Sanandaj
©
Sanandaj

Sanandaj

Mountain-valley capital of Iranian Kurdistan, where Kurdish music, bazaars, and Abidar views shape the city.

Sanandaj — historically known as Senna — is the capital of Kurdistan Province in western Iran, set in a mountain valley at about 1,500 metres elevation. The city is the cultural heart of Iranian Kurdistan, and Kurdish language, music, and traditions are everywhere: in the bazaar, in the teahouses, and in the sound of the tanbur lute drifting from doorways in the old quarter.

The city has a scattering of historical sites — the Khosro Abad Mansion, the old bazaar, and the Jameh Mosque — but the real appeal is the surrounding landscape. Abidar on the edge of town offers views across the city and the mountains beyond. The road south to Marivan and Lake Zarivar passes through some of the most beautiful highland scenery in Iran. Sanandaj is also a good base for exploring the Kurdish villages of the Hawraman region, where stepped stone houses cling to steep valley walls.

Guide

Getting There

By air, Sanandaj Airport (SDG) has domestic connections to Tehran and occasionally other Iranian cities. Schedules are subject to change; check current Iranian airline timetables before planning around flights.

By bus is the most reliable option. Regular intercity buses run from Tehran's western bus terminal (about 8 hours) and from other major cities including Tabriz, Hamadan, and Kermanshah. The bus terminal in Sanandaj is on the edge of the city.

By car the drive from Tehran takes around 7–8 hours via the Tehran–Hamadan–Kermanshah highway and then south into Kurdistan Province. The roads are generally good but mountain passes west of Hamadan can be affected by winter snow.

From Hamadan is a 3–4 hour drive via mountain roads through the Zagros; the scenery is excellent. From Kermanshah it is about 2 hours southeast.

Guide

Things to Do

Sanandaj's appeal is a combination of historical sites — the old bazaar, the Asaf Vaziri mansion, mosques of different eras — and the natural landscape that surrounds it. The Abidar mountain to the west provides the easiest access to highland scenery. For those with more time, the road south to Marivan and Lake Zarivar is one of the most beautiful drives in western Iran.

Kurdish music and culture are a strong undercurrent in the city; evenings in the teahouses are worth extending if you have the patience for the pace of things.