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.