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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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