Balikesir: what to see, where to stay and how to get around
Balıkesir is a working provincial city rather than a tourist town, but its old heart is compact and easy to walk. It grew around the mosque complex of Zağanos Pasha, with the bath, the tombs and the bazaar close by. A few minutes away stand the clock tower and the small museums of the city's modern history. Allow a morning, and finish with tea and höşmerim.
The ten best sights in Balikesir
1Zağanos Pasha MosqueThe city's great mosque of 1461, at the heart of the old quarter; modest dress
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2Tomb of Zağanos Pasha
The founder's tomb in the mosque courtyard
3Paşa HamamıThe old bath of the Zağanos complex, still used as a hammam
4Karesi Bey TombTomb of the ruler who gave the region its old name, beside the mosque
5Clock TowerThe landmark stone tower of the old centre, a few steps from the museum
6Kuva-yi Milliye MuseumThe War of Independence in the region, in an old mansion; small and well kept
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7Yıldırım Mosque
One of the oldest mosques in the city, named after Sultan Bayezid I
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8National Photography Museum
Old cameras and photographs of Turkey; a good half-hour in the old quarter
9Museum of Contemporary Arts and City ArchiveModern art and the city archive near the station
10Mutasarrıf Ömer Ali Bey Manuscript LibraryA library of Ottoman manuscripts beside the clock tower
Scan with your phone camera to open the map there
What is an audio walk?
Tours in Balikesir →A guide in your headphones: open the walk on our site, walk from stop to stop, and at each one your phone tells its story. No guide, no group, and free. This is the first walk in Balikesir:
Free walking tours in Balikesir
Zağanos Pasha's old quarter
Balıkesir is a working provincial city rather than a tourist town, but its old heart is compact and easy to walk. It grew around the mosque complex of Zağanos Pasha, with the bath, the tombs and the bazaar close by. A few minutes away stand the clock tower and the small museums of the city's modern history. Allow a morning, and finish with tea and höşmerim.
- Zağanos Pasha Mosque · On 7 February 1923 Mustafa Kemal Atatürk climbed into the pulpit of this mosque and gave a sermon to the congregation, calling religion and reason compatible. It is remembered in Turkey as the Balıkesir Sermon.
- Tomb of Zağanos Pasha · Zağanos Pasha was one of the commanders of Mehmed II at the conquest of Constantinople in 1453, and became grand vizier soon after. He built the mosque here in 1461 and lies buried beside it.
- Paşa Hamamı · The bath was built as part of the Zağanos Pasha complex, whose income helped pay for the mosque. More than five centuries later it still heats its marble rooms for bathers.
- Karesi Bey Tomb · Karesi Bey founded a small Turkish principality here in the early 14th century, and the region was called Karesi after him. The Ottomans of Orhan Gazi absorbed it in the 1340s, gaining their first foothold on the Dardanelles.
- Clock Tower · The tower is said to be a small copy of Istanbul's Galata Tower, with its round stone body and pointed cap. It has been the meeting point of the city centre since the 19th century.
- Kuva-yi Milliye Museum · After the Greek army landed at İzmir in May 1919, Balıkesir hosted a series of congresses that organised the local militias, the Kuva-yi Milliye, the first armed resistance of what became the Turkish War of Independence.
North: wrestlers, rice, birds and ayran
North of the city the land drops toward the Sea of Marmara through farm country, old mining hills and two big lakes. This loop leaves from the centre, runs west to Balya and Gönen, then east past Lake Manyas to Susurluk on the main road to Bursa and Istanbul. It is a long day; do half of it if you are only passing through. The bird park itself lies just beyond the 60 km mark, on the north-east shore of the lake.
- Kurtdereli Mehmet Pehlivan statue · Kurtdereli Mehmet was born in 1864 in the village of Kurtdere near Balıkesir and became the most famous oil wrestler of his age, taking on challengers in Europe as well as at home. Oil wrestling, with competitors drenched in olive oil, is Turkey's national sport.
- Balya · Lead and silver have been mined in the hills of Balya since antiquity. In the late 1800s a foreign company reopened the mines and the town boomed, with smelters and a population far bigger than today's quiet place.
- Gönen · The plain around Gönen is one of the main homes of Baldo rice, the plump grain Turks prefer for pilaf. The town is also known for its hot springs, used for bathing since ancient times.
- Manyas · On the far shore of Lake Manyas lies Kuşcenneti, Bird Paradise, declared a national park in 1959 and one of the oldest in Turkey. Herons, cormorants, spoonbills and pelicans nest in its flooded woods.
- Susurluk · Susurluk sits on the old main road between Istanbul and İzmir, and generations of bus passengers stopped here for a toasted cheese sandwich and a glass of ayran whipped to a thick foam. The name alone now means that combination across Turkey.
- Balıkesir railway station · The station lies on the line that links İzmir with the ferry port of Bandırma on the Sea of Marmara, and here it meets the line running east into Anatolia, which made Balıkesir an important rail junction.
South: hot water, boron and rugs
South of Balıkesir the road climbs into dry hills toward the Aegean interior, past thermal springs, reservoirs and mining towns. Sındırgı, at the end, is the farthest point, a little over 50 km away. It makes a quiet half-day loop, with lunch in a village and a soak in the hot pools of Pamukçu on the way back. Start from the old mosque in town.
