From Sarıkaya to Akdağmadeni: From Thermal Springs to Provincial Heritage

Southeastern Yozgat connects three districts (Sarıkaya, Saraykent, Akdağmadeni) along a nearly straight line — as you move from south to northeast, you encounter first a thermal heritage from the Roman period, then Seljuk-Ottoman caravanserais, and finally 19th-century provincial architecture. This is a fully car-based route, covering roughly 75 km in total between stops. Start your day in Sarıkaya. First, visit the Sarıkaya Roman Bath (known locally as Kral Kızı Hamamı, the "King's Daughter's Bath") — one of the rare Roman-era thermal structures still standing in Anatolia, with its 2nd-century CE ten-arched facade; the best time to photograph it is in the morning light before noon. Right next door, head to Sarıkaya Thermal Springs and spend about an hour in the water at the modern facility fed by the same source; don't forget to bring a swimsuit and towel — the facility also offers accommodation if you'd like to start the day here with an early rest. From Sarıkaya, head northeast to Saraykent — the drive takes about 45 minutes. When you arrive in the district center, visit Çınçınlı Sultan Han (Old Han); this stone caravanserai, built along the old trade routes, reveals the region's Seljuk-era commercial history. Take a short walk up nearby Yılanboynu Hill to take in the view of the district and surrounding plain — the light is especially clear around midday, making it a good time for landscape photos. The last stop is Akdağmadeni, about 30 minutes from Saraykent. When you enter the district center, tour three buildings very close to one another: the Old Akdağ Prison (Tiftik Han), with its layered past having served as both a caravanserai and a prison; İstanbulluoğlu Mosque, originally built as a church and later converted; and Akdağmadeni Church, which carries traces of the district's multicultural 19th-century population — all three can be seen by circling the same square. If you're visiting in winter, don't leave without drinking Akdağmadeni's geographically-indicated salep; in summer, the coolness of Sarıkaya's thermal water is more enjoyable. If you set out from Sarıkaya around 8:00 AM, you'll comfortably return to Yozgat center by early evening. The real pleasure of touring these three districts in a single day is the transition, as you move from south to north, from a heritage intertwined with water to another woven from stone and earth — from a Roman town in Sarıkaya where water brought healing, to a Seljuk caravanserai in Saraykent where caravans once rested, to a small provincial town in Akdağmadeni where different faiths lived side by side for centuries. If you plan to enter the thermal springs, don't forget to bring a change of clothes — towel rental is available at the facility exit but can run out on busy days. Since the roads between Saraykent and Akdağmadeni in particular are narrow and winding, we recommend traveling during daylight hours and driving carefully.