Çan: Handicrafts, Fair and Thermal Attractions

Çan brings together handicrafts, a long history of settlement, market traditions and its own cuisine. It also offers the Çan-Kaplıca thermal facilities and the three-day Çan September Fair, which attracts visitors from nearby villages and beyond the region. Those interested in local production and food culture will find several distinct themes here. When looking for a holiday apartment in Çan, you can start by considering whether culture, culinary discoveries, the fair or the thermal facilities will shape your stay.

Handicrafts, Textiles and Ceramics

Çan’s textile culture includes carpet weaving and other handwoven work. Çan is known for its carpets, which are classified by their patterns, including medallion and continuous designs. Carpets, kilims and other handwoven textiles are still made, although only on a limited scale. Basket weaving is particularly widespread in the village of Güngören in the centre of Çan district. Another specialised craft is practised by the Gürer family in the district centre: they make ornaments for camels that take part in camel wrestling. These examples represent different kinds of work, from weaving and basketry to camel ornaments.

Çanakkale ceramics are also part of the region’s handicraft history. Çan district is known as a place where these ceramics are made, and the tradition associated with Çan can be traced back to the 17th century. Items include plates and bowls for serving food, as well as jugs, cups, water vessels, wall plates and other household objects. Çanakkale ceramics continue to attract interest from collectors and museums. For a culture-focused stay, this subject combines a long history with a wide variety of ceramic forms.

Another glimpse into the past goes back even further: the Çan sarcophagus, discovered in 1999, indicates that the history of settlement in Çan dates back to the 4th century BC.

Market Traditions and the Fair

The Çan municipality holds the Çan September Fair every year in the first week of September. It lasts three days and attracts visitors from nearby villages and beyond the region. If you are travelling to Çan specifically for this event, the first week of September provides a clear date to plan around.

Alongside it is the long-established market in the centre of Çan. Bells for animals were traditionally among its best-selling goods, and caravans also brought them to the market. This account reflects an older market tradition, while the September Fair is a distinct, recurring three-day event.

Cuisine and Thermal Attractions

Etli-sütlü soup and various vegetable and fruit pickles are among the well-known flavours of Çan’s cuisine. Ahlat pickle is considered a special local delicacy: it is made from unripe fruit and fermented in barrels. The culinary offerings range from a well-known soup to a pickle with its own distinct name. If local cuisine is important to your trip, these dishes offer a concrete impression of Çan’s culinary specialities.

Çan-Kaplıca has day baths, thermal pools and a spa centre. These thermal attractions complement the local handicrafts, markets and cuisine. When deciding on your trip, you can therefore weigh up whether the ceramic and textile traditions, cuisine, fair or Çan-Kaplıca is the main reason to choose Çan as a destination. If the fair is your main reason for visiting, plan your stay around the first week of September; for other interests, the relevant local themes take centre stage.

Discover More Places

If you would like to include more places in your travel plans, you can also discover Sarıot, Maltepe Köyü, Kösedere Köyü, Behram, Gölcük, Koruköy Köyü, Nusratiye Köyü and Küçükköy.

For the wider travel overview: Çanakkale.