Sapanca is a great destination to escape Istanbul crowdness and to enjoy it stunning nature. It has a stunning lake and small waterfalls. It is only one hour and 40 minutes away from Istanbul. Great for a day trip.

what can you do there?

• Boating in the lake
• walk around the lake or have a drink in a cafe with spectacular view of the lake
• Zip line, safari or horse riding

Restaurants and cafes:

• Manzara: small and simple Resturant with wooden tables. Has a spectacular view of the lake from top (Recommended for breakfast)
• Kalamis: the Resturant is located on the lake shore. Amazing view. The picture of the lake was taken from this Resturant (Recommended for breakfast)
• Naturkoy: has small natural waterfalls, cafes and Resturant. It feels like if you’re in the middle of the woods. It also has activities such as horse riding and zip line. (Recommended for all meals)
• Sopeli: Group of resturant’s, cafes and small shops around a lake. Do not miss it. If you have time visit both naturkoy and sopeli. (Recommended for all meals)

Hotels:

• NG Resort: a nice resort but very crowded in the summer. The lobby was full with kids and families to the point that we did not find an empty sofa.
• Richmond: a nice modern hotel with an amazing view of the lake. Children under 16 are not allowed.

I just visited the hotels but did not stay in them. In general, Spanca hotels are not as luxurious as İstanbul hotels.

Safari, Zipline and horse riding activities location:

• Masalkoy Macera Park
• Kartepe ATV Zipline

Note: if you are visiting Sapanca in the summer choose a day with a cool weather because almost all places are open area.

enjoy!