Efor Karting Balıkesir

In Balıkesir, in north-western Anatolia, Efor Karting runs an open-air track open to all, with no licence or experience. The outdoor layout is driven in the open air once the warm weather arrives, and people gather as a family or with friends to string together timed laps. A briefing and the safety gear come before every run, so you can set off in confidence even for a first time on a kart.

The venue is all about the fun of racing and friendly rivalry: everyone tries to set the best time, and groups happily organise short heats to sort out the drivers. Opening times and prices, kept up to date on the venue's pages, vary with the season and how busy it is, and it is best to check before coming. People rarely leave after a single run, the urge to shave off a few seconds soon taking over.

Balıkesir is a crossroads city in north-western Turkey, between the Sea of Marmara and the Aegean. The region rolls out fine landscapes: the Kaz Dağı massif, the ancient Mount Ida of mythology, with its forests and springs, and further west the seaside resorts of Ayvalık and the island of Cunda, prized for their stone houses and coves. Lake Manyas, a renowned bird reserve, draws birdwatchers. The city is well linked by motorway and rail to İzmir, Bursa and Istanbul, which makes it a handy stop at the heart of the Marmara region.