Mut is a town in the Cilician Mountains of Mediterranean Turkey, with a population of 63,000 in 2022. It's midway along the road from Karaman to the coast so you might break a journey here.
Understand
[edit]Mut is at the foot of a pass over the mountains; the Romans called it Claudopolis but didn't do much to embellish it. From the 13th to 15th centuries AD it was part of the Karaman kingdom, but when the Ottomans took over they smashed up most monuments of that era, though sparing the castle and mosque.
The climate is hot and dry in summer, and the groves grow apricots. Dress warmly if you come in winter.
Get in
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Mut is on Highway D715. Buses and dolmuşes take one hour from Karaman to the north, which has fast trains from Istanbul and Ankara via Konya. They continue for another hour to Silifke, where you change for buses east and west along the coast, and for Taşucu ferry port to reach Northern Cyprus.
1 Mut Otogarı the bus station is just a parking lot off Atatürk Blv.
Get around
[edit]The town's limited sights are in a small area near the bus station. You need a vehicle for outlying sights.
See
[edit]- 1 Mut Castle, Mezarlık Sk 4. Daily 08:00-21:00. A square outer castle with nine towers and a cylindrical inner castle. It's stood at least since Byzantine times, probably longer, and was rebuilt over the centuries.
- Laal Pasha Mosque is 200 m east of the castle at Cumhuriyet Cd 27a. It was completed in 1444 AD and named for a Karamanid governor, who may lie in one of the pyramidal mausoleums here.
- Taşhan translates as "stone caravanserai" and was built about the same time as the mosque. It's nowadays a marketplace, 200 m south of the mosque at Oral Sk 21c.
- 2 The Turkish flag is etched into the hillside 2 km north of town, visible far and wide. It measures about 200 m by 100 m.
- 3 Alahan Monastery, Geçimli. 24 hr. Religious complex in the mountains 15 km north of Mut, built in the 5th century and in use until the 7th. One of its three churches is in a cave. The switchback lane ascending from D715 is passable by 2WD, just about. Free.
- 4 Kızıl Minaret is the ruin of a redbrick Karamanid mosque above Çamlıca off D340.
- 5 Yerköprü waterfall
is in a scenic ravine 35 km west of Mut on D340.
Do
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- County Stadium (Mut İlçe Stadı) hosts mixed sports. It's at Kayseri Sk 6a, south edge of town.
Buy
[edit]Lots of small stores strung along Atatürk Blv.
Eat
[edit]There's a handful of eating places by the bus station, but most are further south along Atatürk Blv.
Drink
[edit]You might find a cafe serving beer, but this a conservative area so probably not.
Sleep
[edit]- Mut Deveci Otel is on Atatürk Blv in town centre.
- Royal Mut Otel is 100 m further south at Atatürk Blv 67.
- Bulutbey Hotel is a block west of Mut Deveci Otel on Hükümet Cd.
- 1 Mut Grand Taş Otel, Mustafa Kemal Blv, ☏ +90 532 774 0459. Basic but value for what you pay. B&B double 1500 TL.
Connect
[edit]Mut and its approach highways have 4G from all Turkish carriers. As of April 2025, 5G has not rolled out in Turkey.
Go next
[edit]- Karaman north is a transport hub and has a castle.
- Silifke south is near Göksu Delta wildlife reserve.