Sakarya

Sakarya, which offers different beauties in every season, has many places for nature lovers to explore.

Sakarya is one of the cities with the richest natural beauty in the Marmara region. It offers different beauties in every season and has many places for nature lovers to explore. Here are the places to visit in Sakarya, whether for a day trip or a short stay…

Historic buildings: Many historic buildings await those who want a cultural tour in and around Sakarya. Most date from the Ottoman period; those worth seeing include the Rahime Sultan Mosque, the Sapanca Rüstempaşa Mosque, the Hasanfehmipaşa Mosque, the Şeymuslihiddin Mosque, the Yunuspaşa Mosque, the Bayezid II Bridge, Beşköprü, Paşalar Castle, Seyifler Castle and Harmantepe Castle.

Museums: If you want to learn about Sakarya's history and travel through the past of this lovely city, the Sakarya Museum, the Earthquake Museum and the Kuvayı Milliye (National Forces) Museum are among the museums you can visit.

Natural beauty: Sakarya is one of the cities with the richest natural beauty in the Marmara region. It offers different beauties in every season and has many places for nature lovers to explore. The İnönü yayla, the Sapanca Çiğdem yayla, the Sapanca yaylas, the Karagöl yayla, Lake Sapanca, Lake Poyrazlar, the Acarlar Longoz, the Sakarya River and the Maden stream are must-sees among them.

Hot springs: Sakarya, a city well developed for thermal tourism, has spa centres where you can both find healing and enjoy a pleasant holiday. The most popular are the Sakarya Taraklı Thermal Tourism Centre and the Akyazı Kuzuluk Hot Springs.

Nearby places: Sapanca, one of the first places that come to mind when you think of Sakarya, is a must-see in this city. Besides Sapanca, with its natural beauty, clean air and tourist spots, Kırkpınar, İstanbuldere, Maşukiye and Derbent are places whose beauty will charm you.

Places to visit in Sakarya: historic sites

Kuzuluk Hot Springs

The Kuzuluk Hot Springs in Sakarya's Akyazı district are one of the healing water sources that nature offers us.

If you are planning a peaceful holiday to relax and rest, you can spend it in this lovely town in Sakarya and enjoy the thermal waters of the Kuzuluk Hot Springs. This spa area has been offering healing since the Seljuk period. There are places to stay in the area; the hotels have thermal treatment centres, so you can make full use of the spring water.

Karagöl yayla

If you are looking for a place that adorns Sakarya with a green cover and leaves all the chaos of city life far behind, you can set off to discover the nature of the Karagöl yayla (highland pasture). As soon as you see it, you will be surprised you had never discovered this lovely piece of geography before.

Local people named it Karagöl (Black Lake) because when it rains, the hollows on the yayla fill up and look like a lake. You can reach the Karagöl yayla in Taraklı, Sakarya, after a two-hour climb from the village of Kemaller. The way is a little hard, but the view will make you forget all your tiredness. The yayla's vegetation is fir, pine and oak, and its total area is 567 hectares…

The houses on the Karagöl yayla are built of wood. Every Friday a market is set up on the yayla and festivities are held. It is also an ideal area for camping. On the Karagöl yayla you will see not only natural beauty but also remains dated to the Roman period.

Earthquake Museum

Construction of the Earthquake Museum in Adapazarı, Sakarya, began in 2000. Completed over 4 years, the museum opened to visitors in 2004.

The main reason for opening the Earthquake Museum was the earthquakes that struck Adapazarı between 1967 and 1999. One of the museum's important tasks is to build awareness of earthquakes.

Inside, the museum is laid out like an art gallery decorated with pictures, paintings and photographs. Photographs of the city before and after the earthquake, an electronic vibrating stand and many other items about earthquakes are on display.

The Earthquake Museum, on Kavaklı Street in Sakarya's Cumhuriyet neighbourhood, is visited mainly by students but appeals to all ages.

Maden stream

The Maden stream (Maden Deresi) in Karasu, Sakarya, enchanting with its green areas and whispering an unheard melody as the sound of the stream joins the sound of nature, has recently become one of the places domestic and foreign tourists are most curious about.

The Maden stream is an ideal spot for walks, photography and picnics with friends. And if you go in October or November, you can also gather chestnuts. There were once mines run by the French in the area of the Maden stream, but in 1914 the French left, which is why the spot is called Maden Deresi (Mine Stream).

If you are planning a day trip close to Istanbul, you can go to the Maden stream with your family or friends and discover this different, little-known face of nature.

Rahime Sultan Mosque

The Rahime Sultan Mosque is one of Sapanca's historic places of worship. The mosque, named after its founder, was built by the 4th wife of Abdülmecid.

The mosque, which has stood since 1892, had its minaret damaged in the 1999 earthquake.

If you are staying at one of the hotels in Sapanca, we recommend you see the Rahime Sultan Mosque. Don't let Sapanca hotel prices scare you: hotels offer economical holiday deals with seasonal campaigns. You can research Sapanca hotel prices on Neredekal.com.

Sakarya Museum

The Sakarya Museum, among Sakarya's places to visit, is in the central district. It was set up on an area of 1,290 square metres. The Sakarya Museum, in the Semerciler neighbourhood, has service offices on the ground floor, and the director's office and an exhibition hall on the first floor.

On your Sakarya holiday you can visit the museum and take a lovely journey among historic remains. Its garden displays remains from the Roman and Byzantine periods, including altars, gravestones and column bases. The museum's exhibition hall also shows objects from the Roman and Byzantine periods, as well as ethnographic objects from the Ottoman and Republican periods. The Sakarya Museum awaits you in its charming building. And during your holiday you should be sure to visit the Acarlar Longoz and the İnönü yayla.

