Afyonkarahisar

Introduction

Afyonkarahisar is a city in western Turkey and the administrative centre of both Afyonkarahisar Province and Afyonkarahisar District. It joined the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities in 2020.

Before you go

Afyonkarahisar takes its name from the opium poppies grown in the surrounding fields, and the name literally means "opium black fortress." The poppy fields are burned out to curb illegal trade, but production continues under tight control for medicinal opiates such as morphine. In 2004 the Turkish parliament changed the city's name from Afyon to Afyonkarahisar, so you may want to use the full name when explaining your travel plans to border guards, though locals still call it Afyon.

The city also produces fine marble, including the Docimian Pavonazzetto variety, which is white with purple veins. The quarries themselves are ugly places, so the best place to admire the marble is in the grand buildings it has adorned, such as the Pantheon and St Peter's in Rome, and Hagia Sophia in Istanbul.

Getting there

Most travellers reach Afyonkarahisar by bus. Services from Istanbul run every hour or two and take around seven hours, passing through Gebze, Izmit, Adapazarı and Kütahya, and some continue onward to Antalya or Konya. From Ankara, buses leave every 30 minutes and cover the trip in about three and a half hours via Polatlı, with some continuing to Izmir. Buses from Bursa run every two hours via İnegöl, Bozüyük, Eskişehir and Kütahya. The main operators on these routes are Metro Turizm, Flixbus and Pamukkale Turizm. The Otobüs Terminali sits just off the bypass about 3 km northwest of the centre; it's modern and spacious, with cafes and shops, and long-distance buses often take a rest stop here. To get downtown, take a taxi or a dolmuş.

By train, the Konya Mavi Tren runs daily from Konya and reaches Afyon shortly after, then continues through the night via Uşak and Manisa to Izmir; the eastbound service leaves Izmir towards Afyon and on to Konya. A regional train connects Eskişehir and Kütahya with Afyon, and two other trains on this line run only as far as Kütahya — trains no longer continue from Afyon to Konya. A high-speed line towards Izmir is under construction and may one day bring YHT services from Istanbul and Ankara, but don't count on it yet. The town station, Afyon Ali Çetinkaya, is an Art Deco structure from 1939 named for the transportation minister of that era, about 1 km northwest of the castle. Şehir Garı, once the terminus of trains from Izmir, closed in 2017 and its surroundings have been redeveloped for industry. By road from Istanbul, follow O-7 east onto O-5 and O-22, continue on D200 via İnegöl and Bozüyük, then take D650/D230 south past Kütahya; from Ankara, take E90/D200/D260 via Polatlı and Sivrihisar.

Getting around

Afyonkarahisar's centre is compact and walkable, so if you stay centrally you can cover the core sights on foot. The castle rock rises above the town, and the main railway station, Afyon Ali Çetinkaya — an Art Deco building from 1939 — sits about a kilometre northwest of it, leaving you an easy walk or a very short ride into the centre after a train arrival. Note that Şehir Garı, roughly a kilometre west off Atatürk Bulvarı, closed in 2017, so rail here means the national network at the main station rather than any urban transit; there is no metro or tram, and both the planned AFRAY suburban line and a high-speed line toward Izmir are under construction with no announced opening dates, so don't plan around them.

For the gaps, rely on taxis and dolmuşes (shared minibuses) — there is no ride-hailing network described. They are the standard way to cover the awkward distances, above all the run between the bus terminal, Otobüs Terminali, which sits off the bypass about three kilometres northwest of the centre, and downtown. They are also useful for reaching the thermal resorts and spa facilities, which are not always within walking distance. If you arrive by air, the source material doesn't detail airport-to-city transfers, so arrange ground transport on arrival: taxis are the straightforward option, and thermal hotels can often help arrange a transfer — confirm with your accommodation before you travel.

Where to stay

Afyonkarahisar's hotels cluster into a few clear types. For value, look at places within walking distance of the old town, where you can find simple, budget-friendly rooms; be aware that air conditioning may not work and housekeeping can be erratic. Mid-range options near the castle are decent, though the same caveats about a/c and cleaning sometimes apply. A chain hotel by the riverside offers a spa and comfortable rooms if you want something more predictable.

