 | WARNING: Due to the outbreak of the infectious disease COVID-19 (see coronavirus pandemic), caused by the virus SARS-CoV-2, also known as coronavirus, there are travel restrictions worldwide. It is therefore of great importance to follow the advice of the official bodies of Belgium and Netherlands to be consulted frequently. These travel restrictions may include travel restrictions, closure of hotels and restaurants, quarantine measures, being allowed to be on the street for no reason and more, and can be implemented with immediate effect. Of course, in your own interest and that of others, you must immediately and strictly follow government instructions. |
The Black Sea Region is the northern part of Asian Turkey. The central and eastern part of the area is historically known as the Pontus. The region has a different climate from the rest of Turkey; due to an almost constant wind from the Black Sea, it has a moderate maritime climate, comparable to the Netherlands and Belgium. The Pontic Mountains roughly form the southern border of the region and are home to a great diversity of native plants and animals.
The Black Sea region is not touristy. Most tourists only visit the region to visit Trabzon and the Sumela Monastery behind.
Towns
Coastal cities (from west to east):
- amasra - a small town on a peninsula
- Sinop — northernmost tip of Anatolia with unspoilt beaches
- Samsun - the largest city on the Turkish north coast
- nye
- ordu - with its ancient churches and close to Cape Jason, where the argonauts are said to have landed in their quest for the golden fleece.
- Giresun - with the Giresun Castle, old houses and
- Trabzon — the main town of the area, with in the hinterland the beautiful Sumela Monastery and the delicious regional fish dishes
- Rize - with its tea plantations, the Firtina valley, the Ayder yayla and the highest mountains in the Pontic Mountains
- hopa - a small town on the border with Georgia
Inland:
- safranbolu - the small town with hundreds of authentic wooden houses is on the World Heritage List
- amasya - in the hinterland of Samsun, an ancient capital of the area, with millennia-old Pontic royal tombs and beautiful Ottoman buildings
- tokat - a little city
- Gümüşhane - an ancient city south of Trabzon
Other Destinations
- The Pontic Mountains and its summer pastures
- The Greek monasteries in the hinterland of Ordu and Trabzon
- The Georgian churches and monasteries in the province of Artvin
Info
Language
The region is ethnically very diverse, and several languages are spoken in addition to Turkish. Foreign languages most useful are German, and to a lesser extent English and Russian. Minority languages in the region include Pontic Greek, Western Armenian, Laz and Georgian. Speaking these languages in public is no problem if you come across any speakers, but questions about people's ethnicity or origin can be annoying.
Arrive
The region can be reached by plane via the airports of Samsun and Trabzon, the latter of which has regular connections with various western European cities. The region can be entered by boat from Sochi in Russia (towards Trabzon), furthermore there are no regular connections over the Black Sea from Turkey (yet).
Travel around
Regional transport is mainly by bus along the coastal highway. Local transport is mainly by minibus. Although the urbanized coast has good regular services, many mountain villages are only served once or a few times a day by informal services departing from lower-lying towns. Between the various valleys in the Pontic Mountains that run perpendicular to the coastline, in many cases there are no asphalted east-west connections and it can be faster to drive via the coastal road. The interior is only easily accessible from the coast over a few passes in the Pontic Mountains south of Samsun, Unye, Tirebolu, Trabzon, Of and Hopa. There are options, for example, to get from valley to valley via a tour operator or local guide (by hitchhiking, cycling or on foot).
To look at
Routes
- A quest for the 'Golden Fleece': tour the coast from Sinop (or Samsun) to Poti in Georgia. Follow the route of the Argonites in their quest for the Golden Fleece with a stop at Cape Jason Church, where they are said to have landed, and a mandatory stop at Sumela Monastery in Trabzon. End your journey at the mouth of the phasis (Rioni) in Poti, the 'end of the world' according to the ancient Greeks. Or continue towards Svaneti, this Georgian region north of Poti is unique in its defensive architecture high in the Caucasus.
- Hunt for the Kings of Pontus and Ottoman Glory: Begin the journey in Samsun and travel towards Amasya, the ancient capital of the Kingdom of Pontus with its rock tombs and Ottoman structures. Continue your journey towards Kastamonu and Safranbolu, two towns with many traditional Ottoman wooden dwellings. Then towards the small town of Amasra on a peninsula on the coast and via the winding, narrow coastal road towards Sinop, the northernmost city in Turkey and also located on a peninsula. There are also many beaches along this part of the coast because, unlike along the east coast, there is no coastal highway. Along the coast and in the cities are also fortresses and ruins that make the trip enjoyable for children.
