Kızılcahamam

Kızılcahamam is a district located in the north of Ankara, Turkey. It lies on E5 Ankara-İstanbul state road. Since the Ankara-İstanbul road is a two-way road, transportation is very easy.

Kızılcahamam is surrounded by Çubuk, Kazan, Ayaş, Güdül and Çamlıdere districts as well as by the cities Bolu and Çankırı. A mountainous district full of woodlands, Kızılcahamam covers an area of 1,712 km². It provides a geographical transition between Central Anatolia and the Black Sea region. Köroğlu mountains are the most important mountain in the district, while the Kirmir Stream, one of the branches of the Sakarya River, is the most important stream.

Kurtboğazı, Eğrekkaya and Akyar dams, which provide drinking water to Ankara, are all situated within the borders of Kızılcahamam. As the district center does not have enough plain ground, residential density is high at the center.

Nonetheless, the district center tends to expand toward mountain slopes. Hot springs, which are known to have been benefited from since Roman times, are famous all around the country. Kızılcahamam is usually known for its mineral waters, thermal springs, historical attractions, festivals, hotels, and Soğuksu National Park. Kızılcahamam is a healing center, its thermal waters are good for many illnesses. Due to its proximity to Ankara, Kızılcahamam receives many day-trippers, especially on weekends.

Many restaurants at Kızılcahamam serve guests and thermal spring visitors. On Sundays, villagers coming from nearby villages sell their fresh and organic produce at the local town’s market. Hotels built in recent years host congresses and meetings, contributing greatly to district tourism.