• Budget hotels within walking distance of the old town — good value, but expect no a/c and inconsistent cleaning.
• Mid-range places near the castle — decent, though a/c and cleaning can be hit or miss.
• A riverside chain hotel with a spa — comfortable and reliable.
• Upmarket spa hotels on the west side of the city and at the highway junction west of town — comfortable, though one is only just worth the price.
• A spa hotel 14 km northwest of town on the Kütahya road — earns reasonable scores for comfort, service and facilities.

Food & drink

Cheap places to eat cluster in the lanes radiating southwest from the roundabout on Birlik Cd, so head there if you want a simple, inexpensive meal.

Mineral water is a local product: Kızılay and other brands are bottled from sources around Afyon, and the tap water is safe to drink. Many cafes and restaurants serve beer, though a couple of free-standing bars remained closed in 2022.

What to see and do

Start with the castle, which perches atop the crag above town. It was built by the Hittites and rebuilt several times since, and you reach it by a long climb of some 800 steps starting from the southwest on Kale Cd above Ulu Camii; a planned cable-car has stalled. The site is open around the clock and free, with extensive citadel walls, cisterns and views, though not much else within. Near the start of the ascent stands Ulu Camii (Great Mosque), completed in 1277, its roof supported by an array of 8 by 5 wooden pillars that were originally richly carved; it is one of five world heritage listed wooden mosques in Anatolia. Also worth seeking out are the Sultan Dîvânî Mevlevîhâne Museum on Zaviye Türbe Cd, a former lodge for the Mevlevi, the Sufi "whirling dervishes", now a museum, and the Gedik Ahmet Pasha Imaret Mosque on Kurtuluş Cd, centrepiece of a religious complex with a medrese, imaret and hamam, built in 1472 and restored in 1795. The Sülüm Mosque on Birlik Cd north of the castle dates from 1813. Note that the Victory Museum, dedicated to the Turkish War of Independence, is closed long-term for rebuilding, and the Archaeological Museum at the foot of Kurtuluş Cd has closed down.

For a gentler outing, Tarihi Değirmen, an old wooden windmill tower, is mostly visited for the view and is an easier climb than the castle. Altıgöz Bridge, built in 1209 and still used by light vehicles, takes its name from its six arches, though the setting is scrappy rather than scenic. Further afield, Gazlıgöl is a geothermal area north of town on D665 with plenty of spa hotels. If you want sport, Afyonspor play soccer in Turkey's third tier at their home ground northwest of the town centre, and the Lunapark amusement park northeast of the centre was in poor shape with many broken rides.

When to go

Afyonkarahisar has a Mediterranean-style climate, with cool winters and warm, dry summers. Rain falls mostly in spring and autumn, so those seasons bring unsettled weather. Winter is cool, and severe cold is possible in midwinter, so pack for chilly conditions. Summer is warm and dry, though nights stay cool and rain is scarce; the heat can peak sharply, so plan around the hottest part of the day.

• Spring: one of the main rainy periods, with wet weather common and conditions unsettled.
• Summer: warm and dry with scarce rain, but cool nights and occasional sharp peaks of heat.
• Autumn: brings much of the year's rainfall, with wet spells as temperatures ease off from the summer heat.
• Winter: cool, with severe cold possible in midwinter.

Three days in Afyonkarahisar

Day one begins in Afyonkarahisar itself, the city at the centre of Afyonkarahisar District in Afyonkarahisar Province. Take your time getting oriented in Turkish city life here before planning the rest of your stay; the city is part of the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities, so there is a culture of study and discovery to tap into. As you walk, look out for the local stone known as Docimian Pavonazzetto, the marble that travelled from this region to monuments such as the Pantheon in Rome and Hagia Sophia in Istanbul.

Day two is for the wider province. Use the city as your base and explore Afyonkarahisar Province at an easy pace, keeping the day flexible rather than rushing between stops. In the evening, return to the centre and eat in the city rather than at your accommodation.

Day three turns to connections. The Otobüs Terminali links Afyonkarahisar with much of Turkey: services run from Ankara via Polatlı, and from Izmir via Uşak, while buses from Bursa pass through Bozüyük and Eskişehir, and other routes pass Gebze, Izmit, Adapazar, Kütahya, Antalya and Konya. Operators include Metro Turizm, Flixbus and Pamukkale Turizm. If you prefer rail, the Konya Mavi Tren is an option. Choose your onward leg and leave the city with the province still ahead of you.