KIRKLARELI

The Yildiz (Istranca) Mountains bisect the province of Kirklareli. Lush mountainous landscape dotted with quaint houses transport you to an idyllic and tranquil reverie. In the city of Kirklareli the oldest mosque is the Hizirbey Mosque, built in 1383. The mosque complex includes a bazaar. Nearby stands a hamam (batil) also built under die patronage of Hizir Bey. The 14th-century Kirklar Memorial with its impressive 18 columns stands on Kirklar Hill honouring the site where 40 soldiers lost their lives when the Ottomans conquered this area under the command of Murat 1. The Archaeology Museum exhibits finds from local excavations. Kirklareli’s Black Sea Coast is another place to enjoy beaches and good fish restaurants. Igneada, 98km east of Kirklareli, lies sandwiched between sandy shores and the Yildiz Mountains. Kiyiköy (Midye) is another holiday resort town with good accommodation and picturesque dwellings from the Middle Ages. The town and its walls date from the Byzantine period. The best site to visit in Midye is the historic St. Nicholas Rock Monastery.

 

LULEBURGAZ

The Sokollu Mosque in Lüleburgaz, on the Edirne-Istanbul road, is an exquisite work of Sinan that dates from 1570. The neighboring town of Babaeski also boasts a Sinan building in the Cedid Ali Pasa Mosque. Vize (Byzia), an important Byzantine center, houses the Kücük Ayasofya church and a castle, both dating from the Byzantine period. If you are travelling north to Bulgaria, linger for a few hours in the peaceful and green town of Derekoy, the last stop before the border.

 

ISTANBUL

Also on the European Black Sea coast, only 35 km from Istanbul, are the sandy beaches, and hotels, motels and camping facilities of Kilyos. Across the Bosphorus, on the Asian shore, 5ile’s (71 km from Istanbul) long sandy beaches, overlooked by the remains of a Genoese Castle, attract many visitors. The excellent restaurants and nightlife make it a popular weekend retreat for Istanbul residents. Cotton blouses and shirts (Sile Bezi) are sewn and embroidered here. Originally founded by a Polish prince as a home for Polish exiles, Polonezköy (25 km from Istanbul) has been transformed into a relaxing resort with guest houses and restaurants serving a delicious selection of fresh local produce. Inland from the coast, the rolling hills and peaceful woods make an excellent area for horseback riding. Agva (50 km east of Sile), on the banks of a river as well as on the shores of the Black Sea, is surrounded by lovely scenery, ideal for a camping holiday. Kerpe, Kefken and Karasu are three quaint fishing villages east of Agva.

 

BOLU

Delightful restaurants and limpid water draw a constant stream of visitors. Inland, between Ankara and Istanbul, is Bolu (262 km from Istanbul and 192 km from Ankara), an important provincial center with an impressive 14th-century Ulu Mosque and modern thermal facilities close at hand. The Bolu Archaeology and Ethnography Museum has artifacts from the Hittite, Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk and Ottoman periods. Southwest of Bolu is the popular and relaxing Lake Abant resort, set in lovely alpine surroundings at an altitude of 1,500 meters. Istanbul dwellers often escape to the lake for a weekend of fresh air and exercise. In the Köroglu Mountains is Kartalkaya, one of Turkey’s major ski resorts. In the summer you can stop for a picnic at Gölcük Lake. The breathtakingly beautiful Yedi GoIler (Seven Lakes) National Park lies north of Bolu. Nearby, the town of Mengen has a reputation for its good cooks and holds the annual Chefs’ Festival of in August, featuring traditional Turkish specialities. The sites around Konuralp (53 km from Bolu) the ancient Prusa ad Hypium, continue to yield artifacts from both the Roman and Byzantine periods, which are on display in the local museum. Among the ruins, the Roman theatre is not to be missed. Back on the coast, the lovely beach and comfortable guest houses and hotels at Akcakoca ensure that it remains a popular holiday resort. Near the town, you can explore the remains of a Genoese castle now set amid hazelnut groves.