Eskişehir hosts first Culture Route Festival, spotlighting local gastronomy

Turkey’s Culture and Tourism Ministry launched the Eskişehir segment of the national Culture Route Festival, marking the city’s first inclusion in the program. The opening ceremony was led by Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, who highlighted the “Taste Point” initiative that showcases regional cuisine as a core element of Turkey’s tourism strategy.

The nine‑day festival will feature 177 events across 11 venues, including concerts, exhibitions, workshops and talks. Organisers have identified 33 “Taste Points” that will offer visitors traditional dishes such as Cevizli Haşhaş Ekmeği, Haşhaşlı Çörek, Çibörek, Balaban Köfte and Gombo soup, aiming to promote local culinary heritage and support businesses.

Eskişehir’s mayor, provincial governor and several AK Party officials attended the inauguration, emphasizing the festival’s role in reviving cultural assets and enhancing the city’s profile within the larger network that now spans 26 Turkish cities.