Bolu
Introduction
Bolu is a city in northern Turkey and the administrative centre of both Bolu Province and Bolu District. It sits on the highway between Istanbul and Ankara, which makes it a natural stopping point if you are travelling across the northern part of the country between those two cities.
Before you go
Bolu sits astride the main land route between Istanbul and Ankara, so it has long served as a stopover and as a centre of civilisation in its own right. The route follows the valley of the great North Anatolian Fault, which remains active with major earthquakes every few decades; as a result, the constructions of the Hittites, Bithynians and early Romans have been shaken to bits, and most of the town's antiquities reflect the 600-year Ottoman realm that began in 1325. The town was known as Claudiopolis after the Roman Emperor Claudius, and in 111 AD it was the birthplace of Antonius, the gay lover of Hadrian.
Plan for the altitude and the weather: Bolu stands at 742 m, and the surrounding mountains draw the clouds and rain, so expect warm summers and winters that turn bitterly cold. Pack accordingly, and keep in mind that the town's layers of history are Ottoman above ground rather than Roman.
Getting there
Buses reach Bolu from Istanbul roughly every hour, a journey of four to five hours via Gebze, and from Ankara in about three hours. Metroturizm and Flixbus are the lines serving the route. The bus station, Bolu Otogarı, sits off the D100 about 3 km west of the town centre. A dolmuş will carry you into town, and this may be included in your inter-city ticket, so check when buying. By road from Istanbul, follow the O-7 / E80 east; from Ankara, take the E89 north onto the E80.Getting around
Central Bolu is compact and easy to cover on foot, so most of your sightseeing in town can be done without any transport at all. For anything beyond the centre, you need wheels: the out-of-town sights are best reached by car, and are only really worth the effort if you are already driving that way.
Dolmuş minibuses are the main form of local public transport and also run to regional destinations. Abant Lake and Gölcük are served regularly by dolmuş, with the Abant Lake service leaving the otogar roughly every one to two hours in summer; Mudurnu is reached by dolmuş departing roughly hourly. In ski season, shuttle buses run from Bolu Otogarı to Kartalkaya. Taxis handle short trips around the compact centre, and BiTaksi is available for app-based hailing with prices shown before you book. Longer journeys, including private transfers, are possible but considerably more expensive than coach travel. If you do drive, note that the Bolu Dağı pass on the E80 is prone to winter icing, so check road conditions before setting out in the coldest months.
Where to stay
Downtown Bolu has around a dozen small places to stay, among them Elit Palace, Eskoppremium, Otel 374, Parlak, Bolu Deluxe, Eratay, Matışlar Konağı and Bolu City Otel. These are simple, central options: Elit Palace on PTT Cd is basic but clean and central, and Grand Köroğlu Otel on Köroğlu Sk is likewise a simple, clean central hotel. Staying downtown puts you within easy reach of the centre's amenities. If you prefer a larger, more efficient hotel, head to the west edge of town, where Hampton by Hilton sits on Eski Istanbul Cd at the junction of the D100.Food & drink
In and around the main square you'll find a cluster of places to eat, including Bitur, Taşhan in the old market building, Bolu-Aş Lokantasi, Bayram Usta Et Lokantası and Kubbealti. Taşhan's setting in the old market building makes it a natural stop while exploring the centre. For drinks, note that some cafes may serve alcohol, so it's worth asking before you settle in.What to see and do
In the town centre, the Bolu Museum occupies the Culture Centre on Stadyum Cd, with archaeological exhibits from the Neolithic through Phrygian, Urartian, Lydian, Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine periods on the ground floor and ethnography above. The main square gathers several historic mosques within a short walk: the Beyazıt Mosque, first built in the 14th century and rebuilt in stone with a dome and twin minarets after fires and earthquakes; the Saraçhane Mosque, attributed to Mimar Sinan and later rebuilt; the Kadi Mosque just west of it; and the Yeşil Mosque to the north, floodlit green at night. Taşhan, a two-storey traditional market hall from the early 19th century, sits on the west flank of the Beyazıt Mosque with shops and cafes around its courtyard. Across from the museum, the Aslahaddin Mosque holds the tomb of Hazrat Aslahaddin, and the remains of a Roman stadium survive as banks of seating along Izzet Baysal Cd. Further out, the Siteler Mosque is a traditional-style build on the southwest side of the centre. For activities, Boluspor play football at Atatürk Stadium, a short walk north of the museum and main square. You can visit a traditional Ottoman bathhouse at the Sultan or Aktaş Spa southeast of the main square, or take children to the Lunapark funfair east of the Siteler Mosque. Hot springs rise at Karacasu to the south, where a cluster of spa hotels may offer non-resident access to their facilities. Skiing is possible in the Köroğlu Mountains to the south at Kartalkaya and Sarialan, both within a day trip of town. West of Bolu, Gölköy Barajı Park surrounds a freshwater crater lake enlarged by damming near the university campus, while the Tomb of Hayreddin-i Tokadı, a 16th-century Khalwati scholar and preacher, lies further west off the E80 and D100. To the north, Yedigöller is a forested national park of seven lakes, especially scenic in autumn, and Abant, a mountain lake to the southwest, offers accommodation, hiking and horse-riding.When to go
Bolu has a borderline oceanic and humid continental climate, so expect chilly, snowy winters and warm summers with cool nights. Winter days are cloudy and foggy, and the coldest conditions in the province fall in places like Gerede, so pack for snow and cold if you visit then. Summer brings warm days but cool nights, meaning evenings can feel chilly even in the warmer months. The city is fairly cloudy and foggy year-round, and sunshine is limited even in summer, so plan for overcast skies whenever you go.Three days in Bolu
Day one: Arrive in Bolu and get your bearings in Central Bolu, where you can walk the streets of the old town and take in the Ottoman character of the place. Buses run from Istanbul and Ankara to Bolu Otogar, with operators such as Metroturizm and Flixbus stopping at Gebze along the way. From the otogar, dolmuş and taxis, including BiTaksi, can carry you into the centre. Once settled, spend the afternoon exploring the town itself, which has passed through the hands of the Hittites, Bithynians, Romans and Ottomans, and was known in Roman times as Claudiopolis, named for the Roman Emperor Claudius.
Day two: Head out of town to Abant Lake, a favourite escape for visitors from Istanbul and Ankara, where you can walk the shoreline and take in the wooded surroundings. Gölcük is another nearby lake worth your time if you want a quieter stretch of water. Pack for changeable conditions in the mountains, and plan your transport in advance, as dolmuş services and taxis are the usual way to reach these spots without your own vehicle.
Day three: Turn to the history and the heights. Mudurnu, with its preserved Ottoman streets, makes a rewarding half-day, while Kartalkaya is the place to go if you want mountain air and winter sports. The North Anatolian Fault runs through this landscape, a reminder of the forces that shaped Bolu Province. Longer trips can be arranged by bus or taxi, but keep an eye on the weather, which in these mountains can turn bitterly cold and snowy in winter and warm and humid in summer.