Mount Sipylus is the reason Manisa is more than an industrial satellite of Izmir. The 1,513-metre mountain rises directly south of town, with pine forest, wild tulips, wild horses, and a cooler climate that locals use as an escape in summer.
The upper slopes are protected as Spil Dağı National Park. You can drive close to the summit area and walk the last stretch, or spend longer exploring the picnic grounds, viewpoints, and forest roads. In winter the mountain often has snow while the plain below stays mild.