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Polonezköy village in Istanbul

Polonezkoy is a small but very pretty village between Kavacik and Sile neighborhoods on the Asian side of Istanbul, about 30 kilometers (19 miles) east of the city center. The name literally means "Polish Village" because it was founded by Polish settlers who escaped from their country in the 19th century and took political asylum in the Ottoman Empire. The original name of the village is Adampol, a combination of Adam Czartoryski, Polish prince and founder of the village, and first syllaba of Poland (Adam-Pol).

Polonezkoy stands in the middle of a great nature with green forests, therefore every weekend it attracts many people from Istanbul for a walk in the woods, to picnic, or to have a Sunday brunch in one of the local hotels and ranches. In the past 10-15 years, with the demand of Turkish visitors, it became a popular village thus many restaurants and small hotels have been opened. These local restaurants serve typical Polish food or Turkish kitchen depending on the owner of the place. Today, villagers are mostly involved in tourism, but there is also some farming and honey producing. There is also a local Cherry Festival in June every year, celebrated with Polish folk dances and music in the village square.

The village is very busy during the spring and summer period especially at the weekends, but it's usually quite in the winter except some nature lovers and few hunters visiting the surrounding areas. It's a paradise for outdoor sports such as mountain biking, jogging, offroad riding, etc. The village has typical Polish style wooden houses, a 1914 church, and a Christian cemetary amongst its interesting sites. An outdoor wedding party in the summer is a classic for Turkish couples who prefer to have this important moment of their life in a different place than the city.

One of the most important Polish figures here was Adam Mickiewicz, a poet and playwriter born in Poland and spent last years of his life in Istanbul where he died in 1885. His house was converted into a museum which is near the city center today.

Hope to see you soon in Istanbul.