Sivas is a city of 350,000 in central Anatolia, historically significant as the site of the Sivas Congress of September 1919 - the assembly chaired by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk that established the organisation of the Turkish War of Independence. Architecturally, Sivas is one of the greatest concentrations of Seljuk Turkish monumental buildings in the world: three major medrese (theological schools) built within a 13th-century building campaign sit in the city centre within walking distance of each other.
The nearby UNESCO World Heritage site of Divriği - 175 km east - has the Divriği Ulu Cami and Darüşşifa (mosque and hospital, 1229 CE) with the most elaborate carved stone portals in Turkish architectural history. We have mapped 8 top-rated Sivas tours below.
Top Sivas Tours at a Glance
| Tour | Duration | Approx. Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sivas Seljuk Medrese Walking Tour | 3 hrs | From $20 | Architecture, history |
| Sivas Congress Museum Tour | 2 hrs | From $20 | Turkish independence history |
| Divriği UNESCO Mosque and Hospital Day Trip | Full day | From $50 | Architecture, UNESCO |
| Kangal Thermal Fish Spa Day Trip | Half day | From $30 | Wellness, unusual experience |
| Hafik Lake and Wetlands Tour | Half day | From $25 | Nature, birdwatching |
| Sivas to Divriği Overnight Tour | 2 days | From $80 | Deep architecture lovers |
| Sivas Bazaar and Copper Workshop Tour | 2 hrs | From $20 | Craft, culture |
| Tödürge Lake Boat Trip | Half day | From $25 | Nature, fishing culture |
For Architecture
Sivas Seljuk Medrese Walking Tour
The 3-hour Seljuk walking tour covers the three great medreseler of Sivas in the old city: the Çifte Minareli Medrese (Double Minaret Medrese, 1271 - its portal is the largest surviving Seljuk carved stone facade in Anatolia, with two intact brick minarets and elaborate vine-and-palmette relief carving around the entrance arch), the Gök Medrese (1271, “Sky Medrese” - named for its blue tile minarets, now broken but the portal decoration remains), and the Buruciye Medresesi (1271 - in a slight state of ruin but with a notable carved interior courtyard). All three were built in the same year for different Seljuk patrons.
Duration: 3 hours | Price: From approximately $20 | Includes: Guide
For Turkish History
Sivas Congress Museum Tour
The Sivas Congress Museum occupies the old İttihad ve Terakki Cemiyeti building (Committee of Union and Progress) where the Sivas Congress convened 4–11 September 1919. The congress unified the Anatolian resistance movements under Atatürk’s leadership and issued the Sivas Declaration - the foundation document of the Turkish independence movement. The museum preserves the original meeting room with delegate photographs and documents.
Duration: 2 hours | Price: From approximately $20 | Includes: Guide, museum entry
For UNESCO Architecture
Divriği UNESCO Mosque and Hospital Day Trip
The Divriği complex (175 km east of Sivas) was listed by UNESCO in 1985 for the extraordinary stone carving of its portals - three entrance facades with carved relief work so intricate and layered it has no parallel in medieval Islamic architecture. The mosque’s north portal in particular combines calligraphy, geometric interlace, floral arabesque, and figurative animals in a programme of astonishing complexity. The attached hospital (darüşşifa) has its own carved portal.
The Divriği day trip is a long drive (3 hours each way from Sivas) but entirely worthwhile for serious architecture interest - Divriği is remote and rarely visited despite its UNESCO status.
Duration: Full day | Price: From approximately $50 | Includes: Transport, guide, entry
For Unusual Experiences
Kangal Thermal Fish Spa Day Trip
The Kangal thermal springs (100 km south of Sivas) have pools where Garra rufa fish nibble dead skin from bathers - a practice marketed internationally as “fish pedicure” but originating here as a therapeutic treatment for psoriasis. The Kangal facility has been in use since the 19th century and is the original source of the Garra rufa spa trend. The Kangal thermal day trip includes the thermal bath (37°C pools), the fish spa pools, and the adjacent Balıklı Çermik village.
Duration: Half day | Price: From approximately $30 | Includes: Transport, facility entry
For Nature
Hafik Lake and Wetlands Tour
Hafik Gölü, 30 km northwest of Sivas, is a shallow wetland lake with diverse birdlife - a stopover on the East Atlantic Flyway for cranes (Grus grus) in autumn. The Hafik lake tour includes a guided birdwatching walk around the lake perimeter and a boat trip on the central water.
Duration: Half day | Price: From approximately $25 | Best season: March–May (spring migration) and September–October (autumn migration)
Practical Information
Getting to Sivas: Sivas Nuri Demirağ Airport (VAS) has flights from Istanbul (1.5 hours) and Ankara (1 hour). By high-speed train from Ankara, Sivas is the eastern terminus of the Ankara–Sivas HSR line (opened 2019, journey time 2.5 hours).
Divriği logistics: The drive from Sivas is scenic but slow (mountain roads). An early start (07:00) allows 4 hours at the site and return by evening. Alternatively, overnight in Divriği town (basic accommodation) for a more relaxed pace.
Sivas in history: The city was also the site of the Madımak Hotel massacre (July 1993) - a serious and unresolved event in Turkish political history. The hotel building has been preserved as a museum by campaigners; check current access status.