Another Turkey: why go to Samsun. Holidays on the Black Sea in Samsun (Turkey)

Turkey is diverse and unpredictable, and each of its regions is distinguished by its way of life and traditions. Mediterranean resorts are completely different from the Black Sea territories, so if you love this country and want to know it to the end, then you should definitely visit the cities located on the Black Sea coast. One of these was the port of Samsun: Turkey particularly appreciates the metropolis, because it played an important role in the history of the state. You can find out all the details about this city, as well as about how to get to it from our article.

General information

Samsun is a port city located in the central north of Turkey on the Black Sea coast. As of 2017, its population is more than 1.3 million people. The metropolis covers an area of \u200b\u200b9352 square meters. km And although the city of Samsun is located on the coast, tourists visit it primarily for sightseeing purposes.

The first settlements on the territory of the modern metropolis appeared as early as 3500 millennium BC. And in the 6th century BC the Ionians built a city on these lands and gave it the name Amisos. Ancient sources say that it was here that the famous Amazons once lived, in honor of which a cultural festival is held in Samsun every year. After the decline of Greek civilization, the city passed into the hands of the Romans, and then the Byzantines. And in the 13th century, Amisos was taken over by the Seljuks, who soon renamed it Samsun.

Today, Samsun is an important port in Turkey, spreading over 30 km along the Black Sea coast. It is the center of tobacco production, fishing and trade. Due to its rich history, Samsun boasts many attractions for which travelers come here.

It is noteworthy that in Samsun the tourist infrastructure is quite developed, so there are plenty of accommodation options and catering establishments. What is worth looking at and where to stay, we will tell you in detail below.

sights

Among the sights of Samsun in Turkey there are both cultural and natural sites. And the most interesting are:

Museum Ship Bandirma Vapuru (Bandirma Vapuru Muzesi)

The floating museum in Samsun will tell you about Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, who, together with his associates, arrived in the port city on the steamer Bandirma Vapuru in 1919 in order to lead the struggle for the country's independence. The ship went through a quality restoration, therefore it is exhibited in excellent condition. Inside you can look at household items, the captain’s cabin, the honors hall, the deck and Ataturk’s bedroom. The museum also presents waxworks of Mustafa Kemal and his associates. Outside, the ship surrounds the National Resistance Park. In general, visiting the attractions will appeal to lovers of Turkish history and will be informative for ordinary citizens.

• The museum is open on weekdays from 8:00 to 17:00.
• Admission fee  for an adult is 2 TL ($ 0.5), for children 1 TL ($ 0.25).
• Address:  Belediye Evleri Mh., 55080 Canik / Janik / Samsun, Turkey.

Park and Monument to Ataturk

The city of Samsun in Turkey is famous as the starting point from where Atatürk began its struggle for the independence of the country. Therefore, in the metropolis you can meet many attractions dedicated to this politician. Another of them was Ataturk Park - a small verdant place in the center of which stands a majestic bronze statue of Mustafa Kemal on a horse. The height of the sculpture without a pedestal is 4.75 meters, and with it - 8.85 meters. It is noteworthy that the Austrian sculptor acted as the author of the monument, depicting the first president of Turkey with a strong-willed face and a swift look at the stallion that stood on its hind legs. The monument was inaugurated in 1932 by citizens of the country, thus expressing their love and reverence for the national hero.

• The attraction is open for visiting at any time for free.
• Address:  Samsun Belediye Parki, Samsun, Turkey.

Amazon Theme Park

This is an unusual place where you can go down from the picturesque hills of Samsun on the lift, is a theme park dedicated to the ancient women warriors. According to historical sources, many centuries ago, not far from the modern territory of the city, settlements of famous Amazons were located. In the center of the park there is a huge statue of a warrior with a spear and a shield: its height is 12.5 meters, its width is 4 meters and its weight is 6 tons. On the sides of it are large sculptures of Anatolian lions 24 meters in length and 11 meters in height. Inside the animal statues, expositions of wax figures of the Amazons are organized, as well as military scenes from the life of these severe women are presented.

• The attraction is available at any time, but to visit museums you must take into account the working hours - the exhibition is open daily from 9:00 to 18:00.
• Admission price  equal to 1 TL ($ 0.25).
• Address:Samsun Batipark Amazon Adasi, Samsun, Turkey.

When viewing a photo of Samsun in Turkey, one can often find pictures with breathtaking landscapes of mountains, bordered at the foot of lake waters. This unique natural attraction is often visited as part of a Samsun sightseeing tour, but the canyon itself is located 100 km west of the metropolis. You can go on a trip along the gorge on board the ship, which can be easily found near the Sahinkaya canyon itself. On the shores of the lake there are several cozy restaurants serving national and fish dishes.

• In general, you can buy a ticket for three types of boats at the attraction: a trip on the most budget ones will cost 10 TL ($ 2.5), on the most expensive ones - 100 TL ($ 25).
• The ships leave daily from 10:00 to 18:00.
• Address:  Altınkaya Barajı | Türkmen Köyü, Kayıkbaşı mevkii, Samsun 55900, Turkey.

