If you are planning a vacation in Kocaeli in the near future, let us give you a brief information about the places to visit in the city. With the help of this article you can prepare for your travel plan.

Kocaeli is one of the most beautiful and largest cities in the Marmara Sea region. The city will be a great place to relax, where you can quickly get from Istanbul, Ankara or Bursa. Kocaeli has an interesting and ancient history along with the most beautiful natural attractions. And tourists who come here for the first time do not even know how many interesting things there are in this city.

Kocaeli, Kocaeli (Turkey) Travel Guide

So, below you will find a brief description of some of the Kocaeli sights.

Kocaeli What to see?

Plateau

Plateau in Kocaeli is a unique opportunity for tourists who love outdoor activities. In the vicinity of the city you can find the cleanest plateau, wrapped in greenery. They are ideal for hiking, camping or picnic in the summer, and skiing and snowboarding in the winter. Plateau in Kocaeli that you can visit: Kuzu Plateau, Masukiye Kirazli Plateau, Menekse Plateau in Yuvacik, Inonu Plateau and Aytepe.

Kocaeli, Kocaeli (Turkey) Travel Guide

Museums

If you are interested in the history of the city, you can visit the museums in Kocaeli. For example, the city has an interesting Archaeological Museum, which exhibits many artifacts found during excavations in the city. Among the exhibits of the museum are stone tombs and statues of ancient Rome, earthenware, coins of different periods, household items from different historical centuries. In addition, the city has the Gayret Ship Museum, the Museum of Modern Science in Seka, the Osman Hamdi Bey Art Museum in Gebze and many others.

Kocaeli, Kocaeli (Turkey) Travel Guide

Historical sights

In ancient times, the Roman Empire and Byzantium, Kocaeli was the capital of the empire. On the territory of the city the legendary Hannibal from Carthage visited and found the last rest. In general, we can say that Kocaeli perfectly preserved many attractions, among which are:

  • Orhan Mosque,
  • Saatchi Ali Efendi Mansion,
  • Clock Tower,
  • Mustafa Pasha’s Baths,
  • Ercun Baths,
  • Valide Bridge, Kildezdere and others.

Kocaeli, Kocaeli (Turkey) Travel Guide

In addition, be sure to include in your travel itinerary: the Tahtali pond in Kandir, the natural park and dam in Yuvacik, the Paradise village of Kerpe Miso, the Pink Rocks Kefken, the reserve with Masukiye geysers and so on.

Ski resort Kartepe

Kocaeli welcomes guests and tourists not only in summer but also in winter. In the period from November to April in the ski resort Kartepe season opens. Kartepe is one of the most modern ski centers in Turkey, and it is the second most popular ski resort after Uludag. Here both professional sportsmen and beginners can relax and ski. Trails have different levels of difficulty. In addition, instructors and equipment rental are available here at any time. Also, in the resort there are several hotels for comfortable accommodation.

Kocaeli, Kocaeli (Turkey) Travel Guide

In spring and summer, there is also a unique opportunity to relax in Kartepe. Here you can go hiking and horseback riding, biking, camping and much more.

Kartepe is only about 120 km from Istanbul. You can get to Kartepe by the main road from the center of Izmit, following the signs on the road.