Black Sea and Batumi Tour

About the tour

Tour programme

The daily route follows the programme in the catalogue. A detailed itinerary is shared with the quote.

Places to see

• Bandırma Steamship

  The ship on which Mustafa Kemal Pasha landed in Samsun on 19 May 1919, a landing regarded as the start of the National Struggle. The ship was built in Scotland in 1878. Its full-size replica in Samsun has been open to visitors as a museum ship since 2003.

• Boztepe (Ordu)

  A viewpoint hill about 500 m high in the Altınordu district of Ordu. Reached by cable car or by road, it offers views of the city and the Black Sea; paragliding is also possible.

• Hagia Sophia of Trabzon

  A late Byzantine church built between 1238 and 1263 under Manuel I, ruler of the Empire of Trebizond. Frescoes depicting New Testament scenes survive inside. It became a museum in 1964 and was converted back into a mosque in 2013.

• Uzungöl

  A lake in the Çaykara district of Trabzon, formed when a landslide blocked the Haldizen Stream. It was declared a nature park in 1989. Surrounded by forested slopes, the lake and the settlement around it are among the most visited spots in the region.

• Ayder Plateau

  A highland plateau at about 1,350 m in the Çamlıhemşin district of Rize; it has no permanent population and is visited mainly in summer. It is known for its hot spring of about 55 °C, nearby waterfalls and dense forests; it was declared a tourism centre in 1987.

• Fırtına Stream

  A stream about 68 km long that rises in the Kaçkar Mountains and reaches the Black Sea via Çamlıhemşin and Ardeşen. More than 20 Ottoman-era bridges span it.

• Batumi

  Georgia's second-largest city and the capital of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara, about 20 km from the Turkish border. The seaside boulevard, the botanical garden and the moving "Ali and Nino" sculpture, installed in 2010, are the main sights.

• Sinop Historic Prison

  Built inside Sinop Castle in 1887, the prison closed in 1997 and later opened to visitors. Writers such as Sabahattin Ali, Nazım Hikmet and Refik Halit Karay were held here, and it is known as "the Alcatraz of Anatolia".

• Kastamonu

  The city where Mustafa Kemal Pasha gave his speech on the Hat and Dress Reform on 23 August 1925. The Mahmut Bey Mosque (1366–67) in Kasabaköy, in the province, was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2023 as part of the "Wooden Hypostyle Mosques of Medieval Anatolia".

• Safranbolu

  An important caravan stop on the East–West trade route from the 13th century until the arrival of the railway, the town was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1994 for its traditional timber and stone houses. Cinci Han and the bazaar area are the main sights.

Photos

What's covered and notes

Who is it for?

• History and culture enthusiastsDiscover historic and cultural heritage on site, with a guide's commentary.
• Nature loversOutdoor walking, lake and forest views.
• FamiliesA programme that participants of all ages can enjoy together.

Practical information

Frequently asked questions