Sakarya, which is one of the favorite cities of the Marmara region and is one of the escape points frequented by those who live in Istanbul, especially with its calm and impressive nature, is one of my favorite places because I’m from Sakarya. You can’t hear such sentences about Sakarya from someone who is not from Sakarya. For example, for Sakarya, “The city that fascinates you with the blue of its magnificent sea will fascinate you with its magnificent greenery.” no one say. Sakarya, if there is someone who does not know the city, “where have we come?”it’s a place he or she can say. So you are very lucky to have read the article places to visit in Sakarya from me.

Show Me Turkey Sakarya

Instead of swindling the ordinary streets of Sakarya like annoying cabbies and performing unnecessarily, I will take you to places that are really worth seeing. Then I’ll give you food tips you’ve never heard of before and end the tour. In addition, at the end of the article, you will be waiting for a great video where you can see some of these places that I have described.

If you ask me, places such as Cark Street, City Park, Forest Park, which are mentioned among the “places worth seeing in Sakarya” in most sightseeing articles, are quite ordinary places. These are just places where you can look at Adapazari if you come to the center, which doesn’t promise you much; you know, if someone comes, we have something to show. People who already think that Sakarya is all this rightfully do not want to come here to the second.

 And the historical buildings in Sakarya, unfortunately, seem to me to have been left alone. There is almost no one who comes to many places such as Justinianus Bridge, Sakarya Bridge and Atatürk Museum, except school tours offered by primary schools. Of course, Sakarya is also home to a great nature. If you ask me, what makes Sakarya important for trips is those sides that are waiting to be discovered, not their visible sides. If you are ready, we can go to the hidden paradise of the city, which is on the list of places to visit in Sakarya.

About Sakarya

Before starting our tour, let’s take a look at our basic information about Sakarya. As you may remember from high school geography courses, Sakarya is an industrial city located within the borders of the Marmara region. Sakarya is usually called a small city or something, but you don’t mind them. The population ratio of the city, which borders the Black Sea, has increased significantly in recent years. Parallel to this, the settlement of the city is also spreading rapidly towards more distant neighborhoods from the center. This has also affected the number of activities that can be done in the city, but I want to tell you about the natural beauty in the area rather than the city.

Places To Visit In Sakarya

Sapanca

Of course, Sapanca is the first place that comes to mind when it comes to places to visit in Sakarya. Fortunately, we no longer encounter such events in this beautiful district, which in recent years has made a lot of mention of its name with its people who attacked the rowing team for wearing shorts. Sapanca Lake and the surrounding mountainous regions manage to draw attention to them all year round with their unique landscapes and various amenities. Even in recent years, I can say that more foreign tourists than domestic tourists are flocking to this region.

In Sapanca, highland tourism and activities around the lake are very popular in summer, while Kartepe Ski Center, which is connected to Kocaeli in winter, is very busy. So if you’re going to Sapanca and you want to listen to your head in a quiet environment, there are actually no statistics like “come at this time of year” because there are people here all the time. Still, we can say that autumn and winter are calmer than other seasons.

Affordable Accommodation in Sapanca

If you are looking for affordable accommodation in Sapanca, or if you want to stay in a local house, you can click the link and check out my cozy little apartment on Airbnb. Our studio home has a kitchen, private bathroom, living area, sleeping area, balcony, garden, and garden fireplace. There are utilities such as heating, washing machine, dishwasher, TV, hair-dryer, kettle, etc. You can check the Airbnb link for photos.

Sapanca Lake

When you go to the lake, if you are in the right season, you may feel like you have fallen into a bird sanctuary. Around 80 different species of birds are said to have been observed around the lake. (Of course, I don’t know how disproportionate construction and pollution, which have increased in recent years, have affected the diversity of living things in the lake.) The lake also welcomes visitors to various sports such as surfing, sailing, canoeing at certain times of the year. After visiting the lake by sea bike or canoe in Sapanca, you may want to consider breakfast in one of the cafes lined up in the vicinity.

Kirkpinar and Kurtkoy

My personal advice to those who will come to Sapanca is to take a little walk by the lake in the center of Sapanca and then turn their route directly to Kirkpinar. Kirkpinar is a pleasant neighborhood consisting of sites lined up around a beautiful road that stretches from end to end, especially where there are summer houses. If I said there are sites, don’t think you’ll see an ugly construction. I’m talking about interesting, but extremely low-level, sites with mostly two-story houses. Moreover, thanks to the dense vegetation and afforestation, you never realize how many houses there are. You can walk along the walking path along Baghdad Street, ride a bike, drink coffee and tea in the cafes lined up along the road.

