7 places to visit in the Sultandağı district of Afyonkarahisar: Sultan Mountains, İshaklı Castle and Akşehir Lake Shore. Plan your trip to Sultandağı with local food, practical tips and transport information.
The district lies where the Aegean Region and the Central Anatolia Region meet, on the border of Konya and Isparta provinces. Until 1958 İshaklı, a nahiye attached to the district of Bolvadin, was merged in the same year with the town of Çiftlik and given district status under the name Sultandağı.
Sultandağı has a very old past that goes back to the Bronze Age. Between 2000 and 700 BC it lay within the borders of the Hittites, and between 750 and 600 BC within the borders of Phrygia.
İshaklı was a nahiye attached to Afyonkarahisar in the time of the Anatolian Seljuks. The Grand Mosque was built in 1458 under Karamanoğlu İbrahim Bey.
As a settlement, Sultandağı lies close to the point where the Aegean Region and the Central Anatolia Region intersect. It lies north of the area also known as the Lake District, where the Eber and Akşehir lakes are located, at the foot of Sultandağı, which is the extension of the Western Taurus Mountains into Central Anatolia.
The Buzluk Cave in the town of Dereçine attracts considerable interest from visitors.
Sultandağı was given district status in 1958 when it was merged with the town of Çiftlik. Sultandağı was a stopover on the road between West and East during the Byzantine and Seljuk periods. Between 546 and 333 BC, Sultandağı lay within the borders of the Persian Empire. The history of Sultandağı goes back to the Bronze Age. The Grand Mosque houses Sakal-ı Şerif, one of the sacred relics received from the Companions of the Prophet. In the Kanuni period, villages and hamlets attached to the nahiye of İshaklı are recorded.
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Rising where the Aegean and Central Anatolia regions meet, the Sultan Mountains reach a summit of 2,581 metres and are ideal for trekking and hiking. The Seljuk sultans deployed their armies here while fighting against Byzantium, and the mountains take their name from that historical event.
View on mapSultandağı was formerly called İshaklı, after the Seljuk bey İshak Bey, who founded the district. The castle remains reflect Seljuk military architecture and shed light on the district's founding history.
View on mapAkşehir Lake, north of Sultandağı, is an important wetland for birdwatching and nature photography. The reeds around the lake are home to bird species such as flamingos, pelicans and storks.
View on mapSultandağı is one of Türkiye's most important cherry-producing centres, exporting cherries to more than 50 countries. The cherry orchards, which bloom in May and June, offer a visual feast for photography enthusiasts.
View on mapIn antiquity, Sultandağı lay on the route of the Silk Road, which stretched from the Arabian Peninsula to the Aegean coast. Caravanserai remains and historic inn buildings along the road bear witness to this trade route.
View on mapA caravanserai in Sultandağı town centre, built by Sahipata in 1249.
View on mapA religious building constructed in 1912 on the site of an earlier mosque.
View on mapWhile you are in Sultandağı, you can also see the highlights of Afyonkarahisar province. These places are in other districts.
Keşkek, prepared by boiling and pounding hulled wheat with beef for hours, is the most important dish at weddings and festive tables in Sultandağı. It is served with browned butter.
Preserves, compotes and cake varieties made with Sultandağı's world-famous cherries form the basis of the region's sweet tradition. Prepared in the fresh cherry season, these desserts are visitors' favourites.
Prepared by slow-cooking lamb in a clay tandoor oven for hours, this kebab is the most loved flavour of Sultandağı's rural tables. Cooking the meat in its own juices gives it a soft, flavourful texture.
A traditional delicacy of the Afyonkarahisar region, haşhaşlı çörek is also carefully prepared in Sultandağı's bakeries. The aroma of the poppy seeds gives the bun its distinctive flavour.
Held every year during the cherry harvest, the Sultandağı Cherry Festival is an event where farmers compete with their largest cherries. Gold and tractor fuel are awarded to the winner, and well-known artists give concerts.
Sultandağı was founded by the Seljuk bey İshak Bey and, through its location on the Silk Road, has a rich trading and cultural past.
The plateaus at the foot of the Sultan Mountains are the traditional living areas to which families who make a living from livestock migrate in the summer months. The tradition of plateau migration is still maintained.
The economy of Sultandağı is largely based on cherry production. The district is one of Türkiye's most important cherry export centres, sending cherries to more than 50 countries. Apart from cherries, wheat, barley and poppy are also grown. Small livestock farming is an important livelihood in the mountain villages. After the 2001 earthquake, the district entered a process of reconstruction.
Sultandağı lies 68 km from Afyonkarahisar city centre, on the Afyon-Konya road. There are regular bus and minibus services from Afyonkarahisar. The nearest airport is Afyon-Çobanlar Airport. Road access from the direction of Konya is also possible.
The 7 highlights of Sultandağı are: Sultan Mountains, İshaklı Castle, Akşehir Lake Shore, Sultandağı Cherry Orchards, Silk Road Ruins, Sultandağı Caravanserai (Sahipata Caravanserai) and Grand Mosque (Çarşı Mosque).
Keşkek, Kirazlı Tatlılar, Tandır Kebabı and Haşhaşlı Çörek are the flavours that stand out at Sultandağı's tables.
Sultandağı is known for Sultandağı Gılli Kirazı and the Cherry Festival. It is a product registered with TÜRKPATENT as a protected designation of origin.
Sultandağı lies 68 km from Afyonkarahisar city centre, on the Afyon-Konya road. There are regular bus and minibus services from Afyonkarahisar. The nearest airport is Afyon-Çobanlar Airport. Road access from the direction of Konya is also possible.
Suggested visit length: 1 day. Best time to visit: May–June (cherry season).