Malatya is a city in Eastern Anatolia, with a population of 485,000 in 2022. It has limited sights for a city of its size, but here you might break a journey to Mount Nemrut and the eastern fringes of Turkey.
Understand
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This city is now on its third site. The first was at Aslantepe / Orduzu 7 km northeast. This was inhabited 6000 years ago in the Chalcolithic or Copper Age that followed the Late Stone Age and morphed into the Bronze Age. The Hittites ruled it from 1400 BC and called it Malidiya, possibly from their word for honey. It was repeatedly destroyed but rebuilt, and populated into modern times. However under the Romans from 72 AD it was outgrown by a second site called Melitene 4 km further north. This was centred on a military camp and is now the town of Battalgazi.
In the 1830s Egypt was nominally an Ottoman vassal state, but vied for independence and to rule over Syria. This led to two wars, and in the first the Ottoman forces proved so useless that Egypt occupied large tracts of Turkey and almost captured Constantinople. The Ottomans patched themselves up and launched the second war to regain their losses, in preparation for which they occupied Melitene in 1838, making the sort of mess that had caused Egypt, Greece and a slew of other territories to seek independence. The citizens fled southwest to the rural district of Aspuzu, and this became the third and present site of the city. The Ottomans were again trounced in the second war but western nations frantically propped up them up to prevent Russia muscling in, and to engineer their own control over oil-rich territories to the east.
Late 19th century Malatya grew and industrialised, but was roiled by fires, earthquake, cholera and the genocide of its Armenians. It's now the largest city of central-eastern Anatolia, where the rolling steppes of central Anatolia fetch up against the eastern mountains. Industries are agriculture (especially apricots) and textiles. It's at an altitude of 954 m so winters are cold and blanketed in snow. Spring is wet and summers can be sweltering; early autumn is often a pleasant time to visit.
Get in
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By plane
[edit]1 Malatya Erhaç Airport (MLX IATA), Aksaray, ☏ +90 422 266 0046. This has several flights a day from Istanbul IST and SAW (2 hours), and daily from Ankara and Izmir. The low footfall means few facilities here, but car hire firms offer pre-booked pick-up / drop-off. It's 30 km northwest of the city, no bus, you need a taxi. 
By train
[edit]High-speed YHT trains run as far as Sivas, where the train from Istanbul at 09:00 via Ankara at 13:20 connects with a regional train. This leaves Sivas around 17:00 to reach Malatya at 21:00, so the travel time from Ankara is 8 hours. The westbound train leaves at 08:00.
A slow train trundles daily from Ankara around 11:00, taking 16 hours via Kırıkkale, Kayseri and Sivas, then at 04:00 continues into the night. Five days a week this is the Güney Kurtalan Express to Diyarbakır, Batman and Kurtalan, another 10 hours. Two days a week it's Vangölü Express to Elazığ, Muş and Tatvan, for connections to Van, Tabriz and Tehran. Westbound trains call at Malatya at 19:30 to reach Sivas at midnight and Ankara at noon. Change at Sivas for the train to Erzincan, Erzurum, Kars and connections to Georgia.
Two days a week, 4 Eylül Mavi runs from Ankara at 19:00 by the same slow route, to terminate at Malatya at a more congenial 10:30 next morning. The return leaves Malatya at 15:30 to reach Sivas at 20:00 and Ankara at 07:30.
The train from Adana is suspended because of interminable engineering works near that city.
For timetables and online tickets see TCDD.
2 Malatya railway station was wrecked in the 2023 earthquake and has not yet been re-built, so there are almost no facilities there. It's 5 km northwest of city centre. Dolmuses and buses #1A and #1B run frequently to the central square.
By road
[edit]Malatya is on D-300, the 2000-km highway stretching from near Izmir on the Aegean coast to Van and the border with Iran. It's toll-free and mostly dual carriageway.
From Ankara follow O-21 toll motorway south to join D-300 near Aksaray then head east past Kayseri: altogether 685 km, 8 hours.
