BLACK SEA COAST
The richly forested coastal area with its lush vegetation and its subtropical climate surprises everyone who can hardly imagine Turkey as much more than a steppe landscape. Picturesque fishing villages, lonely bays and miles of beaches that invite you to swim and sunbathe are lined up next to each other, dense coniferous and deciduous forests cover the Kackar Mountains, which mostly run parallel to the coast. Agricultural products such as tea, tobacco, hazelnuts, corn and grain are grown in a humid climate and on fertile soil. There are also hidden treasures such as the ports of Amasra and Sinop or the historic coastal city of Trabzon. The Black Sea coast stretches from the Turkish-Bulgarian to the Turkish-Georgian border.
SINOP
Sinop, the capital of the small Black Sea province, is picturesquely situated on the large Boztepe peninsula at the northernmost tip of Turkey.
It is said to have the most beautiful natural harbor on this coast. Colorful fishing boats with traditional wood carvings are gently swaying in front of the backdrop of the lush green mountains that drop directly into the sea. Not far away, the Hamsilos fjord, the only one in Turkey, cuts through the landscape.
SÜMELA-MANASTIRI
About 62 kilometers south of Trabzon in the Altindere National Park, the Sumela Monastery towers around 250 meters above the ground on a steep rock face.
The monastery, built like an eagle's nest, can only be admired in full from the opposite mountain. According to legend, the monastery was founded in the 5th century by two Greek monks (Barnabas and Sophronios) with the intention of building a monastery for an icon of Mary painted by the Evangelist Luke. After the death of the two monks, Sumela became a place of pilgrimage.
SAFRANBOLU
The old houses of Safranbolu are embedded in a landscape of overwhelming beauty.
The hillside terraces are connected by narrow, cobbled streets. The historic city center, which was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1944, can easily be explored on foot. One of the most beautiful houses, the Kaymakamlar Evi, houses a museum where you can find out more about the city's Ottoman architecture. From the Hidirlik Park above the city you can enjoy a beautiful view over the settlement. Incidentally, the name Safranbolu comes from the huge saffron fields that surrounded the city in the 19th century. Saffron is now grown at Davutobasi, a village 20 kilometers away.
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