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.

Get in

By plane

There are 5 daily flights from Tehran. And 2 weekly flights from (Kurdistan of Iraq) and also monthly flights from Antalia (Turkey).

  • 🌍 Sanandaj Airport (فرودگاه سنندج). (updated Jun 2023)

By train

A railway line connecting Sanandaj with Tehran and the rest of the national network is under construction. It is expected to open in 2024 or 2025.

  • 🌍 Sanandaj railway station (ایستگاه مسافربری راه آهن سنندج) (25 km east of city centre, along road 46). (updated Jun 2023)

By car

Freeway Tehran, Sanandaj

There are many shared taxis to Tehran for US$30.

By bus

There are more than 50 buses from Tehran, Kermanshah, Tabriz, Hamedan and other Iranian cities daily.

Also there are buses from Istanbul, Wan and Antalia (Turkey) and from Suleymaniye and Erbil (Iraqi Kurdistan).

Get around
  • Outside the city there are beautiful hills, mountains, water caves and lakes.

See
  • 🌍 Dar ul-Ihsan Mosque (مسجد دارالاحسان). (updated Jun 2023)
  • Hajar Khatoon Mosque (مسجد هاجرخاتون). (updated Jun 2023)
  • 🌍 Khosro Abad Mansion. (updated Jun 2023)
  • National Museum of Sanandaj
  • Didgah Park
  • Abidar Park
  • Palangan ancient village
  • BAME-SANANDAJ entertainment center
  • World's largest outdoor cinema in Amiriye park
  • Hajar Khatoon Mosque
  • Kurd House
  • Khosro-Abad Buildings
  • Aseef Buildings
  • Eqbal Square

Do
  • 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. 

Learn
  • Kurdistan University (Medicine, Agriculture and Engineering colleges)
  • Sananadaj Azad University (IAU)
  • Payame Noor University
  • Elmi Karbordi University
  • IM Universities for Arts and foreign languages.
  • IYCS-Sanandaj (Iranian youth cinema society-Sanandaj branch for film making teaching)

Buy
  • Kurdish sweet Confectionery, Nan-e-Konjedi, Nan-e-Berenji

Brown bread Bread Kok Konji Gazo

Eat and drink
  • Khansalar (Pasdaran Street). Great Kebabs and oodles of old Persian style. 
  • Paradise, Abidar Avenue. You can buy pizzas here. 
  • Good Memorize Restaurant, Hassan Abad Avenue. 
  • Good Father Restaurant, 6 Bahman Avenue. You can buy pizzas, shrimp, spaghetti, chicken and ... here. 
  • Matarsak Restaurant, Abidar Avenue. You can buy Rostbiff, pizzas, shrimp, spaghetti, chicken and ... here. 
  • Super Star Restaurant, 1= Abidar Avenue ,2= Adab St. You can buy Rostbiff, pizzas, shrimp, spaghetti, chicken and ... here. 
  • Orkideh Restaurant, Abidar Park. 
  • HAWRAZ cafes, Hawraz Sq.. You can buy different kinds of Ice creams and soft drink here. 

Some local specialty drinks are dough, which is a type of buttermilk, and istek.

Sleep

Budget
  • Laleh International Hotel, Takieh-va-Chaman blvd.. 5 stars. 
  • Hotel Kaj, Ferdowsi St.. 
  • Mosaferkhaneh Jabbar, Enqelab Square. 
  • Hotel Hedayat, Ferdosi Street. 
  • Shadi Hotel, ☏ +98 87 3362 9200. (updated Oct 2019)

Mid-range
  • Shadi Hotel, Pasdaran Street extension. For a mid-range price, you get all facilities of a four-star hotel. The owner speaks English fluently, a restaurant. 

Go next
  • The beautiful villages of Galin and Tangisar
  • Lake Zarivar near Marivan is a very beautiful lake near Sanandaj. Don't miss it.
  • Hawraman is an ancient Kurdish village.
  • Quri Qaleh water cave is one of the most beautiful water caves in Iran.
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