Connection
The blue you saw in Istanbul was made in İznik.
The interior of Istanbul's Sultan Ahmed Mosque is lined with more than 20,000 handmade tiles from İznik. Painted with tulips, carnations and cypress trees, they were fired in İznik's workshops in the early 17th century.
Most visitors to Istanbul never see the town where the tiles were made. İznik is the quieter end of the same story.
Season
Cool summers by the lake.
Midday temperatures in Dubai pass 40 °C in July. In İznik, summer evenings are cooled by the breeze off the lake, and olive groves, vineyards and lakeside paths set the slower pace of the countryside.
May to June and September to October are the easiest months for walking and sightseeing.
A day
A day in İznik.
- Roman-era city walls whose gates still stand.
- A basilica built around AD 390, spotted under the lake in aerial photographs in 2014.
- The town of the First Council of 325, whose 1700th anniversary was marked here in November 2025.
- The excavated tile kilns, and workshops still using traditional methods.
For a fuller guide: Why İznik · Rural tourism
Office
Nava Turkey Dubai office.
The full address of our office is below.
Dubai Media City
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Flight times are approximate for direct scheduled services and vary by airline. For visa and entry requirements, please refer to the current announcements of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Türkiye and the relevant authorities of your country. Historical information is drawn from Britannica, the UNESCO World Heritage Centre and Qatar Museums publications. This page is not investment advice.