- Yıldırım Mosque · The mosque takes its name from Sultan Bayezid I, called Yıldırım, the Thunderbolt, for the speed of his campaigns. It is among the oldest mosques in the city, from the late 14th century.
- İkizcetepeler Dam · The reservoir behind this dam supplies much of Balıkesir's drinking water, and its shores have become a weekend picnic spot for the city.
- Bigadiç · Turkey holds roughly three quarters of the world's known boron reserves, and the borate mines of Bigadiç are among the country's main sources of the mineral, used in glass, ceramics and detergents.
- Sındırgı · The hills around Sındırgı are the home of Yağcıbedir rugs, woven by families of the Yağcıbedir Turkmen tribe in deep red, dark blue and ivory. They are still knotted in the villages and sold in town.
- Pamukçu hot springs · Balıkesir province is one of the richest in Turkey for thermal water, with springs from Gönen to Sındırgı. In Pamukçu the hot water feeds the pools of the village spas, a short drive from the city.
- F-104 monument · Balıkesir is home to one of the Turkish Air Force's main jet bases, and the model of an F-104 Starfighter in the park honours the fighter its pilots flew here for decades.
Getting to Balikesir and getting around
- Balıkesir railway station · Trains to İzmir and to the ferry port of Bandırma for Istanbul; in the centre
- Balıkesir bus terminal · Intercity coaches to the whole country, on the eastern edge of the city
- Balıkesir Central Airport · A small airport just south of the city with very few flights; Edremit and İzmir are the usual choices
Cheap eats in Balikesir
Balıkesir is dairy country, and its food is built on milk: soft white cheese, kaşar, yoghurt and ayran, and the cheese dessert höşmerim that the city is known for. Lunch is eaten in esnaf lokantası, workers' canteens with steam trays of stews and pilaf. Soup houses open early and close late. Prices are those of a provincial city, well below Istanbul or the coast.
- Zaman Höşmerimleri · Höşmerim, the warm cheese dessert of Balıkesir, a portion about ₺150-250
- Balkeslı Nevzat'ın Yeri · Tea house and toast shop; a cheese toast and ayran about ₺150-250
- Balıkesir Çorbacısı · Soup house: lentil, tripe and others, a bowl about ₺120-200
- Kanaat Lokantası · Home-style dishes from the steam trays near the old quarter, about ₺200-350
- Eti Güzel · Grills and kebabs in the centre, a plate about ₺300-500
- Ayşavkı Simit · Fresh simit, the sesame bread ring, about ₺20-35
- Taş Kahve · Tea beside the great mosque, a glass about ₺20-30
Museums in Balikesir
- Kuva-yi Milliye Museum · Photos, weapons and documents of 1919-22; small fee
- National Photography Museum · Cameras and photographs of Turkey; free or low fee
- Museum of Contemporary Arts and City Archive · Changing exhibitions near the station
- Manuscript Library · Ottoman manuscripts; ask at the desk about viewing
- Kurtdereli Mehmet Pehlivan statue · The wrestler in bronze
Holy places in Balikesir
- Zağanos Pasha Mosque · The great mosque of 1461; visit outside prayer times
- Yıldırım Mosque · One of the oldest mosques in the city
- Umurbey Mosque · Old neighbourhood mosque in the centre
- Karesi Bey Tomb · Tomb of the region's first Turkish ruler
- Paşa Hamamı · Traditional bath; separate hours or sections for men and women
Nature and day trips near Balikesir
- Lake Manyas · Bird lake; the national park visitor area is on the north-east shore
- Pamukçu hot springs · Thermal pools in a village spa; day entry available
- Değirmenboğazı forest · Pine woods and picnic tables minutes from the centre
- İkizcetepeler Dam · Reservoir shore for a picnic, 18 km south
- Atatürk Park · Shade, lawns and a pond in the city centre
Where to eat in Balikesir
- Balıkçı Korkmazlar · Fish restaurant in the centre, a fish plate about ₺400-800
- Vagon Döner İskender · Döner and İskender kebab, about ₺350-550
- Hancı Kebap Izgara · Kebabs, grills and soup, about ₺300-500
- Onhann Gurme · A more modern dinner menu, about ₺400-700
- Elit Pide · Pide and lahmacun from the oven, about ₺200-350
- Bayramefendi Osmanlı Kahvecisi · Turkish coffee after dinner, about ₺80-150
Frequently asked questions about Balikesir
What is there to see in Balikesir?
The top sights in Balikesir are Zağanos Pasha Mosque, Tomb of Zağanos Pasha and Paşa Hamamı. The full list on this page has 10 sights, each with a photo and a short note.
How many days do you need in Balikesir?
Three to four days are enough to see the best of Balikesir without rushing, including at least one walking tour.
Is there a free walking tour in Balikesir?
Yes. sleepntrip has 3 free audio walks in Balikesir, with no guide and no group: your phone tells the story at every stop. The first one: Zağanos Pasha's old quarter.
How do you get to Balikesir and get around?
The main ways are Balıkesir railway station, Balıkesir bus terminal and Balıkesir Central Airport. Full details are in the transport section on this page.
Where to stay in Balikesir, and for how much?
sleepntrip shows only rooms in Balikesir that meet nine conditions: a good location, high guest scores, cleanliness, and a price of up to $80 a night for two. Pick your dates and see what is free.
Looking for a hotel in Balikesir for your dates?
Only rooms that meet nine conditions, up to $80 a night.