Balikesir
Area: 14.292 km²
Population: 973.314 (1990)
Traffic Code: 10
Districts: Balikesir (center), Ayvalik, Balya, Bandirma, Bigadic, Burhaniye, Dursunbey, Edremit, Erdek, Gonen, Havran, Ivrindi, Kepsut, Manyas, Marmara, Savastepe, Sindirgi, Susurluk.
Sites of Interest
- Kus Cenneti (bird sanctuary) National Park
- Erdek, Bandirma, and Edremit Bays
- Ayvalik coastal beaches
- Seytan Sofrasi
- Marmara Islands
- Alibey (Cunda) Island
- Erdek and Gonen open air museums
- Kyzikos ruins
- Balikesir Yildirim Mosque (Eski Cami)
- Zaganos Pasha mosque complex
- Clocked Church Mosque at Ayvalik
- Alibey Mosque (Cinarli Cami)
- Gonen
- Pamukcu-Bengi
- Balya Dag
- Hisar
- Hisarkoy (Asarkoy)
- Karagac (Uyuz)
- Kepekler Hot Springs
- Dutluca Village Mineral Springs
- Zeytinli Ada Hot Springs and Mineral Water Springs
Camps
- Ant Camping, Erdek / Bandirma, Telephone: (266) 855 74 97
- Kizikos Camping, Erdek / Bandirma, Telephone: (266) 855 70 71
- Ipek Camping, Erdek / Bandirma, Telephone: (266) 855 71 64
- Yesilim Camping, Cugra Mevki / Erdek, Telephone: (266) 835 30 04
- Ali Oztoprak Camping, Erdek / Bandirma, Telephone: (266) 855 70 29
- Abant Camping, Mangirci Mevki / Erdek, Telephone: (266) 855 70 88
- Unlu Camping, Cugra Mevki / Erdek, Telephone: (266) 835 17 49
- Gokce Turistik Tesisleri, Erdek / Bandirma, Telephone: (266) 855 70 55
- Yesilcam Camping, Narlialti / Altinok, Telephone: (266) 398 72 92
- Mertol Camping, Kucuksu Mevkii / Altinoluk
- Antandros Camping, Boga Mevkii / Altinoluk, Telephone: (266) 378 53 61
- Camlibel Camping, Ilica Isk. / Gure, Telephone: (266) 384 12 47
- Gine Camping, Turgut Reis Caddesi / Akcay, Telephone: (266) 384 11 34
- Pat Camping, Gunes Caddesi / Akcay, Telephone: (266) 384 37 89
- Saka Camping, Gunes Caddesi / Akcay
- Akcay Camping, Yeni Mahalle / Akcay, Telephone: (266) 384 28 18
Provincial Cultural Directorate
Telephone: (266) 245 31 52
Fax: (266) 245 31 52
State Fine Arts Gallery Directorate
Eski Kuyumcular Mah. Cavus Sokak No:30, Balikesir, Telephone: (0 266) 241 30 45, Fax: 245 31 52
Balikesir Museum
Address: Anafartalar Caddesi, Balikesir, Telephone: (266) 243 31 81
Historical Sites and Ruins
- Kyzikos - Erdek
- Deasklaion - Bandirma/Eregli
- Saraylar - Marmara
- Antandros - Edremit/Altinoluk
Local Days of Celebration
- 6 February: Arrival of Ataturk at Balikesir, Balikesir
- 8 February: Arrival of Ataturk at Gokceyazi, Gokceyazi
- 13 April: Arrival of Ataturk at Ayvalik, Ayvalik
- 13 June: Arrival of Ataturk at Bandirma, Bandirma
Freedom from Occupation Days
- 3 September: Freedom Day for Dursunbey
- 3 September: Freedom Day for Sindirgi
- 4 September: Freedom Day for Bigadic
- 5 September: Freedom Day for Susurluk
- 6 September: Freedom Day for Balikesir
- 6 September: Freedom Day for Gonen
- 6 September: Freedom Day for Savastepe
- 7 September: Freedom Day for Ivrindi
- 8 September: Freedom Day for Burhaniye
- 8 September: Freedom Day for Havran
- 6 September: Freedom Day for Balya
- 9 September: Freedom Day for Edremit
- 14 September: Freedom Day for Manyas
Local Days of Celebration
- 15 September: Freedom Day for Ayvalik
- 17 September: Freedom Day for Bandirma
- 18 September: Freedom Day for Erdek
Festivals
- 2nd Sunday of May: Traditional Kiziksa Wrestling Matches, Manyas Kizilkoy Town
- 2-7 June: International Bird Sanctuary Culture and Tourism Festival, Bandirma
- 13-16 August: Burhaniye-Oren Culture and Art Festival Burhaniye-Oren
- 22-24 September: Sindirgi Yagcibedir Rug Festival, Sindirgi
Festivities
- 6 May: Hidirellez, in Bigadic and Ayvalik
- 1-2 June: Milk Products Festivity Manyas
- July: Kurtdereli Mehmet Pehlivan Celebrations, Kurtdere Village
- 26 July: Peach Festivities, Kepsut
- 15-19 August: Erdek Festivities, Erdek
- 1-5 September: Susurluk Buttermilk, Culture and Art Festival, Susurluk
Expositions
- 26 July-26 August: Balikesir National Exposition, Balikesir
Fairs
- May (last week): Bandirma Cattle Fair, Bandirma
- 3-6 June: Manyas Summer Fair, Manyas
- 7-9 June: Dursunbey Animal Fair Dursunbey
- 8-12 June: Balya Spring Fair, Balya
- 13-16 June: Balya Orhanlar Fair, Balya
- 16-20 June: Gonen District Fair, Gonen
- 10-14 August: Dursunbey Animal and Goods Fair Dursunbey
- Last Week of August: Bigadic District Fair, Bigadic
- 5-8 September: Sindirgi-Kocakonak Village Animal and Goods Fair, Sindirgi-Kocakonak Village
- 7-10 September: Korucu District Fair Korucu
- 15-18 September: Manyas Autumn Fair Manyas
- 17-21 September: Savastepe Animal and Goods Fair Savastepe
- 20-22 September: Balya District Fair Balya
- 22-25 September: Ivrindi District Fair Ivrindi
- September (last week): Bandirma Cattle Fair, Bandirma