, you can catch minibuses which depart from Doğu Garajı ("eastern bus stop") just off the intercity highway, northeast of city centre near a large roundabout at the end of Sivas Caddesi Street.

By boat

Those more adventurous and having more time to spare may prefer the remoter and slightly longer route from Malatya, via the towns of Battalgazi and Baskil and which involves taking a ferry when crossing the Karakaya Dam lake, at about the mid-way between Battalgazi and Baskil. There are ferries three times a day—at 7:30AM, 11AM, 3:30PM—from the harbour on the Battalgazi/Malatya side (and the return voyages from Baskil/Elazığ side at 8AM, 1PM, 5PM), but as the ferries depart as soon as their vehicular capacity is full (and do not wait for their schedule), show up at least half an hour before the scheduled departure. They also accept foot passengers. Crossing the dam lake takes around 20 minutes.

Get around

It is a small city and can be explored quite easily by foot. There are also numerous minibuses and city buses.

See

  • Harput. It is an amzing old city on top of a mountain with a stunning view of Elazığ and the surrounding areas.

Do

Nargile cafes and the old covered market.

Buy

Eat

Drink

  • Deha Cafe. The coolest cafe/bar in the city.

Sleep

  • Marathon Hotel. It is right in the city center and is a good deal for the money.

Connect

The area code for Elazığ is (+90) 424.

Go next


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