Bayat, in Çorum, Turkey, stands apart for its distinctive handwoven Bayat kilims—vividly patterned rugs crafted using centuries-old techniques unique to the region’s Turkmen heritage. Nestled between rugged hills, the town also hosts traditional stone ovens for baking etli ekmek, a meat flatbread rarely found outside this Anatolian enclave.
Notable points about Bayat
- Bayat in Çorum stands out for its intricate handwoven Bayat carpets, crafted using traditional Anatolian motifs unique to the region.
- Unlike other towns in Turkey, Bayat is a center of age-old textile craftsmanship rather than tourism, offering a deeply local and untouched experience.
- The best time to visit is late spring (May–June), when the surrounding countryside is lush and the Bayat Culture and Handicrafts Festival takes place.
- Traveling in Bayat is extremely affordable; local meals, accommodation, and handcrafted souvenirs cost a fraction of big-city prices.
- Join a local weaving workshop to learn how generations of artisans have passed down their craft—an authentic experience rarely available to outsiders.
- Don't miss tasting keşkek (a traditional wheat and meat stew) at a village wedding feast or family-owned lokanta for a truly local flavor.
- The town is small enough to explore on foot, with dolmuş minibuses available to nearby villages and Çorum city for day trips.
- Hidden away from main roads, the village of Deresinek offers a serene escape with centuries-old stone houses and organic farms welcoming visitors.
- Bayat is safe and welcoming; while English is rare, locals are generous and helpful—learning a few Turkish phrases goes a long way.
- Watching a master weaver complete the final knot on a Bayat carpet inside a family-run workshop is a once-in-a-lifetime cultural memory.