By bus
[edit]Buses from Istanbul take 16 hours via Bolu, Ankara and Sivas. From Ankara there's a dozen a day taking 9 hours. From Gaziantep ten a day take 4 hours. From Diyarbakır three a day take 4 hours 30 min via Elazığ.
Bus lines include Beydağı, Zafer Turizm, Metro Turizm and Kamil Koç, which is now part of Flixbus.
3 Otobus Terminali was damaged in the earthquake so facilities are makeshift. It's 6 km west of city centre, with frequent buses and dolmuşes.
Get around
[edit]City sights are in a compact walkable area, but Malatya sprawls, and you need a bus or dolmuş to reach the bus and railway stations and for outlying sights. City buses are jaunty yellow. "Valilik" or "Vilayet" means Governor's Office and is the usual way to indicate city centre on transport.
D-300 through the city is variously called Turgut Özal Blv, Ankara Cd or Çevre Yolu. İnönü Cd is the downtown thoroughfare a few blocks south.
See
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- New Mosque (Yeni Cami or Hacı Yusuf Taş) was damaged beyond repair in the 2023 earthquake. It's been demolished and a replacement is not yet built.
- The adjoining main square Soykan Meydanı is likewise cordoned off.
- Photo Museum is about old cameras rather than photography. It's on İnönü Cd 300 m west of the main shopping centre, open Tu-Su 10:00-18:00.
- 1 Kernak Mosque was rebuilt in 2020 to make it more quakeproof, and that was a really smart decision, as it survived. It's 800 m south of the main square at the corner of Ipek Cd and Şehit Hamit Fendoğlu Cd.
- Malatya Museum 100 m south of the mosque was badly damaged and remains closed.
- Waterfalls Park (Şelale Parkı) is the strip south of Kernak Mosque, where water cascading down the hillside is canalised. At its foot the channel turns into the bosky median of Şehit Hamit Fendoğlu Cd, for that reason known informally as Kanalboyu.
- 2 Atatürk House, Atatürk Cd 73, ☏ +90 422 321 2125. Tu-Su 08:00-17:00. The mansion where Kemal Atatürk stayed during his visits to the city. Free.
- Saat kulesi the clocktower on Atatürk Cd west of the mansion is late Ottoman.
- (Kışla Caddesi is how Atatürk Cd is more usually known.)
- Hürriyet Park (meaning "freedom") is east of the mansion. At its entrance is the obligatory statue of Atatürk, next to a naked young man. It's not wise to speculate aloud about what that fellow's up to.
- 3 City Museum, Mehmet Buyruk Cd 2. Tu-Su 08:00-17:00. Exhibiting city history and pre-history. Free.
- Taşhoron Church is an Armenian church of 1893, restored in 2021 but damaged in the earthquake and not yet re-opened. It's on Yeni Boztepe Cd 1 km east of city centre.
- 4 Turgut Özal Nature Park is a large park at the east edge of the city, with walking and cycling paths and barbecue areas. Turgut Özal (1927-93) was born in Matalya, and served six years as Turkey's prime minister then three as President.
- 5 Aslantepe, 1st Sk, Orduzu (7 km northeast of city), ☏ +90 422 337 2482. Partially excavated village and palace complex going back 6000 years. It's officially closed but you can probably look in free. Before the earthquake there was a regular summer dig by Italian archaeologists, who were happy to chat about their progress. The best findings from the site have been taken to the Museum of Anatolian Civilisations in Ankara, leaving replicas on site, for example the statue of Hittite King Mutallu. Free.
- 6 Kırkgöz is a park and recreational area on the shore of Karakaya Barrage Lake, 20 km north of town.
Do
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- Hamams - traditional Turkish baths - are found in city centre.
- Football: Yeni Malatyaspor were relegated in 2025 so they now play soccer in TFF 2. Lig, the third tier. Their Yeni Malatya Stadyumu (capacity 26,000) is 10 km east of the city along D-300 near the university.
