Afyon @ Travel Turkey

Afyon is in mountainous countryside inland from the Aegean coast, 250 km (155 mi) south-west of Ankara along the Akar River. Elevation 1,034 meters. Population (2000 census) 128,516.

Being high up the weather in winter is cold and the roads are icy.

The name is Turkish for the black castle opium, since opium was widely grown here and there is a castle on a black rock. Also known simply as Afyon. Older spellings include Karahisar-i Sahip Afium-Kara-hissar and Afyon Karahisar. City was known as Afyon (opium), until the name was changed to Afyonkarahisar by Turkish Parliament in 2004.

Afyon is the center of an agricultural area and the city has a country town feel to it. There is little in the way of bars, cafes, live music or other cultural amenities, and the standards of education are low for a city in the west of Turkey. However Afyon Kocatepe University opened in the 1990s and this must surely lead to improvements eventually. Nowadays Afyon is known for its marble (in 2005 there were 355 marble quarries in the province of Afyon producing high quality white stone), its sucuk (peculiar sausages), its kaymak (meaning either cream or a white Turkish Delight) and various handmade weavings. There is also a large cement factory.

How to get here

By bus from Ankara (five hours); Antalya (five hours); Isparta (two hours); İstanbul (seven hours). Nearest airport: Isparta.

Where to stay

- Afyon: Mid-range: The Grand Özer Tel: 0272/214 3300; www.grandozer.com Budget: Otel Lale Tel 0272/215 1580.
- Spas: Ömer/Gedek Kaplıcılar. Termal Resort Oruçoğlu Tel 0272/251 5050. Hudai Kaplıcılar. Hudai Termal Hotel Tel 0272/535 7300; www.hudai.sandıklı.bel.tr

Where to eat

Afyon. İkbal Lokantası, Uzun Çarşı, Meydan or the Kuru Fasulyeci on Ambaryolu 48 (try the delicious beans with pastırmı)

Afyon Article on Wikipedia

All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License. (See Copyrights for details.)