If you want to experience a slice of Turkish provincial life, head to the city of Kastamonu, 109 kilometers east of Safranbolu. Well off the tourist trail, Kastamonu has a bustling center with a vibrant traditional bazaar area.
Just off the main street are lanes lined with crumbling Ottoman mansions in various states of disrepair.
The museum is rather brilliant, with a small but beautifully laid-out collection of finds from local excavations, while the Byzantine castle, up on the ridge above town, has sweeping views of the city below
