Sports activities are also quite developed in and the city was represented for a long time in the Turkish Second League by Yeni Salihlispor. Today, nearly 1500 licensed sportsmen are competing in various sports activities in Salihli, such as football, basketball, volleyball, table tennis, judo, wrestling, oil wrestling, folk dance and chess. There are 10 football clubs representing Salihli in amateur league of Turkey and 1 female volleyball club is in the 2nd league. Under Salihli Municipality’s structure, Turkish folk music, Turkish Classical Music and Children’s Chorus organizations also have a place and modern ballet and other dance schools, folk dances, piano, drawing and theater lessons are also supported.

Cuisine

Odun köfte
(wood-flame grilled meat balls);
a local delicacy

Besides other Turkish dishes, Salihli has a particular köfte variety of its own, named Odun Köfte. Gökeyüp village’s Güveç stews are also particularly famous in the region. Production of high quality grapes, especially Sultana grapes is also reflected in the cuisine. In wedding ceremonies held in the villages, dishes like keşkek and topalak are often cooked, and some people make their own rakı with sweet sultana grapes.