Türkiye to Present Cultural Route Proposal to the Council of Europe

Türkiye is preparing to present its homegrown cultural route to the Council of Europe, marking the first time the country has submitted a cultural route for certification under the Cultural Routes program.

If approved, the "Evliya Çelebi Route” will highlight the 17th-century Ottoman traveler Evliya Çelebi’s 46-year journey across 250 cities in 17 countries, officially becoming part of the prestigious European Cultural Routes network, The Caspian Post reports citing Turkish media.

Evliya Çelebi, born in 1611 in Istanbul, is regarded as one of the greatest Ottoman explorers and travel writers. His extensive journeys throughout the Ottoman Empire and neighboring regions - spanning the Balkans, Anatolia, the Middle East and North Africa - were meticulously recorded in the traveler’s 10-volume masterpiece, “Book of Travels,” an invaluable source on the 17th century.

The proposal was presented during the 14th advisory forum of the Council of Europe’s Cultural Routes (EPA), held this year in the central province of Nevşehir’s Cappadocia.

Developed jointly by the Istanbul Directorate of Culture and Tourism and an Evliya Çelebi studies center based in Istanbul, the route aims to connect the cities and regions described in “Book of Travels.”

The proposed route follows Evliya Çelebi’s travels through 17 countries: Türkiye, Bulgaria, Greece, North Macedonia, Albania, Kosovo, Serbia, Croatia, Romania, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Hungary, Austria, Slovakia, Moldova, Ukraine and Azerbaijan.

According to Associate Professor İlhami Danış, coordinator of the studies center, the project represents a milestone.

“Once certified, this will be the first route originating from Türkiye. Until now, Türkiye has participated in routes initiated by other European countries, but this one will be led by Türkiye and include other European nations,” he said.

Türkiye is currently part of 11 European Cultural Routes, including the Jewish Heritage Route, the Iter Vitis Wine Route, the European Route of Historic Thermal Towns, the Ceramic Route and the Megalithic Culture Route.

If approved, the “Evliya Çelebi Route” would become Türkiye’s first original contribution to Europe’s network of transnational cultural itineraries.