The land extending towards the Black Sea coast, on the two sides of the same named river which flows into this sea, is Sakarya, in the center of which lies the fertile plain of Adapazari. This wide meadow in the middle of the region seems like an island, surrounded by the branches of the feeding rivers.
In this province filled with natural beauty is the charming site of Lake Sapanca, 5 kilometers south of Adapazari. If you stop by the Arifiye Forest, in the province, which is a lovely resting spot, it is possible to see the really beautiful scenery of Lake Sapanca. Besides its panoramic view, this place offers opportunities for water sports and possesses fine accommodation facilities.
To the north, lies Karasu, another attractive holiday resort, 67 kilometers from Adapazari. Golden sandy beaches lie here along the coast of Black Sea, and it is a fine vacation area with numerous touristic establishments. Akyazi (29 kilometers) is an outstanding thermal cure center for many diseases, besides the Tarakli (Geyve) thermal springs.
The historical background of Sakarya extends back to 378 BC. Many Roman and Byzantine sites can be seen in the area. One of the most important remains here is the historical Justinian Bridge (Beş Köprü) built by Byzantine Emperor Justinian in AD 533. It is a 429 meters long, eight arched bridge, and is an interesting sight for history lovers.
On 17th August 1999, at 03:02am local time, a devastating earthquake (7.4 Richter scale) struck the city when people were asleep and killed thousands of citizens leaving more than 50.000 homeless. Izmit, Yalova, Bursa, Bolu and Istanbul were amongst other provinces damaged by this quake.