Turkey
Black Sea Coast
Region
The Black Sea coast stretches as a green, rainy strip across the entire north of Turkey.
by Felix Gillen
The Black Sea coast stretches as a green, rainy strip across the entire north of Turkey. To the west lies the Ottoman half-timbered town of Safranbolu, to the east Trabzon with the Sümela Monastery and the tea gardens at the foot of the Kaçkar Mountains. If you're looking for mountain villages, monasteries, and fish cuisine instead of a beach holiday, you're in the right place.
OverviewThe region covers approximately 143,500 km² between Zonguldak in the west and Artvin in the east. Between the coast and the highlands lies the Pontic Mountains, which rise to 3,000 to 4,000 m in the east in the Kaçkar Mountains. In the 2010 census, it was the only major region of Turkey where more people lived in rural areas than in cities.When to VisitIt rains all year round; on the east coast, rainfall is higher than anywhere else in the country, with Rize averaging around 2,300 mm annually. The driest months are July and August, but May to June and September to October are also pleasant. The first tea harvest around Rize begins in May.What to ExpectSafranbolu: A UNESCO World Heritage site with Ottoman half-timbered houses, about 200 km north of Ankara.Trabzon: A port city with the Byzantine Hagia Sophia and a starting point for the Sümela Monastery and Lake Uzungöl.Kaçkar Mountains: Summer is the best time for hiking.
Food and Drink
The cuisine of the Black Sea coast revolves around anchovies, cornmeal, and butter. With hazelnuts from Giresun and tea from Rize.
Hamsi
The Black Sea anchovy is usually coated in cornmeal and fried. In Trabzon, Hamsi Tava is considered the best-known dish.
Kuymak
The porridge made from cornmeal and melted Kolot cheese is one of the typical dishes of the East Coast.
Karalahana Çorbası
The black cabbage soup is cooked with butter, beans, and cornmeal.
Safranbolu Lokumu
Safranbolu Lokum is lighter and less sweet than other varieties, such as hazelnut, saffron, or rose.
Culture & History
Pontus and TrebizondGreek colonists established early trading cities along the coast, with Trabzon emerging as Trapezous around 756 BC. From 1204 to 1461, the city served as the seat of the Empire of Trebizond. Monasteries like Sümela tell stories of this Byzantine era.Peoples of the CoastIn the east live the Laz and Hemşinli. The Laz speak a Kartvelian language, related to Georgian. Pontic Greeks also shaped the region for centuries.Ottoman Heritage in the HinterlandSafranbolu was a stop on the caravan routes and today boasts one of the best-preserved Ottoman townscapes. Its Old Town has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1994.
Getting There & Around
Getting ThereTrabzon Airport is the gateway to the eastern region. You can reach Safranbolu by bus from Ankara in about 3 hours or from Istanbul in around 7 hours.Getting AroundLong-distance buses run between cities; Dolmuş minibuses or organized tours go to monasteries and mountain lakes. A rental car offers the most flexibility in the valleys and on the alpine pastures.TipPack a rain jacket, even in summer. Sümela Monastery was closed multiple times due to rockfall danger; check its status before your trip.
