Eskişehir is one of Turkey's most pleasant surprises: a lively, progressive university city in the middle of the Anatolian steppe that feels nothing like the conservative heartland surrounding it. Two large universities fill the city with students, and the result is a cafe culture, a nightlife scene, and a creative energy that rival Istanbul or Izmir on a smaller, more walkable scale.
The historic Odunpazarı quarter is the city's showpiece, a neighbourhood of beautifully restored Ottoman-era wooden houses climbing a hillside above the modern centre. The area has been given new life with galleries and small museums, including the striking Odunpazarı Modern Museum designed by Kengo Kuma. Down in the centre, the Porsuk River winds through the city, lined with parks, cafes, and a gondola-style boat ride that locals have been enjoying for decades.
Eskişehir has been famous for its thermal springs since Roman times, and the tradition continues at the city's hamams. It is also the world capital of meerschaum, the soft white mineral carved into ornate pipes and figurines. You will find workshops and showrooms throughout the old quarter. The city makes a worthwhile stop on the road between Istanbul and Cappadocia, though it deserves more than just a night in transit.