Sanandaj
Sanandaj, also called "Senna" is a city in the Kurdistan Province of Iran. Sanandaj occupies a fertile valley in the Zagros Mountains. The city is a major manufacturing and retail trade center with many diverse products, including carpets, cotton textiles, leather, metal ware, cutlery, pottery, wood furniture and wood crafts, milled rice, refined sugar, and processed foods. Its old bazaar is noted as a place to buy Kurdish handicrafts.
Sanandaj is home to the ruins of an 11th- and 12th- century fortress, the Dar al-Ehsan Mosque, and the Sanandaj Museum. The museum is housed in a 19th-century royal palace whose Arusi Room, or Wedding Room, is considered a masterpiece of handcrafted woodwork. Kurdistan University, founded after the 1979 Islamic revolution in Iran, is also in the city.
The area around Sanandaj is known for its many mountain caves, hot springs, and freshwater lakes, many of which cater to tourists. The nature around Sanandaj is very beautiful.
Things to do in Sanandaj:
- Go to Abidar mountain in the Western corner of Sanandaj. This mountain is the place where the residents of Sanandaj go on hiking and has many beautiful parks like "Amirieh" Jungle Park.
- Go to the Bazaars, like 6th Bahman, Vahabi House of Fabrics, Chapoor, Eqbal square.
- Go out of the city. Kurdistan province is one of the most mountainous regions in Iran. It is a popular tourist destination, featuring mountaineering, skiing and water sports. The nature outside the city contains beautiful hills, mountains and lakes.