By Cinzia Rizzi
Published on
In Afyonkarahisar, hot air balloons drift over 3,000-year-old Phrygian rock carvings, mineral-rich thermal springs have drawn visitors since 1200 BC, and poppy seeds define a UNESCO-recognised culinary tradition.
The journey starts above the Phrygian Valley, where Phrygians carved monuments into the rock over 3,000 years ago. "We could call this place Green Cappadocia," says balloon pilot Kemal Eryılmaz.
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Below, thermal springs have drawn visitors since 1200 BC, earning the region its nickname, the "Healing City" waters "especially rich in sulphur, calcium, magnesium, and iron," says Hakan Siyah of Grand Özgül Termal.
In the village of Ayazini, poppy seeds still shape the local table. "This belongs to the Afyon region, passed down from our ancestors," says chef Meryem Açıkgöz, rolling katmer by hand. From balloon to bath to griddle, Afyonkarahisar rewards those willing to slow down and take it all in.
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