Located in the western Black Sea Region, Bolu with its lofty mountains, thick forests, beautiful lakes, health-giving thermal springs and ski centers is one of the popular cities of Turkey. Set amid the two large metropolises, Ankara and İstanbul, this lovely city is 170 km from Ankara and 250 km from Istanbul. The roads connecting these metropolises run through this city. The city was founded by the Bithynians 2000 years before this day and named after their commander, “Claudio”. In the course of time, it was called as “Poli". The Turks who dominated the region in the 14th century named the city as Bolu. In Bolu, the dominant vegetation is the forests. 65% of the land is covered with forests. The moderate and rainy climate of the Black Sea Region predominates in the city. Occupying an area of 8458 km2, the city has a total population of 305000.