Laid out beneath a series of softly sculpted ridges in the wilder depths of eastern Anatolia, Kars is a town that can often seem more Central Asian than European. That is, until you spy out that place buzzes with a curious intermingling of cultures and creeds. There are Caucasus Greeks, Tartars, Poles, Russians and, of course, Armenians (the closed border is just a stone's throw to the east). Be prepared to encounter cumin-scented kebab houses next to earthy Armenian taverns where broiling stews bubble and goose racks char, and see steamy hammams below often snow-dusted ridges that rise to the greater Caucuses. Furthermore, varied and distinctive architectural styles populate town, be it the Byzantine-style Kethuda Mosque or the grand imperialist facades of the Russian Empire, the Fethiye Mosque being its most prominent feature. Kars tour guides will however emphasise most on its main attractions: Kars Castle, which soars high above the heart of town, and the Ani ruins – a UNESCO site of aged churches and elegant domes that was once the Armenian capital.