- Malatyaspor the original city team play down in the amateur leagues at Yeşiltepe Stadyumu, northwest edge of the city.
- Apricot Festival is in July, the harvest season.
Buy
[edit]Malatya Park AVM is a large shopping mall west side of Mövenpick Hotel. It has a cinema.
Eat
[edit]- Apricots are grown in orchards cloaking the surrounding countryside. Like any seasonal product, there's a glut when they're harvested, so in July you can't escape them - they're even grilled as kebabs, it's a surprise they're not made into small automobile parts. But if the harvest fails (as in 2025, blighted by frost) the city slumps and global fruit trade is thrown into disarray.
- Main square has a dozen places, open daily.
- Nostalji Cafe, İnönü Cd 147, ☏ +90 536 599 2112. Daily 06:00-00:00. Serving trad fare in a two-floor historic building.
- Ali Dayı is a seafood restaurant on İnönü Cd opposite the Mövenpick and main shopping centre. It's open daily 08:00-23:30.
- Hasan Usta Yaprak Döner is within the shopping centre, open daily 10:30-20:30.
- Çamlıca Restaurant is 500 m further west on İnönü Cd, open daily 08:00-23:00.
- Belsos Dedekorkut is another 200 m west, open daily 08:00-22:00.
- Hacı Ustanın Yeri is 200 m south of the railway station on İstasyon Cd, open daily 07:00-22:00.
- Nar Çiçeği Gold is by the bus station at Turgut Özal Blv 44, open daily 06:00-23:00.
Drink
[edit]Many cafes serve alcohol, there are no free-standing bars.
Kanalboyu is the place for a cafe-hopping evening stroll.
Sleep
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- 1 Mövenpick, İnönü Cd 174, ☏ +90 422 377 7000. Efficient central hotel, part of Accor chain. B&B double 3500 TL.
- Aksaç Hotel is next to the Mövenpick on İnönü Cd.
- Royal Butik Hotel is opposite the Mövenpick at Serdengeçti Sk 14.
- Anatolia Otel is north across the main highway from Mövenpick, at Çevre Yolu Cd 216.
- Pirlanta is next to Anatolia Otel at Çevre Yolu Cd 208.
- 2 Ramada Plaza, İstasyon Cd 24, ☏ +90 422 211 4444. Clean place 400 m from railway station. B&B double 3500 TL.
- 3 Melid Hotel, Turgut Özal Blv 18, ☏ +90 422 324 8484. Smart modern hotel 500 m east of the bus station. B&B double 4000 TL.
- MG Hill Residence is self-catering apartments 100 m east of the bus station. These may be available for short stays.
- 4 Anemon Otel, Turgut Özal Blv 237, ☏ +90 422 327 2310. Run-down place west edge of the city, but convenient for motorists. B&B double 3000 TL.
Connect
[edit]Malatya and its approach highways have 4G from all Turkish carriers. As of Oct 2025, 5G has not yet rolled out in Turkey.
Go next
[edit]- Battalgazi — the original location of Malatya, Battalgazi has some remnants from its past, including the beautiful Seljuk-built Great Mosque.
- Elazığ, almost surrounded by lake reservoirs, is near the old town of Harput.
- Kemaliye to the north is near the Dark Canyon, an adventure sports destination.
- Mount Nemrut is the famous peak topped by statues of ancient Gods. Malatya is wrong side of it, you have to drive around to join the summer access road from Kahta. It's snowbound in winter.
- Darende has traces of past civilizations plus an attractive canyon with waterfalls.
- Kayseri has Selcuk architecture and is a stopover on the way to Cappadocia or Ankara.
| Routes through Malatya |
Kayseri ← Darende ←   (W) ←
|
W  E
|
→ Elazığ → Van |
| Tokat ← Darende ← | N  S
|
→ Gaziantep →  Öncüpınar/al-Salameh
|