Tourism active in Phrygia throughout the year

AFYONKARAHİSAR

Tourists are flocking year-round to the ancient Phrygian Valley in the Central Anatolian province of Afyonkarahisar's İhsaniye district, where centuries-old caves, chapels and rock-cut tombs offer a glimpse into Türkiye's rich historical and cultural heritage.

Phrygia is a civilization that existed in 800 B.C. and dominated Central Anatolia from the Mediterranean Sea to the south and the Black Sea to the north. It has been home to a number of communities since ancient times. The area was dominated by the Phrygians between 900 B.C. and 600 B.C. Later, the area fell under Roman control.

Inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List, the Phrygia Valley spreads across the capital Ankara and central Eskişehir, as well as its neighbors in the Aegean region, Kütahya and Afyonkarahisar.

Thanks to investments led by the governorship and the impact of the city's thermal hotels with a capacity of 25,000 beds, the 25-kilometer-long "Phrygian Road" route between Emre Lake in Döğer town and Ayazini village hosts visitors.

In the 3,000-year-old region, visitors explore the Aslantaş, Yılantaş and Maltaş monuments in Göynüş Valley, as well as numerous caves, ancient rock settlements, carved rock tombs, chapels, and fairy chimneys. They also experience hot air balloon rides over Emre Lake.

Phrygia, which tops the itinerary of guests visiting the area's thermal hotels year-round, stands out as a frequent destination for culture and nature enthusiasts thanks to its mysterious sites.

Yunus Yılmaz, President of the Phrygia Culture and Tourism Association, stated that 3,000-year-old Phrygia enjoys an active tourism season throughout the year.

Emphasizing that Phrygia's tourism potential persists in every season, Yılmaz said: "This winter season, we observe that tourism activity has increased compared to previous years. Even during winter, Phrygia is worth seeing under a white blanket of snow. Local tourists arrive in greater numbers, especially on weekends, which are busier. Phrygia hosts 2 million domestic and foreign tourists annually. Businesses and tradespeople in the area continuously invest. As an association, we have mobilized to promote Phrygia on social media this year. This season, we invited social media influencers with significant followings to Phrygia. Together, we created promotional visuals and content for Phrygia. The social media shares have further increased interest in Phrygia. Hopefully, in the coming season, we expect more influencers in our region."

Irfan Öztürk, who has been giving tourists camel rides in Phrygia for three years, said the camel adds color to the area. "A large number of day-trip visitors are hosted. Visitors come heavily from Istanbul, Kocaeli and Konya. Here, we give guests camel rides. They take photos and have a pleasant time."