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    Karesi Express

    General Information

    The Karesi Express runs daily between Balıkesir and İzmir (Basmane) via Soma, Akhisar and Manisa. The train has no sleeping coaches or dining car. The journey between Basmane and Balıkesir takes approximately 5 hours.

    Main Stopping Points

    Balıkesir

    Balıkesir ranks high for its natural beauty, ancient cultural heritage and hot waters. You can ‘heal’ in rich hot waters, see archaeological treasures, cool on blue-flagged beaches and indulge in nature rich endemic species of Mound Ida. Getting to know the gastronomic values of this olive-scented city, where green and blue meet, will provide you with an unforgettable experience.

    Soma

    ma is a mining town north of Manisa. It is home to one of Türkiye’s largest wind farms.

    Akhisar

    Formerly known as Thyatira, and one of the Seven Churches of Asia, it's now a small market town in Manisa province. All that remains of Thyatira is a small set of ruins known as Tepemezarı, covering one city block. Akhisar is not a tourist town, and you may be greeted with some incredulity by local children. However the people are friendly, and the architecture and horse-drawn carriages make it feel about a hundred years behind the times, and thus well worth a visit.

    Manisa

    Manisa, historically known as Magnesia, is a large city in Türkiye's Aegean Region. Modern Manisa is a booming centre of industry and services, advantaged by its closeness to the international port city and the regional metropolitan centre of İzmir and by its fertile hinterland rich in quantity and variety of agricultural production.

    İzmir (Basmane)

    İzmir, the “Pearl of the Aegean,” is the birthplace of the epic poet Homer and a city with 8,500 years of history. In recent history, it was known as Smyrna. A coastline of more than 600 kilometres and of unmatched beauty is embroidered with magnificent ancient cities, two of which, Pergamon and Ephesus, are listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

    SEE
    • Ancient city of Pergamon and Ephesus
    • House of Virgin Mary
    • Unforgettable landscape of “Şeytan Sofrası” in Balıkesir
    TASTE
    • The local virgin olive oils in Aegean Coasts
    • “Kumru” and “Boyoz” in İzmir
    • Turkish “meze”s in Balıkesir
    SMELL
    • Local grapes and wines İzmir
    • Local cherries in Manisa
    • Aegean herbs
    TOUCH
    • Lovely ambience in Cunda Island in Balıkesir
    • Turquoise sea and golden sands in İzmir and Balıkesir
    LISTEN
    • Myths about ancient Ionian cities in İzmir
    • Sounds of small wave in sunset time in İzmir and Balıkesir