Bayburt is Turkey's smallest province by population — a remote, high-plateau world between the Black Sea mountains and Eastern Anatolia. The Çoruh River carves a deep gorge through the province, and Bayburt's medieval castle stands on a dramatic hilltop above the valley, occupying a site used since the Bronze Age.
The province's summer plateaus (yaylas) are visited by locals escaping the heat, and the Deli Duman Cave near Demirözü is a notable speleological site.
Known for: Bayburt Castle · Çoruh River gorge · Deli Duman Cave · Highland yayla · Remote Anatolia
- Region
- Black Sea / Northeast
- Famous for
- Bayburt Castle & gorge
- Best seasons
- Jun–Sep
- Status
- Turkey's smallest province
Bayburt on the live map
Explore Bayburt and all of Turkey on the live intelligence map — tap a city node to fly in.
What Bayburt is known for
Bayburt Castle (Kale) dominates the city — its walls enclose cisterns and ruins of various periods from Byzantine to Ottoman. The Çoruh gorge drive between Bayburt and Artvin is one of Turkey's most spectacular.
- Bayburt Castle — hilltop fortress above the Çoruh gorge.
- Çoruh River valley — mountain gorge scenery.
- Deli Duman Cave — cave exploration.
- Summer yayla plateaus.
Getting around
Bayburt is 3 hours from Trabzon, 4 from Erzurum by road. A car is essential; the province has limited public transport.
On the platform
Bayburt is joining Türkiye Gez as we expand into a Turkey-wide city intelligence platform. This guide is the launch foundation — live transport data, an interactive map and deeper neighborhood content roll out city by city, on the same architecture that powers Istanbul today.
Frequently asked questions
About Bayburt
1Its hilltop medieval castle above the Çoruh River gorge, remote highland character, Deli Duman Cave and dramatic mountain scenery.