Category: Black Sea Region

GIRESUN The ruins of a Byzantine fortress offer a wonderful panorama of Giresun. It was from this city, ancient Cerasos, that the Roman general Lucullus exported the first cherry trees to Europe. An 18th-century church (now a museum) makes a short visit worthwhile. Outside of town, Giresun Adasi (Giresun Island) is said to have once […]

ORDU The charming little port of Ünye (93 km east of Samsun) is one of the nicest holiday towns on the eastern Black Sea and justly boasts of its excellent beaches and camping facilities. Do not miss the extraordinary 18th-century town hall. Within easy reach of Ünye is the beautiful Camlik Beach. After Fatsa (22 […]

SAMSUN Samsun (418km northeast of Ankara) is a modern industrial city that has served as a major port for centuries. Products from all over the region are exported from this city, which annually hosts the Samsun Trade and Industrial Fair. Samsun found itself at the center of the Turkish War of Independence on May 19, […]

Turning inland, the road takes you to Bafra (30 km east of Yakakent) a town famous for its tobacco, caviar and thermal springs. Its 13th-century hamam and 15th-century mosque-medrese complex are sights worth seeing. Ikiztepe, 7km northeast of Bafra is an archaeological site from the early Bronze Age that uncovers much of Black Sea regional […]

TRABZON Trabzon, the major city of the region, was founded in the 7th century B.C. by Miletian colonists, and was later at the center of the Comnene Empire established after the fall of Byzantine Istanbul. The exiled Byzantine court ruled until 1461 when the Ottomans conquered the area. The jewel of Trabzon’s monuments is the […]

TRABZON Trabzon, the major city of the region, was founded in the 7th century B.C. by Miletian colonists, and was later at the center of the Comnene Empire established after the fall of Byzantine Istanbul. The exiled Byzantine court ruled until 1461 when the Ottomans conquered the area. The jewel of Trabzon’s monuments is the […]

INEBOLU Inebolu (100 km east of Cide) is a typical Black Sea town set in lush greenery displaying many fine examples of traditional Turkish architecture. East of Inebolu is Abana, another good holiday center. Situated inland amid beautiful forests, the provincial center of Kastamonu (90 km south of Inebolu) also boasts several important monuments: the […]

AMASRA Amasra (I7km from Bartin), one of the most beautiful towns on the Black Sea coast, was called Sesamos in ancient times, when it was founded by the Miletians in the sixth century B.C. It stands on a peninsula made by two inlets. The eastern side enjoys a reputation for good swimming. On a rocky […]

BARTIN About 36 km. south of Karabük is Eskipazar, where the old Omer Beyler mansion is located. It is now restored and famous for its ornately decorated ceilings. Bartin (80 km east of Zonguldak) is a pretty city of timbered houses that holds a strawberry festival every year in the spring. The remains of a […]

SAFRANBOLU Safranbolu originally takes its name from the saffron fields that dotted the area in the 19th century. Today, saffron fields abound in the village of Davutobasi, 20 km away, where a thriving saffron business continues. Before leaving, be sure not to miss the Arasta (Old Bazaar) where you can watch craftsmen at work and […]