Odunpazarı climbs the south bank of the Porsuk in a tangle of narrow streets and brightly painted Ottoman-era wooden houses, many of them dating from the 19th century. The name means "wood market" and the district was historically the timber-trading quarter of the city. After decades of neglect a long restoration programme has turned it into Eskişehir's most attractive corner: bay windows lean over the lanes, cats sleep on the doorsteps, and the whole area is a pleasure to wander.
Most of the small museums and galleries that make Eskişehir feel cultured cluster here, including the Odunpazarı Modern Museum, the meerschaum museum, the wax museum, and a clutch of restored houses turned into small heritage exhibitions. It is also where to buy meerschaum carvings if you want them: workshops and showrooms line the main streets up the hill. Late afternoon, when the light catches the painted facades, is the best time to walk it.