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| Lush and green throughout the year, rocky mountains, the
cool waters of the coast and plantations of tea, hazelnuts, tobacco and
corn, the Black Sea is a unique part of the country. The main industry is
farming, thanks mainly to the high rainfall, andin the summer the
roadsides are lined with hazelnuts drying in the sun. The culture, cuisine,
climate and even dialect is different to the rest of Turkey, and the
coastal road stretches from east of Istanbul to the border with Georgia.The
cities in this region are Amasya, Artvin, Bolu, Corum, Duzce, Giresun,
Gumushane, Kastamonu, Ordu, Rize, Samsun, Sinop, Tokat, Trabzon Zonguldak,
Bartin and Karabuk. Akcakoca is on the far western side of the coast, with
endless hazelnutorchards. Inland to the east is Safranbolu, with a
wonderful collection of old Ottoman houses, and Devek, famous for its
intricately carved walking canes.Further along the coast are Inkum, Amasra
and Cakraz, and then Sinop which has been a port for 1000 years and is
still one of the biggest in the Black Sea. The town takes its name from
the Amazon queen Sinope and local mythology suggests that femalewarriors,
called Amazons, lived in this region. It is now an important industrial
and commercial centre.Unye and Fatsa, east of Samsun, are popular holiday
resorts with natural scenic beauty, beaches, accommodation, campsites and
restaurants. Ordu is a charming city with hazelnut orchards stretching out
for miles in all directions and 46km east isGiresun, with its castle
perched on a steep rocky slope, crowning the city and overlooking the
beach. This is where the Roman general Lucullus saw cherries for the first
time, and liked them so much he introduced them into Europe.Trabzon is
another important commercial port on the Black Sea, and it connects with
ports in other Black Sea countries. Trabzon Castle was founded on an area
shaped like a table, and the architecture that developed around the castle
reflects Byzantine,Commagene and Ottoman styles. The city’s most important
building is the Ayasofya Museum, the interior of which is decorated with
frescoes, and the exterior with reliefs. From Boztepe Park and the Ataturk
Museum there are stunning panoramic views ofthe city.Inside the Altindere
National Park near Macka, the Sumela Monastery is perched on high cliffs
overlooking the Altindere valley, and was founded in the 14th century by
Alexius III. Inside the monastery is a church, a library, various other
rooms and asacred spring.The area around Rize is the wettest in the
country with wonderful shades of green, and is the centre of Turkey’s tea
production with plantations on the high terraces. Hopa is the last Turkish
port before reaching the Georgian border, and to the southis Artvin. The
city was established on the terraced hills overlooking the Coruh River,
which is well known for rafting, and within the province are old Georgian
houses and churches. |
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Black Sea Ports
