A town called “Pride” Population: 10,000
Market day: Friday
Midway between Kayseri and Malatya is the small town of Gürür which is set in a lovely rocky canyon.
For the most part it’s a typically dull modern town, certainly not somewhere to go out of your way to visit. But if you’re driving along this road you might want to stop and take a stroll behind the bus station by the river in the middle of town. In the back streets a few magnificent old Ottoman houses still survive – you’ll find some of them across the road from the local branch of Bim, a pretty awful contrast.
Immediately beyond Gürür in the Malatya direction there is some glorious mountain scenery with poplars growing in the valleys providing a vivid splash of greenery against the browns of naked rock.
Nearby Suçatı is a strung-out valley settlement of tin-roofed houses. Beyond that it’s drama almost all the way to Darende where there’s a hotel if you want to stop. Otherwise, the Velioğlu Dinlenme Tesisleri also has a hotel. Don’t expect too much but it is close to the riverside Salih’in Yeri restaurant which looks very inviting.
Transport info
Buses from Kayseri to Malatya and vice versa pass through Gürür and sometimes make a çay stop here.
