Balıkesir Province () is a province and metropolitan municipality in northwestern Turkey with coastlines on both the Sea of Marmara and the Aegean. Its area is 14,583 km2, and its population is 1,257,590 (2022). Its adjacent provinces are Çanakkale to the west, İzmir to the southwest, Manisa to the south, Kütahya to the southeast, and Bursa to the east. The provincial capital is Balıkesir. Most of the province lies in the Marmara Region except the southern parts of Bigadiç Edremit, Kepsut, İvrindi, Savaştepe and Sındırgı districts and ones of Ayvalık, Burhaniye, Dursunbey, Gömeç and Havran, that bound the Aegean Region. Kaz Dağı (pronounced ), known also as Mount Ida, is located in this province. Balıkesir province is famous for its olives, thermal spas, and clean beaches, making it an important tourist destination. The province also hosts immense deposits of kaolinite and borax, with some open-pit mines. The Kaz mountains are also threatened with the expansion of gold mining using cyanide which puts the villagers' lives, the agricultural economy, and tourism at risk.
Districts
There are 20 districts in Balıkesir Province under the Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality.
Demographics
Tourism
Sites of interest
Balıkesir is home to a number of natural attractions, including Kuş Cenneti (bird sanctuary) National Park; the bays of Erdek, Bandırma, and Edremit; Ayvalık's coastal beaches; Şeytan Sofrası, Marmara Islands, Alibey (Cunda) Island; the Erdek and Gönen open-air museums; Pamukçu-Bengi, Balya Dağ, Hisar, Hisarköy (Asarköy), Karağaç (Uyuz), Kepekler hot springs, Dutluca Village mineral springs, and Zeytinli Ada hot springs and mineral water springs.
Among the cultural attractions of Balıkesir are the ruins of Cyzicus and Saraylar on the Sea of Marmara, Dascylium (near Bandırma/Ereğli), and Antandrus (near Edremit/Altınoluk); Balıkesir's Yıldırım Mosque (Eski Cami), the Zagan Pasha Mosque complex, Clocked Church Mosque and quantity of Ottoman vernacular architecture at Ayvalık, and Alibey Mosque (Çınarlı Cami). The Kuş Cenneti National Park near Lake Manyas is an ornithological site where 266 different species of birds flourish – every year over three million birds fly through there. There are horse breeding farms 13 km southeast of Bandırma, in Karacabey.
There are a city museum and a fine arts centre in Balıkesir. Also, there are several camping facilities in Erdek, Altınoluk, Akçay, Güre, and Ören.
Ancient sites
Adramyttium
Antandrus
Dascylium
Cyzicus
Lyrnessus
Pordoselene
Thebe Hypoplakia
Zeleia
Museums
Balıkesir Kuvayi Milliye Museum
Bandırma Archaeological Museum
Edremit Ayşe Sıdıka Erke Ethnography Museum
Balıkesir National Photography Museum
Edremit Tahtakuşlar Ethnography Museum
Gönen Mosaic Museum
Balıkesir Municipality's Devrim Erbil Modern Arts Museum
Bigadiç Museum House
Marmara District Palaces Open Air Museum
Altınoluk Antardos Open Air Museum
Erdek Belkıs Ruins Open Air Museum
National parks
Erdek Kapıdağ Region
Kaz Dağı National Park
Kuş Cenneti National Park
Alaçam Mountains
Ayvalık Islands Natural Park
Madra Mountains
Beaches
Balıkesir has coastlines on the Sea of Marmara and Aegen Sea. Edremit, Burhaniye, Gömeç and Ayvalık are the districts which are popular for their beaches, located in the Aegean coast of the Balıkesir; Marmara Island, Erdek, Gönen and Bandırma are the districts that are located on the Marmara coast of Balıkesir.
Around the Gulf of Edremit in Balıkesir province are some of the coastlines where encircled by clear waters and sandy beaches and silvery green olive groves. Ayvalık, a holiday towns on this coastline, is located in the midst of pine and olive trees. Its houses ornamented with wood and stone. Cunda Island, linked to Ayvalık via a bridge, is known for its sunsets, seafood and taverns. Şeytan Sofrası (Devil's Table), so called because it is set on a tableshaped hill formed from lava, offers a panoramic view over the 22 islands in Ayvalık Bay. A footprint, enclosed by iron bars, is said to be that of the devil himself. There are sandy beaches approximately 6 km south of the town in the Sarımsaklı area. Altınkum, meaning "golden sand", is a beach in this district. It has restaurants and bars for entertainment. There is also an attractive street market in the centre of the resort and lots of shops.