The Black Sea Region
 

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, and in 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.
Akcakoca is on the far western side of the coast, with endless hazelnut orchards. 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. 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 is Giresun, with its castle perched on a steep rocky slope, crowning the city and overlooking the beach. Trabzon is another important commercial port on the Black Sea, and it connects with ports in other Black Sea countries. 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 south is 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.