Turtle Lake (Kus Tba) is a small natural lake in the forested hills above Vake, about 5 km west of the city centre. The lake itself is nothing exceptional — it is small and shallow — but the setting in the wooded hills and the beach along the southern shore make it a popular escape from the heat on summer weekends. Locals swim here from June through September, and the lakeside cafes and restaurants are in full operation.
Getting there is part of the experience: you can drive, take a taxi, or walk up through Vake Park on a well-marked path that takes about an hour each way. The walk through the oak and pine forest is genuinely pleasant, especially in the morning. The lake area gets crowded on summer Sundays; midweek visits are quieter.