BANDIRMA

Bandirma, is today an important commercial and industrial harbor second only to Istanbul. You can spend a pleasant afternoon in the town’s restaurants and cafes. Belkis (Kyzikos) lies ten kilometers west of Bandirma. In this ancient city on the Kapidag Peninsula’s isthmus, the Temple of Hadrian, a theater and aqueducts still stand, captivating visitors.

 

The Kuscenneti National Park near Lake Manyas is an ornithological site where 239 different species of birds flourish. Every year, over three million birds fly through this preserve. April and May are the best months to enjoy the wildlife. Thirteen kilometers south east of Bandirma in Karacabey, horse farms breed magnificent specimens of this beloved animal. Once known as ancient Erteka, Erdek is just 14 km northwest of Bandirma. One of the Sea of Marmara’s oldest and most famous resort areas, it offers pristine beaches and every type of accommodation. Marmara Island, formerly known as Prokonessos, rose to Prominence in the Roman period and retained its importance in the Byzantine and Ottoman periods because of its marble quarries, which supplied the luxurious stone for the extravagant imperial building programs. Near Saraylar Village, Marble Beach derives its name from the natural marble that lies just off the waters edge. In town an open-air museum displays artifacts which date back to Roman and Byzantine times, and the marble quarry, where tourists can see every step of the quarrying process.