- Along the highlights of the Empire of Trebizond and the local minorities: Discover first Trabzon, the ancient capital of the region and visit the Sumela Monastery. From there you can visit Santa, 7 old abandoned Greek villages high in the mountains southeast of the monastery. The Greek-speaking community in the region mainly lives around Caykara, near Lake Uzungol, which is also a tourist attraction. Via the coastal road or via small dirt roads (or on foot with a guide) towards the Firtina valley in the province of Rize; This is where the Hemsin live, an Armenian Islamic people. The Zilkale is a large castle from the Byzantine era, and in the valley are many stone bridges of hundreds of years old. In Parkhali, further east in the province of Artvin, several Georgian churches can be visited before returning to Trabzon.
- Xenophon's 'Tour of the Ten Thousand' and the Silk Road: Sometimes the region is visited merely as an anecdote as the end point of a journey around Eastern Anatolia, in the footsteps of Xenophon, or as the end or starting point of a journey along the Silk Road. Coming from the south (Eastern Anatolia or Western Iran) you will experience the extreme climatic differences between the dry interior, the mountains (the Caucasus or the Pontic Mountains) and the coast of the Black Sea. A traditional route can lead from Ani towards Kars and then along the Georgian border over the Pontic Mountains with its Georgian churches and from the coastal towns of Hopa or Pazar towards Trabzon. An alternative is via Erzurum towards Gumushane to descend there via the Zigana pass (the old Silk Road) along the Sumela Monastery towards Trabzon.
To do
- Mountain walks around the Kackar, the highest peaks of the Pontic Mountains. Due to the book by Kate Clow, who previously popularized the Lycian path in western Turkey, for several years now, one- and multi-day mountain hikes have been offered around the Ayder plateau and the Kackar mountains southeast of Rize towards the summit and Yusufeli. on the southeast side of the Pontic Mountains.
- Spending the night in a homestay on one of the many yaylas (alpine meadows above the tree line) of the provinces of Trabzon or Rize (for example Sultanmurat in Caykara or Ayder in Camlihemsin): Waking up to freshly milked cow's milk, homemade cheese and cornbread and a view over the Pontic Mountains.
- Visit to a wooden mosque in one of the mountain villages. The centuries-old small mosques in this region are unique in Turkey, with unusual carvings and colorful paintings of mathematical and natural motifs and occasional animals. Sufism had a major impact in this part of Turkey. Even the smallest mosque has a balcony for women.
- A visit to the Kardiga or another festival on a summer plateau. Every year in the summer, festivals are organized on various summer meadows, where the locals celebrate their music, dance, costumes and dishes, among other things.
- A visit to a tea garden with a view over the city. All the towns on the coast have a former acropolis (Boztepe) where there are now tea gardens. In Ordu, a funicular connects the center with the park on the acropolis.
Food
The region is the most fertile in the country, and is home to a wealth of native plants. The cherry is named after the ancient name of Giresun (Kerasunta), from where it was first exported to the west. Furthermore, the region is responsible for more than 70% of the worldwide production of hazelnuts. The national dish of the region is hamsi (anchovy), but the other fish from the Black Sea are also widely eaten. Various types of brown and corn bread from the region are unique in Turkey.
Going out
In the larger cities such as Samsun and Trabzon there is a lively nightlife with various bars and clubs. In summer there are music festivals on beaches and in some parks in the region, such as the Fanta Youth Festival in Trabzon and a psytrance festival near Rize.
Safety
This region of Turkey is relatively developed and safe. It has a low crime rate compared to other parts of Turkey, but there is organized crime involved in trade from/to the Caucasus and Iran. Women don't have to worry about their choice of clothing in the cities, but in some mountain villages they are expected to dress more modestly, also because the weather can change completely within minutes. Women can also travel alone through the area, but traveling alone through the mountainous hinterland is not recommended. For lonely female travelers it is wise not to dress provocatively and not to hitchhike. Because the area is fairly close to the former Russian border, it was always forbidden to make detailed maps of the numerous mountain trails through the area. Only for the Kackar, the highest peaks in the province of Rize, tickets are available for tourists. It is therefore wise to arrange a guide for mountain walks.
all around
- The Black Sea
- The Caucasus (Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan)
- Armenian Highland
- Cappadocia
