|
 Touristic Guide for Turkish Cities - 2 Atlantis Poster Store Motivational, travel, music posters. |
||
 Black Sea RegionThe Black Sea coast is one of the outstanding regions of scenic beauty in Turkey. In contrast to the dry, arid plains of central Anatolia, the dimate is warm and humid, ideal for the production of its main crops: maize, tea, tobacco and hazelnuts. The north coast might not have the historical remains and infinite sunshine that the Mediterranean coast offers, but there are charming fishing villages and dean beaches which stretch for miles, and are ideal for campers and family holidays.
The Black Sea coast was first settled in the sixth century BC by the Arcadians and later became the Kingdom of Pontus. It was captured by the Romans and then ruled by the Byzantines under Alexius Comnenus, and remained the last outpost of the Byzantine Empire until Sultan Mehmet II made it part of the Ottoman Empire. At the end of the First World War Ataturk came here from Istanbul to battle for independence. Same of the beach resorts, KILYOS and SILE for example, are within easy driving distance from Istanbul for a day trip. A ferry service runs along the coastline from Istanbul to TRABZON, calling at SINOP, SAMSUN and GIRESUN on the way and going on to HOPA in the summer months. There are boats every week from April to October, leaving on Thursdays and taking six days to cruise to Trabzon and back, and nine days for the longer cruise to Hopa. From November until March the service operates every fortnight. Since these trips are very popular it is advisable to book ahead during the summer months and information is available from any Turkish Maritime Lines agency.
Buses connect all the towns along the coastline with express bu ses to SAMSUN from KAYSERI, ANKARA and SIVAS. There is a very good road from SINOP right along to HOPA giving you a chance to see the beautiful scenery as it passes through tea, tobacco, and hazelnut plantations with the mountains on one side and the blue sea on the other.
If you want to By to the Black Sea coast, there are airports at TRABZON and SAMSUN. Flights go twice weekly from Istanbul to Samsun and daily between Trabzon, Ankara and Istanbul. Any Turkish Airlines office will be abI e to give you information. Working along the coast from west to east, the closest Black Sea resort to Istanbul is at KIL YOS. This modern village is situated on the European shore of the Black Sea and is famed for its broad sandy beaches. It has all the facilities that any European resort might offer, and is well supplied with motels, hotels and campsites.
|
 destinationturkey
4INFO
4TRAVELER'S GUIDE
4TOURISTIC REGIONS
4FACTBOOK
4POPULAR STARS
4SHOPPING
4SISTER SITES
|
||
TURKEYOn the Anatolian shore the holiday yillage at SILE is also within easy driving distance of IstanbuL. The town stretches right down to the coastline and is overlooked by the remains of a genoese castle. There are good beaches, caves and camping facilities. it is well supplied with good restaurants and lively bars. Further along the coast, the resort town of AKÇAKOCA is especially charming. The ruins of a Genoese castle near to the beach are well worth avisit and the town is surrounded by clean beaches, intriguing rock formations and hazelnut plantations. If you are camping, the site at CAYAGZI VILLAGE just outside Akacoca is close to the beach and has restaurants.
Gallipoli Peninsula
The site of many a ferocious battle, it is surely the WWI melee of Atatürk's troops and the Allies that stands out. Today the Gallipoli battlefields are peaceful places covered in scrubby brush, pine forests and farmers' fields, but this strategic peninsula has always held the key to Istanbul.
Gallipoli is a fairly large area to tour, especially without your own transport (it's over 35 km (22mi) from the northernmost battlefield to the southern tip of the peninsula). The two best bases for a visit are Çanakkale on the eastern shore, and Eceabat on the western, both are covered by tours.
Harran
Harran, in Kurdish southeastern Anatolia, is one of the oldest continuously inhabited spots on earth. The hills around the town are surrounded by crumbling walls and topped with ruined buildings. It all looks so ancient that it's not hard to believe Abraham was one of Harran's early inhabitants.
Some residents still live in beehive-shaped mud houses and get by on a mix of farming, smuggling and the sniff of wealth as water starts to filter through from the vast Southeast Anatolia Dam. There's a fortress on the eastern side of the town, and some good mosaics in the 8th century Ulu Cami.
Troy
Compared to Ephesus, Troy is quite dull. Some say that it loses something without Brad Pitt running around, others see this as an improvement on the representation. Either way Troy is no stunner - the drawcard is its sheer history. Excavations have revealed nine ancient cities on the site, with Troy VI or VII believed to be the setting for The Iliad.
When amateur archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann excavated Troy in 1871, the pants of classical studies boffins around the world became decidedly damp. Up to this time, Homer's Iliad was assumed to be based on legend, but post-digs, Troy became the Homeric city of Ilium, site of an epic battle between the Achaeans (Greeks) and the Trojans in the 13th century BC. Excavations by Schliemann and others have revealed nine ancient cities, one on top of another, dating back to 3000 BC. Troy VI (1800-1275 BC) is the city of Priam and the one that engaged in the Trojan War.
For afficionados this is all amazing, but unless you've read The Iliad, or have a keen appreciation of archaeology, you may find little of interest in Troy. Apart from a hokey replica of the Trojan horse, there's little to catch the amateur eye. That said, this is the site of one of the world's grandest tales, so soaking up the atmosphere should be just about enough.
POSTER STORES
This website is created and designed by Zebra, 2006