If you ask me, the coast of Kirkpinar and Kurtkoy is much more beautiful than the coast of Sapanca. There are almost 10 alcoholic and non-alcoholic restaurants in a part of Kırkpınar Coast; in remainder, there is a long way to walk by the lake. Kurtkoy coast is a coast with fewer cafes and two or three places that appeal to picnickers more. I think don’t leave Sapanca until you see these two places.

Click here to learn more about where to visit & what to do in Sapanca

Masukiye

If I said Masukiye is one of the natural wonders of the list of places to visit in Sakarya, I guess I wouldn’t exaggerate. (This place is actually connected to Kocaeli, keep it low.). In Masukiye, you can see the life of the nature paintings drawn by the painters. This area is also very suitable for accommodation. There are different accommodation options such as hotel, hostel, bungalow, camping. You can have a different experience by choosing bungalow houses in the area where the sound of water mixes with the sounds of birds. Paintball and atv tours are very popular in the region. And don’t go through Kuzuyayla when you’ve come all this way.

There are also trekking routes of different lengths in the interior of Masukiye. These routes are ideal for those who want to explore the surroundings on foot. If you go in the fall, you can also collect tasting chestnuts that fall on the road.

You can click here to see all rental houses, bungalows and villas in Masukiye. Renting a house on Airbnb offers very affordable prices, especially for crowded visits. Airbnb homes are also very convenient for those who want to enjoy a private environment. As an Airbnb friend, you will have a small contribution to me when you book through this link. Hope you have a great accommodation experience!

Poyrazlar Lake

Poyrazlar Lake, which has a wonderful atmosphere that will make you feel like you have fallen into a bird sanctuary again, is one of the favorite spots of Sakarya. This is a great place where you can destroy the concept of a city for a while when you say a lake on the one hand and a forest on the other. If you want, you can stop by for a day; if you want, you can stay at the campsite for a few days and relax. I recommend that you definitely experience activities that allow you to be intertwined with nature, such as an atv tour and a bike trail. (I said Atv tour, but the person does not understand that he or she is traveling in this sound, it is best to ride a bike.) Poyrazlar Lake is also a very pleasant place for photographers. You can be sure that you will catch great frames in this area, which is a separate beauty in four seasons.

Access to Poyrazlar Lake Nature Park is paid. Toilet facilities are available in the area. You can eat in the restaurants located inside, or you can also make your own food if you want. Don’t let me pass without adding that this place is a bit of a fair in the summer, that you don’t swearing at me when you see kids screaming on the little ferris wheel. Although picnickers are busier in the summer, if you can find yourself a nook, you may not be so impressed by the crowd.

Tarakli

Taraklı, which stands out with its authentic houses and calm, is one of the most notable places to visit in Sakarya. Buildings resembling Safranbolu houses are really worth seeing. Hisar Hill and historical bath are one of the most remarkable structures in the region. If you go to Tarakli, make sure you take time to walk the streets. Even this free activity is one of the most popular activities of Tarakli. Various photo groups organize special tours to Taraklı just for this purpose. Tarakli can be quite cold in autumn and winter. In these seasons, it is worth going cautious in terms of clothing. Another information about scallops is that you should not leave here without trying the quince dessert with pumpkin bread and molasses.

Leave everything aside when you stay in the area and choose places where historic mansions turn into hostels. I think this place reflects the ambience of this place.

Acarlar Floodplain Forest

Acarlar Floodplain forest, one of the most outstanding natural beauties of the city, is certainly not for people who want to stay alone with nature and listen to the head. Yeah, yeah, you read it right. In the “nature park”, where admission is free and those who wish can rent a barbecue, you are greeted by a dense barbecue smoke, especially when you enter the door in summer. Children running around screaming, people walking arm in arm on narrow roads are perfect for those who want to have a nervous breakdown.

But on the other hand, Acarlar Floodplain Forest is really a great natural wonder. In long spot, which takes on completely different colors in different seasons, you can make boat trips; you can take a huge ride among the garbage. Actually, under normal circumstances, I was going to say water violets but a group of people who roam the water with dolphins plucked water violets, an endemic species; another group of people also saw no trouble throwing their garbage into the water, unfortunately, more garbage is floating in the water than violets.

I could have told you about Acarlar Floodplain Forest much better. I could have said that you can walk on walkways, eat and drink in restaurants, and closed the topic without talking about garbage, but I’m sorry, that’s what you’ll see when you visit. Last time I went, I couldn’t do anything but worry about how we could ruin such a beautiful place so much. Another thing that is as essential as education is that the authorities who allow Acarlar Floodplain Forest to become this, despite the fact that it is a first-degree site, put their hand on their conscience…

Be sure to see Acarlar one of the four floodplain forests in Turkey, which is a breeding and wintering area for migratory birds, home to endemic species, before it disappears. Walking on the boardwalk in long spot takes only 15-20 minutes. From this point of view, I recommend that you make a plan that includes activities that can be done in the environment, rather than just walking here. In this plan, you can include the Maden Creek located in Karasu and the Kerpe, Kefken, Cebeci sides located in Kocaeli, about an hour’s drive from long spot.

