With the coming of the winter, Bursa's Gölyazı, popularly known as Turkey's "Little Venice," has welcomed a lot of snow, offering some magnificent views.
Recent archaeological excavations by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism have found that Gölyazı's history dates back to more than 2,600 years.
Gölyazı, a peninsula on the coast of Lake Uluabat, was listed among the "Top 30 most beautiful towns in Europe" by the Japan Association of Travel Agents (JATA). The town stands out with its natural beauty and Ottoman architecture. The winter snow has transformed Gölyazı into a fairy-tale-like setting with great charm.
Atilla Yılmaz, head of the Gölyazı Tourism Development Cooperative, told Anadolu Agency (AA) that the number of local and international tourists visiting the town has increased dramatically in recent years.
He said that the reason of people call Göyazı the "Little Venice" is that Lake Ulubat sometimes overflows and turns the peninsula into an island.
"Those who come here during winter see a different side of Gölyazı. The parks where people walk in summer get submerged with water from the lake. Visitors seeing the town in winter cannot often believe their eyes. They have the opportunity to take boat tours around the town," said Yılmaz.
