Tekirdag, Turkey

Tekirdag is on the Marmara Sea coast of Thrace, and has been settled from the beginning of history. Its ancient name was Bisanthe, while today's name originates from the color of the surrounding mountains. There are several historical places in the city, some of which are the Rakoczy Museum, the Rustem Pasha Mosque, the Tekirdag Museum and the statue of Namik Kemal, the celebrated patriotic poet whose birth-place is Tekirdag. Corlu (Tzoulou), a small town of Tekirdag, was a citadel on the antique road between Istanbul and Europe in the Byzantine period.

Marmara Ereglisi (the ancient names Perinthos / Heraklia) is ideal for getting use of the sea and the beaches. Acropolis, antique harbor, sea and city walls, theater, vaults and stadium are the main historical remains here. Sarkoy (60 kms west) is a sun-sea-sand resort with sandy beaches and holiday villages. It is also a wine center where a wine festival is held every year. Kumbag and Barbaros are other pleasant places with their long beaches.