Samsun Port

The city and port of Samsun in Turkey is located between the deltas of the Yeshilirmak and Kyzylirmak rivers, which flow into the Black Sea. This is one of the country's main ports, mainly specializing in the export of tobacco and wool products, grain crops and fruits. Among the goods imported into the city, petroleum products and industrial equipment prevail. In total, the port handles more than 1.3 million tons of cargo annually.

Holidays in Samsun

Although the port of Samsun is rarely ranked among resort towns with an abundance of housing for every taste, there are many hotels of different categories in the metropolis that are ready to comfortably accommodate their guests. Mostly 3, 4 and 5 star hotels are represented here, but there are also several apartments and a couple of guest houses. For example, the cost of living in a three-star hotel in a double room in the summer months starts from 116 TL ($ 27) and varies in the range of 200 TL ($ 45) per night. Moreover, the price of many offers includes breakfast. If you want to check into a hotel with a higher star, then get ready to pay 250 TL ($ 58) for a double room per night.

Holidays in Samsun in Turkey will delight you with a variety of cafes and restaurants, both with a national menu and a European focus. Among them you can find both budget eateries and chic establishments. So, a snack in an inexpensive cafe will cost about 20 TL ($ 5). But the cost of a two-course dinner for two in a mid-range restaurant will be 50 TL ($ 12). You will certainly find a budget snack in well-known fast foods, where your check will not exceed 16-20 TL ($ 4-5). Popular drinks, on average, will cost the following amounts:

• Local beer 0.5 - 12 TL ($ 3)
• Imported beer 0.33 - 12 TL ($ 3)
• Cup of cappuccino - 8 TL ($ 2)
• Pepsi 0.33 - 4 TL ($ 1)
• Water 0.33 - 1 TL ($ 0.25)

Among the most worthy establishments, tourists who have already visited Samsun noted: “Carsamba”

There are several ways to get to Samsun, and the fastest of them will be air travel. The nearest airport to the city is Carsamba Airport, 23 km east. The air harbor serves both local and international flights, however, direct flights from Moscow, Kiev and the CIS countries are not provided here, so you will have to fly with transfers.

The easiest way to get on an airplane from Istanbul. Turkish airlines Turkish Airlines, Onur Air and Pegasus Airlines operate daily flights from Istanbul to Samsun. Ticket prices start at 118 TL ($ 28), and travel time takes about 1 hour 30 minutes.

You can get from Carsamba airport to the city by BAFAŞ bus for 10 TL ($ 2.5). If this option does not suit you, a taxi or an advance transfer via the Internet is always available at your service.

It is possible to get to Samsun from Istanbul and by intercity bus, however, this option is practically the same in cost from air travel: ticket prices start at 90 TL ($ 22). Moreover, such a trip will take at least 12 hours.

It is worth noting that since May 2017, the RusLine airline opened regular flights in the direction of Krasnodar-Samsun-Krasnodar. Flights in both directions are carried out only on Saturdays, the flight takes no more than an hour. The cost of round-trip tickets starts at $ 180. Here, perhaps, are all the most affordable ways with which you can get to the port city of Samsun, Turkey.

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Anyone who likes to relax on the northern Turkish coast of the Black Sea, probably at least once wondered: “Is it far to Turkey? Directly - by sea? ”It is quite possible that persons especially gifted with imagination even imagined how they were carried off to the open sea, and they were swimming, swimming, swimming ... and, reaching the coast, they continued their vacation in Turkey. Fairy tales? And let us strain ourselves and believe that this can actually happen.

So, our hapless hero came to the beach, for example, Kerch. Without thinking twice, he pumped up an air mattress and went into the water with it. Sunbathing, the poor fellow did not notice how he fell asleep. But the north wind, lazily walking nearby, having seen this, decided to joke. Sneaking up to the mattress, he blew out violently and continuously. After some time, a small raft nailed into a cozy bay on the southern coast of the Black Sea, on the coast of which the port city is widely located. “What kind of city?” Asks our unfortunate traveler, having climbed ashore.

And she is surprised to learn that this Samsun, a city in Turkey, the administrative center of the homonymous district.

Having decided that it is a sin not to take advantage of random circumstances, our hero goes for a walk along Samsun to get to know him better. What did he see?

Amazons of the Black Sea

Founded by the Greeks in the VI century. BC on the southern coast of the Black Sea, Samsun after eight centuries, the Turks settled. The history of the city is inextricably linked with the name of the famous king Mithridates and legends about the Amazons, whose homeland he is still considered to be - among several annual festivalspassing in samsunThere is also a festival of Amazons. Today it is a large Black Sea port of Turkey. According to the 2007 census, the population of Samsun is about 440,000 inhabitants.

By the way:

• on the streets of Samsun many old wooden buildings have survived;
• Samsun is located on the banks of the Kyzylirmak River, which flows into the Black Sea;
• it was here that Mustafa Kemal Atartyuk launched the National Resistance. The foundations of a new Turkish state were laid in Samsun;
• holidays in Samsun are not only the Black Sea, sandy beaches and the sun, but also good ski slopes, and routes for winter sports.

