Eskişehir is a university town that's sometimes called the 'Venice of Turkey' for the Porsuk River that runs through the city center. It's incredibly picturesque, and the youth of the city gives a feeling of vibrancy found nowhere else. Given its intellectual, young atmosphere, the arts and culture scene in the city is excellent. There are many museums, exhibitions, concerts and more - there's always something going on. In 2013, Eskişehir was the Cultural Capital of the Turkic World and received the title of UNESCO Capital of Intangible Cultural Heritage. The Porsuk River runs through the center of the city, and Adalar is the name of the district right on the river front. A gondola tour down the Porsuk River is really pleasant. They tend to take only about 15 minutes, and will be the most romantic moments of your trip to the city. A day out in Sazova Park is as much of a fairytale as it looks like it would be. The castle is the most remarkable part of the park, and is one of the symbols of the city. You can go into the castle and get a bite to eat at the cafe inside, or pick up souvenirs and the gift shop. Odunpazarı is a district located in the hills of the south of the city. Traditional Anatolian architecture is well preserved in this neighborhood, with narrow cobbled roads and windy, dead-end streets. The traditional styles of homes have survived to this day, and it's now under protection as a historic district. Museum of Contemporary Glass Works is the first of Turkey's glass art museums. In addition to the works of local artists, Japanese, Polish, Latvian and German works of art are on display. The Archaeological Museum houses Neolithic, Chalcolithic, Old Bronze Age, Hellenistic, Roman, Byazantine, and Ottoman works of art and other items of daily use. Yazılıkaya is where the Phrygians chose as their religious center, and has rock monuments with the mother goddess Kybele at its center. It's an open-air temple and one of the best examples of Phrygian artwork in the world.