İnönü yayla

The İnönü yayla is both a camping area and a favourite of nature lovers. On the Adapazarı–Pamukova border, it lies in a valley that stretches between pine, fir and oak trees.

Because it is close to Istanbul, you can visit it on a day trip or spend a few days camping here. Enjoying nature among the greenery and making plenty of discoveries will both delight you and give you rest and peace. The yayla is not hard to reach: heading from Pamukova towards the village of Hüseyinli, you will come first to the Ercuva yayla and then to the İnönü yayla.

You can also explore caves large and small on the yayla. As you walk the trails, many details will catch your eye. The İnönü yayla is a wonderful place to visit and camp; go soon and have a great time in nature.

Sakarya River

The Sakarya River, which rises on the Bayat yayla in Afyon, is Türkiye's third-largest river.

Standing out after the Euphrates and the Kızılırmak, the Sakarya River is 824 kilometres long and rich in fish.

A natural beauty that has survived to this day, it still keeps its charm with the green areas around it. Türkiye's largest power plants were also built in this area. A holiday somewhere with a view of a river flowing through green land will bring you peace. The Karasu area here is an important holiday centre, and a holiday in Karasu can give you the most peaceful times of your life.

Lake Poyrazlar

If you want a peaceful trip, Lake Poyrazlar, a natural wonder, is just what you are looking for.

The lake, which also offers camping, is 10 kilometres from Adapazarı. It is close to the city centre, but because it is surrounded by greenery, the moment you enter you feel you are in another land. Its calm will draw you in, and you will realise you have found the home of peace. You can also visit Lake Poyrazlar for a day picnic. The lake is 12 metres deep at its deepest point and has a marshy bottom, so swimming is forbidden. If you cast a line from the shore and are very lucky, you might catch a rudd. You can take a trip to these pleasant times with friends or your loved one to shake off the year's tiredness.

Acarlar Longoz

The Acarlar Longoz in Sakarya Province is the second-largest longoz in the world. A longoz is a flooded forest, and the Acarlar Longoz is home to many fish species.

The longoz, a natural beauty, is one of the rare places that brings together sea, dunes, forest and lake. It covers an area of 1,562 hectares in the Karasu district. The Acarlar Longoz, a piece of paradise, draws crowds of visitors.

Don't wait until you happen to be in Sakarya to see this magnificent place. With its many animals, unique look and greenery, it will be a wonderful place to visit. You can take photos and have a great time anywhere in the Acarlar Longoz. Ducks, pheasants and fish await your company.

Lake Sapanca

Lake Sapanca, 16 km long, lies east of the Gulf of İzmit. The highest point to its south reaches 1,606 metres, while the highest point to its north is 300 metres.

Research shows that Lake Sapanca was once connected to the Gulf of İzmit, and the shellfish in the lake support this. Perhaps the fact that at first glance it seems like a continuation of the Gulf of İzmit comes from their once being joined.

This lake in Sakarya's Sapanca district is a stop for people travelling in summer or winter. Its fish include carp, catfish, pike and trout. Lake Sapanca is fed by snowmelt from the mountains. Just one of our geographical beauties, the lake is well worth visiting. If you want to get away from the stress and crowds of city life, a visit to Lake Sapanca will bring you peace.

Sapanca Rüstempaşa Mosque

This is the oldest mosque in Sapanca. It was commissioned by Rüstem Paşa in 1555 and built by Mimar Sinan's journeymen.

Still open for worship, it is one of the most important buildings of Sapanca's history.

Vecihi Gate, Sapanca

The Vecihi Gate, built by Mimar Sinan on the Silk Road, is a historic structure you should see on your Sapanca trip.

İstanbul Dere, Sapanca

İstanbuldere, a stream flowing between chestnut and beech trees, with a walking trail running through and alongside it, is a delight for nature lovers.

It is a wonderful place, especially in summer, for those who want to spend time in nature in Sapanca. When you go to Sapanca, be sure to see it.

Aygır stream, Sapanca

The Aygır stream, one of the streams flowing into Lake Sapanca, is popular for its walking trails and the small pools you can swim in during summer. The Aygır stream in Sapanca is a must-see.

Çiğdem yayla, Sapanca

The Çiğdem yayla is a highland pasture 20 km from Sapanca. Festivities are held there every year in the second week of July.

This yayla in Sapanca is among the 10 most beautiful yaylas in our country.

Yaylas of Sapanca

Sapanca is very rich in alternative tourism options. The yaylas in the area are: Çiğdem, Katırözü, Soğucak, Sultanpınar, Acele and Karagöl, Kirpiyan, Keremali, Kırca, Sulucaova, Çiçekli, Dikmen, Hamzapınar, İnönü, Belengerme and Güzlek.

On these yaylas, besides day trips, you can go hiking, camping and horse riding.

Ali Fuat Paşa Kuvayı Milliye Museum, Geyve, Sakarya

The Ali Fuat Paşa Kuvayı Milliye (National Forces) Museum in Geyve, Sakarya, opened in 1989. It displays objects from the Kuvayı Milliye period.

Source: http://www.gezilebilecekyerler.com/sakaryada-gezilecek-yerler/

• Adapazarı
• Akyazı
• Arifiye
• Erenler
• Ferizli
• Geyve
• Hendek
• Karapürçek
• Karasu
• Kaynarca
• Kocaali
• Pamukova
• Sapanca
• Serdivan
• Söğütlü
• Taraklı