Things to Do in Simav: 5 Places to Visit

Places to Visit in Simav

• 2 Historic
• 3 Nature

While you are in Simav, you can also see the highlights of Kütahya province. These places are in other districts; Simav is about 100 km from the provincial centre.

• Aizanoi (Çavdarhisar) Ancient City — A Roman city 58 km from Kütahya, built on both banks of the Penkalas Stream at Çavdarhisar; it has one of the best-preserved temples of Zeus in the world, a theatre-stadium complex, a colonnaded street and the Macellum with its price-list inscription, and has been on the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List since 2012.
• Kütahya Castle — A castle on a steep hill overlooking the city, built in the Byzantine period and repaired under the Germiyanids and the Ottomans; with its inner and outer walls, its towers and its revolving restaurant, it is the city's best viewpoint.
• Kütahya Grand Mosque — A mosque begun by Bayezid I (Yıldırım Bayezid) between 1381 and 1389 and completed by his son Musa Çelebi after the Battle of Ankara; it is the city's only sultan's mosque.
• Kütahya Tile Museum — A museum housed in the Germiyanid-period Imaret (Yakup Bey Complex) beside the Grand Mosque, displaying examples of Kütahya and İznik tiles spanning the centuries.
• Kossuth House Museum — An 18th-century Turkish house where Lajos Kossuth, leader of the Hungarian Revolution of 1849, lived in exile in 1850–1851; here Kossuth wrote the draft constitution he prepared for Hungary.
• Vacidiye Madrasa — A madrasa built in 1314 under the Germiyanids, where astronomy was also taught; today it serves as the Kütahya Archaeology Museum.

Practical Information for Visiting Simav

Suggested time

1-2 days

Best time to visit

Winter and spring months (for spa tourism)

Places to visit

5 places

• 🥟

  Kütahya Mantısı

  Dumplings made from small pieces of dough filled with minced meat, served with yoghurt and buttered sauce. Being made with fresh, natural ingredients makes it a healthy option.

• 🥘

  Keşkek

  Traditional dish of cracked wheat and meat cooked slowly for a long time, indispensable at wedding feasts in Simav.

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  Simav Tarhanası (Sour Tarhana)

  Best season: ❄️ Winter

  Simav tarhana is rich in yoghurt, mint, pepper and tomato. The sour tarhana made from cornelian cherries is a remedy for stomach ache and colds.

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  Simav Güveci (Simav casserole)

  Simav güveci is made with male goat or beef and baked in the oven overnight.

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  Simav Pidesi

  Simav pide stands out from others for its thin dough, generous filling and generous amount of butter. It eases the homesickness of people from Simav.

Culture, Local Products and Economy of Simav

• ♨️

  Thermal Culture

  Simav is a healing centre long known for its thermal springs. The tradition of spa visits has continued since the Ottoman period.

Local Products

• Simav El Halısı (Simav handmade carpet) — Simav El Halısı was registered as a protected geographical indication on 14 November 1997 (TÜRKPATENT registration no. 4). Product group: carpets and kilims. Registered by: Simav Municipality.
• Simav Eynal Domatesi (Simav Eynal tomatoes) — Simav Eynal Domatesi was registered as a protected designation of origin on 8 September 2022 (TÜRKPATENT registration no. 1212). Product group: processed and unprocessed fruit and vegetables and mushrooms. Registered by: Kütahya Commodity Exchange.
• Simav Kestanesi (Simav chestnuts) — Simav Kestanesi was registered as a protected designation of origin on 21 June 2022 (TÜRKPATENT registration no. 1152). Product group: processed and unprocessed fruit and vegetables and mushrooms. Registered by: Simav Chamber of Agriculture.

Economy

Simav's economy is based on agriculture, geothermal energy and spa tourism. Geothermal resources are used for greenhouse heating and electricity generation. Wheat, barley and livestock are also important sources of livelihood.

How to Get to Simav

Simav is 100 km from the Kütahya provincial centre. Transport is by road.

Get directions on Google Maps Getting to Kütahya

Simav: Frequently Asked Questions

Continue Your Trip

• 🍽️ What to Eat in Simav Famous dishes and local products →
• 🗺️ Things to Do in Kütahya The province's 9 best places and all its districts →

Other Districts of Kütahya

• Kütahya Central District 9 places Kütahya Castle, Kütahya Tile Museum and Kossuth House Museum
• Altıntaş 6 places Zafer Airport, Beşkarış Dam and Altıntaş Mound
• Aslanapa 3 places Aslanapa Mosque, Aslanapa Plateaus and Aslanapa Clock Tower
• Çavdarhısar 8 places Aizanoi Ancient City, Temple of Zeus (Zeus Tapınağı) and Aizanoi Stadium and Theatre
• Domaniç 11 places Domaniç Mountains, Near the Tomb of Ertuğrul Gazi and Domaniç Plateaus
• Dumlupınar 7 places Başkomutanlık Historical National Park, Unknown Soldier Monument and Atatürk Headquarters House
• Emet 6 places Emet Thermal Springs, Emet Castle and Emet Boron Plant
• Gediz 5 places Murat Dağı Thermal Springs, Gediz Castle and Gediz Grand Mosque
• Hisarcık 3 places Hisarcık Castle (Hisarcık Kalesi), Hisarcık Mosque (Hisarcık Camii) and Esire Thermal Springs (Esire Kaplıcaları)
• Pazarlar 2 places Pazarlar Mosque and Pazarlar Çevresi Doğal Alanlar
• Şaphane 4 places Şaphane Mountain, Şaphane Mosque and Kocaseyfullah Mosque
• Tavşanlı 7 places Tavşanlı Castle, Kurşunlu Mosque and Tunçbilek Thermal Power Plant Pond