Sivas sits high on the central Anatolian plateau, far enough east of Ankara that the air feels sharper and the winters are no joke. It is an industrial and university city now, but the centre still holds a remarkable cluster of Seljuk stonework from the 12th and 13th centuries. The best sights are close together around the main square, so the city works well as a strong one-day stop rather than a long detour.
The reason to come is the medreses. Gok Medrese has turquoise tilework and one of the most elegant Seljuk facades in Turkey. Sifaiye Medrese began as a hospital and medical school in 1217, while Cifte Minareli Medrese survives as a monumental portal with twin minarets. Together they give Sivas a clear identity: austere plateau city outside the tourist mainstream, but with medieval architecture that rewards anyone passing through.
There is a second layer to the city too. The Ataturk and Congress Museum marks the 1919 Sivas Congress, one of the decisive moments in the Turkish War of Independence. Add the old Grand Mosque, the archaeology museum, and a plate of Sivas kofte, and Sivas clears the bar for travellers crossing central Anatolia by train or road.