Kartepe rises from the shore of the Gulf of Izmit to the forested Samanlı Mountains, home to the Kartepe ski resort, near Lake Sapanca. Forests, streams and villages such as Maşukiye make it popular with Gulf visitors and weekend guests. It suits buyers looking for a villa or a holiday home in nature.
Bursa, Kocaeli and Sakarya are three provinces near Istanbul with lower prices and more nature. Sakarya is known for Lake Sapanca and its summer homes; Kocaeli combines the industrial city of İzmit with the nature of Kartepe overlooking the lake; and Bursa is a large green city at the foot of Mount Uludağ, with the modern district of Nilüfer. Istanbul is reached by motorway, high-speed train and sea ferry. Because the region was hit by the 1999 earthquake, choose modern buildings built to the new regulations.
