From ancient Phrygians to modern festivals: Türkiye's Afyonkarahisar unveils multifaceted tourism potential

By Zehra Nur Duz

AFYONKARAHISAR, Türkiye (AA) - Combining the unique charms of Anatolia with its historical, cultural and gastronomic values, Afyonkarahisar has been home to various civilizations for thousands of years.

The city offers a journey through time into mythology, where gastronomic treasures from Anatolia reach the world and history melds with nature and culture.

It features a fairytale-like landscape where underground riches blend with aboveground beauty.

Afyonkarahisar is more than just a city; it is a meeting point of civilizations, preserving the heritage of Anatolian civilizations over millennia.

Situated in the heart of Anatolia, where the first civilizations emerged in prehistoric times, Afyonkarahisar connects the east and west, north and south.

It was home to the Hittites and Phrygians, carried the legacy of the Lydians and Persians, and fell under the rule of Rome and Byzantium.

Afyonkarahisar is the crown jewel of Anatolia with its Phrygian Valley, ancient historical structures, archaeological sites, natural beauty, thermal resources, underground and aboveground riches, religious temples, handicrafts, and globally renowned culinary delights.

- Capital of gastronomy, marble, thermal and religious tourism

Afyonkarahisar Governor Kubra Guran Yigitbasi described the city as “the capital of sports, gastronomy, marble and thermal tourism.”

Speaking to reporters who visited the city as part of a city promotion tour, Yigitbasi said: “The city is famous for its rich underground resources, geothermal sources, and hot spring waters.”

Afyonkarahisar, historically celebrated as a healing hub, features mystical landscapes with mineral-rich thermal waters, offering invaluable health benefits.

As a premier destination for thermal and health tourism, it boasts five-star hotels and extensive thermal facilities, drawing visitors from around the globe each year.

Meanwhile, Afyonkarahisar’s culinary heritage, recognized by UNESCO's Creative Cities Network for its gastronomy, offers a diverse array of traditional flavors.

The city's indigenous delicacies and desserts such as Turkish delight, sausage, poppy paste, keshkek and potato village bread, which have registered geographical indications, represent a legendary culinary wealth.

The abundant utilization of locally grown ingredients in regional dishes contributes to a wide range of culinary variations.

After being included in the UNESCO list in 2019, Afyonkarahisar has become globally recognized as “the city of gastronomy,” Yigitbasi said.

Yigitbasi noted that Afyonkarahisar is one of the three cities in Türkiye that holds this title, along with southern Hatay and southeastern Gaziantep provinces.

Located at a critical junction of both highways and railways, the city is also of strategic importance in terms of location, she noted.

Afyonkarahisar is a city that can be easily reached from various points of Türkiye.

Afyonkarahisar, which is connected to major cities such as Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, and Antalya by road, opens the doors of a pleasant journey.

The city is also of considerable significance for religious tourism as it is home to the Sultan Divani Mevlevi Lodge, one of the first Mevlevi lodges in Anatolia.

Dating back to the 13th century, Mevlevi Lodge became a very important center in the 16th century during the time of Sultan Divani, who is one of Mevlana's seventh-generation grandchildren.

The grave of Divani Mehmet Celebi, revered as the second Pir -- a spiritual guide or mentor in the Sufi tradition -- after Mevlana Celaleddin-i Rumi, is located there, and the site is regarded as the second most important Mevlevi lodge after the Konya Mevlevi Lodge.

- City that brings world together with sports, festivals

Afyonkarahisar, one of the significant cities hosting major sports events and festivals, is steadily evolving into a preferred destination thanks to factors like infrastructure development, the quantity and quality of facilities, employment opportunities, security measures, accessibility, local community support and tourism infrastructure.

Underlining the city's critical importance in sports tourism, the governor said: “The city hosts the World Motocross Championship, which is the most watched event after Formula 1 globally.”

The championship has been held in Afyonkarahisar for six years, said the governor, adding that the city received the "Best Infrastructure" award in 2018 and the "Best Paddock" award in 2019.

Since 2019, the city has hosted national gastronomy festivals, and since 2021, international ones as well, attracting tourists from around the world and Türkiye, Yigitbasi said.

“Last year, we hosted around 300,000 tourists at the festival,” she noted.

The International Gastro Afyon Tourism and Flavor Festival, where chefs from Türkiye and the world, local and foreign press representatives, universities and gastronomy writers come together, hosts fun and delicious events such as educational and artistic activities, interviews, and workshops.

Meanwhile, Afyonkarahisar brings together the world's most important artists with art lovers every year at the Jazz Festival, one of Türkiye's longest-running festivals.

Concerts, exhibitions, live broadcasts and interviews are held throughout the festival.

- Natural, historical beauty

The city is worth visiting also for its historical and natural beauty, including the Phrygian Valley, known as one of the most significant valleys in the world, and Akdag National Park in Sandikli district.

Akdag National Park is a very special nature park and one of the unique living spaces not only of Afyonkarahisar but also of Anatolia, with its lush green meadows where wild horses run freely, untouched forests, water resources, and rich vegetation.

“The Phrygian Valley, listed on UNESCO's tentative heritage list, holds special significance and interest both globally and nationally,” Yigitbasi said.

The valley, where the Phrygians carved houses, castles and monuments into the rocks 3,000 years ago, is a unique and breathtaking landscape that showcases endless beauty and pristine nature, making it a must-see destination.

- City sets ambitious goal to boost tourist numbers

In 2023, Afyonkarahisar welcomed 721,710 domestic tourists, with a total of 1,527,525 overnight stays.

While 31,582 foreign tourists visited the city, 61,054 foreign tourists stayed overnight in 2023.

In total, there were 753,292 tourist arrivals and 1,588,579 overnight stays last year.

Yigitbasi underlined that most foreign tourists visiting the city come from South Korea, Germany, Romania, France, Ukraine, and Russia.

“With our international festivals, including the World Motocross Championship, gastronomy festivals, as well as classical music and jazz festivals, we host many international guests in our city,” she told Anadolu, adding: “However, considering the city's potential, the current number is not sufficient.”

The governor said they aim to increase the number of domestic and foreign tourists visiting the city through various collaborations.

A high-speed train line being constructed between Afyonkarahisar and Ankara is expected to be completed within two years, she said, adding: “With these connections, we expect many more tourists from big cities to visit Afyonkarahisar.”

“We have ongoing cooperation work with Turkish satellite technology firm Turksat, service exporters, and Turkish Airlines to increase the number of foreign tourists,” Yigitbasi said.

“Our consultations and meetings with these stakeholders are ongoing. With their contributions, we plan to open the city to more foreign tourists,” she added.

Recently, the city signed a deal with Turkish Airlines, Yigitbasi noted, adding that with the agreement to be implemented in June, discounts on hotel accommodations will be offered to guests traveling to Afyonkarahisar with Turkish Airlines.

“We had meetings with about 15 travel agencies from China. Our communication with them is ongoing,” she said.

The governor stressed that they prioritize promoting Afyonkarahisar in international fairs, saying previously they participated in ITB Berlin, the world's leading travel trade show, and already saw its positive impact.

The show provides a unique opportunity to learn about different countries and regions all over the globe in one place.

“We will strive to participate in more international fairs,” she added.