The Black Sea Region - Turkey with Your Family: From Bustling Bazaars to Historic Sites - page 189

Karagöl National Park, Artvin

Historic Buildings &
Monuments
Atabey Mosque, the Ibni
Neccar Mosque and the
Mahmutbey Mosque,
Kastamonu
Atabey Mosque, the Ibni Neccar
Mosque and the Mahmutbey
Mosque, Kastamonu. b [phone]
01 62 (tourist information)
Dating from the 13th and 14th
centuries respectively, the Atabey
Mosque and the Ibni Neccar
Mosque are good examples of
architectural styling of the day. If
your older children or teenagers
are interested in history then
these two mosques may be of
interest to them. Nearby
Mahmutbey Mosque with its
lavishly carved wooden roof, one
of the finest in Turkey, and its
colourful decorative detailing
almost certainly will. A visit may
not be suitable for younger chil-
dren but there are always gar-
dens nearby for them to play.

nature trails, study wildlife and
really get away from it all. There
are alpine lakes and rivers, pine
tree forests and plateaux. The
nearest tourist information office
is in Artvin (see p. 180) and has
maps on how to find the park.

Nature Reserves, Parks &
Gardens
Uzungöl, Trabzon
Located around 10km from Trabzon
and well signposted.

Uzungöl, known as Long Lake,
lies a short drive from Trabzon.
It is an alpine lake surrounded
by meadows and mountains, and
is perfect for families that like to
go off the beaten track to experi-
ence nature. Nearby are the
Ayder Plateau and the Kaçkar
Mountains, again both offering
superb views and natural activi-
ties. If you or your youngsters
are especially brave, you could
try whitewater rafting or canoe-
ing in the rivers.

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