Dogancay Waterfall

 Dogancay waterfall, located among the hidden havens of the city, is literally a hidden beauty. You can get here by car, but you have to go on foot after part of the road. But when you see its beauty, you will know that it is worth the trouble you enter. Located at the top of the waterfall, the cafe is an ideal place to breathe. You can spend a very pleasant day at the waterfall, where there are trekking trails.

 There are suitable places to camp in the area, but prepare yourself to make a nature camp literally. Because there are no facilities for campers here. So if you’re going to camp, don’t forget to provide all your needs from the city.

Highlands of Sakarya

As long as we’re all the way to Sakarya, I say don’t come back without taking a few highlands. The highlands, which reflect the different beauties of the four seasons, will also bring you together with different innovations with different tree species. In the highlands, where you can literally see the view of the city, you can also taste delicious regional delicacies such as pancakes. (OK, the pancake is not a very local flavor, but let’s agree that it is an extremely good food.) Karagol, Acelle, Cigdem, Kuzuyayla and Sogucak plateaus are just some of the places I recommend you to add to your route.

Keremali Highland

Keremali peak, called the summit of the city, is located on Mount Keremali, the highest mountain in Sakarya. There are also natural beauties such as highlands and Camlica Lake on the mountain located between Akyazi and Hendek. The summit, which has become one of the indispensable picnic areas especially in summer, is a very suitable area for cycling, hiking and photographing. Located on the highland, the lake is extremely ideal for a pleasant camping experience. If you go to Keremali peak, I recommend watching the clouds that create an enormous image in the early morning.

Karasu and Black Sea

In Sakarya, especially the biggest focus of summer tourism, Karasu, amusement parks, live music venues and huge aqua parks are no different from a chirping holiday resort. Karasu, which is on the coast of the Black Sea, is known to many people for its wild waves. Yes, the Black Sea has such an aggressive structure, there is nothing to do, but thanks to the breakwaters built in recent years, the sea is not as choppy as it used to be.

Personally, I’m not one to enjoy Karasu very much. If you ask me how many times I’ve been in the sea here, it probably won’t cross the fingers of one hand. Personally, I prefer Kerpe and Cebeci, connected to Kocaeli, which is the same distance from Sakarya, instead of swimming in Karasu. (Of course, this place has also broken down in recent years. Now I prefer other hidden beaches connected to Kandira instead of them.)

Where to stay in Karasu?

You can click here to see all rental houses, otels and villas in Karasu. Renting a house on Airbnb offers very affordable prices, especially for crowded visits. Airbnb homes are also very convenient for those who want to enjoy a private environment. As an Airbnb friend, you will have a small contribution to me when you book through this link. Hope you have a great accommodation experience!

What To Eat In Sakarya?

So far, many people have told you that if you come to Sakarya, you should definitely eat Islama Kofte(meatballs on toasted bread soaked in beefbroth and red pepper.) I call these people go on now, and discover these jobs, and different tastes. Are you really tired of hearing and eating the same thing all the time? If you say let’s get over ourselves, taste different tastes, you’re very lucky. Fortunately, I’m a vegan, and thanks to me, you’ll be able to discover different tastes. If you’re ready, I explain two flavors of Sakarya that you shouldn’t go without trying: Kabakmacun and pumpkin dessert.

You know, Sakarya’s pumpkin is famous. At the tunatan facilities, they made something enormous out of pumpkins and named it Kabakmacun. Kabakmacun is like lahmacun in the simplest terms, and it has pumpkin instead of mince. It tastes really delicious. I don’t know if you’ve ever eaten something like this before in your life. So forget about the islama kofte or something like that, try kabakmacun. And a pumpkin dessert … Bon appetit in advance.

What To Do In Sakarya?

I think you can go to the highlands in Sakarya, ride a bike in Kirkpinar, walk by the lake, ski in Kartepe, walk in the highlands, discover natural beauty. If you want to do something in the city, you can also take a bike along the bike path that runs along the banks of the city Park or paragliding on The Hill of Serdivan. If you ask me, this is what you have the most fun with in Sakarya.

Written by whose hometown is Sakarya, you read the article places to visit in Sakarya.I hope this article will help you make your trip to Sakarya more enjoyable. I’ll see you on other city tours.