Sile, Turkey - Every summer Turks and foreigners alike flock to Turkey's Mediterranean coast - to Antalya and the Aegean Sea. Few German or British tourists are drawn to the Black Sea coast in the north, although it offers unspoilt fishing villages, secluded bays and extensive beaches along 1,300 kilometres from Bulgaria to Georgia. "Whenever we have time, we go to Sile," said Cengiz, who runs a fish restaurant in Istanbul. Many Istanbul residents pack their things in summer and head to Sile, a Black Sea beach resort about 60 kilometres from Istanbul. They pass numerous villas along the way, and when they arrive they can refresh themselves in water as clear as glass and relax on one of Sile's long sandy beaches.
In the historic city centre are ruins of a Genoese fortress and a natural amphitheatre that is the scene of open-air plays and concerts in the summer. "And you have got to eat fish. It tastes best right on the fishing boats," Cengiz advised. He was right: the fishermen's dishes are far superior to the uniform fare served in many tourist restaurants.
Sixty kilometres north-east of Zonguldak lies Amasra, one of Turkey's most beautiful coastal towns. Founded in the 6th century BC, it is situated on two rocky promontories and has seen many rulers. "Phoenicians, Romans and Byzantines have left diverse traces," the tour guide told visitors at the Archaeological Museum. They include remnants of a Roman theatre and bath as well as a clifftop fortress and church.
Most of Amasra's visitors are Turks from Istanbul or Ankara. People who want a beach holiday should travel five kilometres farther east to the fishing village of Cakraz, however. It has first-rate bathing beaches.
From Cakraz it is a good two-hour drive on a serpentine coastal road - the views of the sea are wonderful - to the town of Inebolu. Nicknamed "the diva by the sea," Inebolu still has many traditional Pontic-style houses. They are typically three stories high, made of wood and have slate-covered roofs.
In the area around Inebolu, visitors can hike through fog-shrouded mountain forests, slopes full of hazelnut bushes and deep green tea plantations.
The landscape near the city of Sinop is completely different. There the Hamsilos cove cuts into the land, giving the area a rather Norwegian look. Situated on the northernmost tip of Turkey, Sinop has a beautiful natural harbour that once was the terminus of important caravan routes from the central Turkish region of Cappadocia and the lands of the Euphrates.
The only buildings that have survived the heyday of the former Greek colony are ruins of a citadel, a temple and parts of the city walls.
Football fans will be familiar with the last stop on the Turkish Black Sea journey: Trabzon. The city is namely the home of one of Turkey's best football teams. It also has lively bazaars, Roman bridges and old city walls.
About 150 kilometres east of Trabzon lies Turkey's border with Georgia. For people in antiquity, that was the end of the known world.
Internet: www.tourismturkey.org.
