Balikesir

39° 39' 6.83" N 27° 52' 56.25" E [39.6519, 27.8823] (KML)

Nearest airport is Edremit Körfez Airport [S] (IATA: EDO, ICAO: LTFD) located near Edremit [S], about 90-100 km west.

• Edremit Körfez Airport [S] (Edremit [S] Körfez Havaalanı), ☎ +90 266 312 11 30. Flights from Istanbul-Atatürk by Atlasjet [1]  

Trains to Balıkesir [S] are available from

• Ankara [M] (İzmir Mavi Treni, 9 Eylül Express, Karesi Express)
• Eskişehir [M], Kütahya [S] (İzmir Mavi Treni, 9 Eylül Express, Karesi Express, Ege Express)
• Manisa [S], Izmir [M] (İzmir Mavi Treni, 9 Eylül Express, Karesi Express, Ege Express, 6 Eylül Express)
• Bandirma [S] (6 Eylül Express)

For more info, see Turkish State Railways (TCDD) webpage [2].

• Coach station (Otogar), ☎ +90 266 241 11 99.  

Although Balıkesir [S] is an inland city away from the sea, you can take fast ferries [S] [3] from Istanbul [M] to Bandirma [S] and then take the train or the bus for the rest.

• Balıkesir [S] Museum – National Forces Museum (Balıkesir Müzesi – Kuvayı Milliye Müzesi), Anafartalar Caddesi (located at the old town hall building), ☎ +90 266 243 31 81. Tu-Su. Museum dedicated to the fighters of Turkish War of Independence (1921-22), became to be known as “National Forces” (Kuvayı Milliye). Written documents, private items and photos of the fighters, and some photos of Kemal Atatürk taken when he was in the city. Archeological artifacts excavated in the surrounding region and some ethnographic artifacts are exhibited upstairs.  

• Clock Tower (Saat Kulesi), Anafartalar Caddesi (at the city centre, adjacent to old town hall – the Museum). Modelled after Galata Tower [S] of Istanbul [M], this clock tower was built in 1827. It took its current appearance after it was destroyed by an earthquake in 1897 and re-built.  

• State Fine Arts Gallery (Devlet Güzel Sanatlar Galerisi), Çavuş Sokak 30 (at Eski Kuyumcular Mahallesi Quarter), ☎ +90 266 241 30 45 (fax: +90 266 245 31 52).  

• Tomb of Karesi Bey (Karesi Bey Türbesi), (behind Zagnos Pasha Mosque). Mosque Tomb of Karesi Bey and his five sons. Karesi Bey was the founder of Karesi Emirate which ruled more or less Southern Marmara [S] during a period when there was no centralized, major power in Asia Minor (13th century).  

• Yildirim Mosque (Yıldırım Camii). Built by Sultan Bayezid I in the second half of 14th century. Free.  

• Zagnos Pasha Mosque (Zağnos Paşa Camii), (at the city centre; near Hasanbaba Bazaar). Built by Zağnos Pasha, grand vizier of Mehmed II period (1451-81) as a religious complex, only mosque and baths have remained to the date. Free.  

• Mega Yıldız, Akıncılar Mahallesi, Cumalı Caddesi and Tekin Sokak (about 200 metres from the train station at Vasıf Çınar Caddesi and Gazi Bulvarı), ☎ +90 266 245 76 18, [4]. A clean and spacious family restaurant offering a wide variety of typical Turkish dishes, well prepared and tasty. As usual in Turkey you can select from the foods displayed inside and order-by-pointing. There is a children's garden. They have a separate pastry shop (pastane), a short distance away on Yalkır Caddesi. (39.64888,27.88902) 

• Hisar Ayran (yoghurt drink) [S] - Not a famous brand in Turkey but it's the best ayran you can ever drink. Can be found in almost all the restaurants or buffets in Balıkesir [S].

Telephone code of the city is (+90) 266.

• Tourism Information Office (Turizm İl Müdürlüğü), ☎ +90 266 244 72 71.  

Text content was last edited at 06:35, on 16 May 2010 by Claus Hansen. Based on work by Wikitravel user(s) Vidimian and Inas and Anonymous user(s) of Wikitravel. A list of contributors is available at the original article on Wikitravel. This text content is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0.