I wasn't expecting to find this in Eastern Turkey...

I think this is the most interesting city in Turkey... Kars sits in the far northeast of Turkey, close to the borders with Armenia and Georgia. Few places in the country reveal as many layers of history in one small city. Over the centuries Kars has been ruled by Armenians, Seljuks, Mongols, Ottomans and the Russian Empire. Walk through the streets and you can see traces of all of them, from Russian-era buildings to Armenian churches and Ottoman fortifications. In this video, we explore the city in the middle of winter, when temperatures drop to −15°C and the streets are covered in snow. We visit a former Russian Orthodox cathedral that later became a mosque, climb up to Kars Castle for views across the city, and try the famous Kars cheese breakfast that the region is known for. We also head north to Lake Çıldır, where the lake freezes solid in winter and locals travel across the ice by horse and cart. Kars sits at a crossroads between Turkey and the Caucasus, and that position has shaped its architecture, culture and food for centuries. Chapters 0:00 Intro 0:49 Why Kars has such a complex history 2:05 Russian cathedral turned mosque 4:10 Ottoman war history in Kars 5:40 Trying the famous Kars cheese breakfast 9:18 Climbing Kars Castle 12:55 Armenian church in the city 16:08 Hidden Russian-era frescoes 18:15 Dinner and Caucasus dancing 21:24 Lake Çıldır in winter Rich and I are also researching a new overland tour company focused on rail travel and destinations that most travellers overlook. If you’d be interested in trips to places like Eastern Turkey, the Caucasus, the Balkans or Central Asia, you can share your thoughts here: 👉 https://tinyurl.com/CFtoursform FOLLOW ME ON ⬇️ Follow me on TikTok (daily vlogs and travel tips):   / clairesfootsteps   Follow me on Instagram (posts when I travel):   / clairesfootsteps   MY WEBSITES ⬇️ https://clairesfootsteps.com https://gosouthwestengland.co.uk https://europeinwinter.com Sign up for an AMEX gold and get 22,000 Avios points! https://www.americanexpress.com/en-gb... TRAVEL BRANDS I USE ⬇️ Get Your Guide (tours and entry to attractions) https://www.getyourguide.co.uk/?partn...