Kocaeli

Where Commerce and Industry Meet Culture and Tourisms Known as “Türkiye's industrial center” Kocaeli, with its 3,000 years of history, natural beauty, and the center of winter sports in Kartepe has many tourist attractions. Kartepe, the peak of the Samanli Mountains (Samanlı Dağları) with spectacular views of İzmit Bay (İzmit Körfezi) and Sapanca Lake (Sapanca Gölü), is an excellent place for skiers. Kartepe, which is a habitat for nearly 3,000 plants, deers, bears, jackals and rabbits is a location suitable for hiking and trekking all year around. Kocaeli has access to the Black Sea coast via Kandıra and Kerpe districts, Kerpe's natural coves, shallow sea, and unique beaches are worth seeing. Kefken, which is only 20 kilometers from Kandıra, is also a remarkable place with its sea, beaches and pine forests. The Archaeology and Ethnography Museum (Arkeoloji ve Etnografya Müzesi), where works belonging to the Paleolithic, Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman periods are exhibited, and the Painter Osman Hamdi Bey Museum in Darıca are museums that can be visited in Kocaeli.