| A fast highway conncts Istanbul with Izmit, the capital of Kocaeli province. An important city in Roman times known as Nicomedia, it is now a prosperous industrial center. The restored Saatci Efendi Konak, a typical 18th. century Ottoman mansion, now serves as the Etnography Museum. Pismaniye, the local sweet, consists of thousands of thin layers of drawn sugar. |
Kerpe |
Izmit Museum |
Hereke, west of Izmit, is a major carpet center. Renowned througout the world for their beauty and quality, these carpets fetch the highest prices in Istanbul bazaars. On the Black Sea cost, north of Izmit, particularly at Kerpe, kefken and Kovanagzi, sandy beaches and comfortable guest houses attract vacationers. |