This northwestern Turkish city sits along the Sakarya River, with green spaces like Atatürk Park at its center. Local food specialties include traditional kebabs and fresh baklava.
Sakarya sits in Turkey's Marmara Region, positioned between Istanbul and Ankara. Walk across the 1,500-year-old Justinian Bridge, swim in Sapanca Lake's clear waters, or examine Ottoman mosques in Adapazarı. This area grew through farming, recovered from the 1999 earthquake, and developed thermal springs in Taraklı. Alongside Toyota and Hyundai factories, you'll find beaches in Karasu and the sprawling Acarlar wetlands. The province connects urban development with accessible nature, from river valleys to wooded hills.
Historical Monuments and Engineering Works
The Justinian Bridge (Beşköprü) stretches over the Sakarya River, constructed in 533 CE as part of a Roman trade route to Constantinople. All seven original stone arches remain standing, and people still walk across it daily. Near Harmantepe village, crumbling walls and watchtowers mark the site of a Byzantine fortress overlooking the river valley. Adapazarı’s Orhan Mosque dates to 1325, rebuilt in the late 19th century with red brick foundations and carved wooden ceilings. The Sakarya Earthquake Museum uses video testimonies and shaking platforms to explain tectonic plate movements and reconstruction efforts after the 1999 disaster.
Lakes, Forests, and Geological Formations
At Sapanca Lake, you can kayak near reed beds or cycle along its 22-kilometer shoreline dotted with small hotels. Poyrazlar Lake, 7 km from Adapazarı, has walking trails that pass cafes serving thick Turkish coffee under willow trees. To reach Doğançay Waterfall, hike two hours through Akyazı’s oak forests until you see the 30-meter cascade crashing into a rocky pool. The Acarlar Floodplain Forest covers 1,560 hectares north of Sakarya, where wooden boardwalks let you explore wetlands filled with purple water lilies and migratory storks. Maden Creek near Karasu provides shaded picnic spots along trails that follow freshwater streams through pine groves.
Museums, Parks, and Community Events
Sakarya Museum exhibits Roman pottery, Ottoman swords, and reconstructed rooms from early 20th-century Turkish homes. At Kent Park, engineers restored a historic waterwheel system powered by the Çark River, surrounded by playgrounds and outdoor concert spaces. Locals gather at New Sakarya Stadium for football matches featuring the Sakaryaspor team. During July’s Sapanca Lake Festival, teams race traditional wooden rowboats called "taka" while musicians perform on floating stages. Spring brings oil wrestling tournaments to fields near Adapazarı, where athletes in leather pants compete in Turkey’s oldest sport.
Regional Dishes and Food Culture
Islama Köfte—steamed meatballs placed on bread soaked in tomato broth—is served at family-run restaurants throughout Adapazarı. Bakeries prepare pide flatbreads topped with ground beef, melted cheese, or spinach leaves picked from local farms. For dessert, try sütlaç sprinkled with hazelnuts grown in Sakarya’s eastern hills. Lakeside restaurants near Sapanca grill whole carp or trout over open flames, seasoned with lemon and mountain herbs. On Çark Street, university students share plates of gözleme (stuffed pastry) while drinking small glasses of black tea.
Getting to and Around Sakarya
Sabiha Gökçen International Airport near Istanbul is the closest international hub, 90 minutes by car via the TEM highway. High-speed trains from Istanbul’s Pendik Station reach Adapazarı in 70 minutes, with daily connections to Ankara. Buses run frequently to neighboring cities like Bursa (2 hours) and Bolu (3 hours). Shared dolmuş vans depart hourly from Adapazarı’s terminal for Taraklı’s hot springs and Karasu’s sandy beaches. Rent a car to explore highland areas like the Acelle Plateau, where paved roads transition to gravel tracks near remote mountain villages.