This part of the Black Sea coast of Turkey is characterized by cool spring, arid and foggy summers and warm winters. Best to plan holidays in Samsun  from mid-May to early September.

Interesting to see (excursions in the vicinity)

The surroundings of Samsun will not leave indifferent even such a dull traveler as our conqueror of the Black Sea on an air mattress. The landscapes of Lake Cham have the unique natural beauty of pine-covered hills and quiet beaches. Taking a walk here the whole family, you can admire the mirror-like lake waters, the birds singing and the slow running of time for a long time. Natural alachama and Yakakent beacheslovers will like to “lie on the shore” - they will be able to adequately appreciate the good beach service at reasonable prices. There are many beautiful beaches east of Samsun, in the areas of Charsamba and Tekekoy.

At the foot of the mountains Nebiyan and Akdag  there are many pastures (yayl). Their ancient beauty, desert and inconspicuous wild looks from the mountain forest make us recall the danger of life of our ancestors ... On some eggs, houses of an unusual type seem to ask you to enter their doors.

Around Samsun there are many hot springs, the heat of which has long been used in Turkish baths. In addition to the five baths, Samsun has a thermal hotel that uses water from a nearby source to treat nervous, gynecological and rheumatic diseases, as well as diseases of the joints and arthritis. According to patients undergoing rehabilitation with “rejuvenating water” patients, the cost of treatment is much lower than the result.

In addition to the Amazon festival, which was already mentioned above, Samsun hosts the Watermelon Festival (from August 22 to 23) and the Rice Festival (from June 3 to 14). Samsun district is famous for its textile products - in city shops and shops you can buy colorful local clothes made from rough woven linen, cotton shirts or woven rugs.

Samsun Attractions

The ancient history of the Black Sea has left many traces in Samsun. When on vacation in Turkey, be sure to include the following archaeological and natural values \u200b\u200bof Samsun in the list of visited:

• the ruins of the Oymaagach Khoyuk mound;
• the remains of a settlement of ancient people on the Dundar Tepe hill;
• tekkerkoy cave, the ruins of Ikiztene, Kaledorugu hill, the tumulus of Lerduge and Baruthane;
• samsun Museum of Ethnography and Archeology;
• ataturk House Museum, Gazi Museum, Ilk Adym Anity monument, Ataturk monument;
• buyuk Jami Mosque, Sheikh Seyyid Kudbetddin Mosque, Charshamb Geggeli Jami Mosque;
• roman Catholic Church
• fountains, bridges, covered markets, tombs;
• bafra Akan Shelalessi and Karadzheviz waterfalls.

Hotels in Samsun

The cost of living in Samsun depends on the time of the year and in the summer months starts at 1400 rubles per day (data for the 2015 season). Best Samsun Hotels  (ascending depending on price):

• Samsun Cavusoglu Hotel;
• Hotel Buyar;
• Gloria Tibi Hotel;
• North Point Hotel;
• Buyuk Samsun Oteli.

How to get to Samsun: by sea, by land or by plane?

Get to Samsun  not difficult - the city is connected with almost all cities in Turkey by rail and land routes, and with the rest of the world - sea and air lines. If you prefer air travel, then you will be pleased with the proximity of Samsun Airport to the city - only 15 minutes away. It remains to buy a ticket!

Conclusion: air mattress again

Our hero walked all day on Samsun. He liked everything here and would like to stay on hospitable Turkish land, but the rising south wind persistently called him on the road. Having a rest, our hero entered knee-deep into the water of the Black Sea, pushed off the soft Turkish sand and fell belly on an air mattress. From Samsun to Kerch he had a long road ahead - 450 km in a straight line.

Welcome to rest in Samsun - on the Black Sea coast in Turkey!

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SAMSUN (Samsun)  - a city in northern Turkey, the administrative center of ilya Samsun, a port on the Black m. 304 thousand inhabitants (1990). The center of a large tobacco growing area. Tobacco, food, chemical industry. Smelter. University It was founded in the 6th century. BC uh ... ... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

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Samsun  - (Samsun) city in S. Turkey, the administrative center of Samsun province. 134.3 thousand inhabitants (1970). Port on the shore of Samsun Bay of the Black Sea; cargo turnover of 1.5 million tons in 1973; export of tobacco, grain, wool, fruit. Railway station. Highway node ... ... Great Soviet Encyclopedia

Samsun  - (Samsun), a city in S. Turkey, on the Black Sea coast. 363 thousand inhabitants (2000). It was founded by the Greeks in 562 BC. e. under the name Amisos at the site of a settlement destroyed by the Phrygians in 1182 BC Sequentially controlled by Rome, ... ... Geographic Encyclopedia

Namely on   Samsun Resort -this is a great way not only to relax in Turkey, but also to get an unforgettable experience.

  Samsun attracts tourists with its millennial cultural heritage: from Amazons to the Ottoman Empire. In this Turkish city, waterfalls, lakes, and forests are a wonderful example of nature. Healing springs, traditional architecture, delicious food and festivals - all this makes Samsun a desirable place for visiting tourists.

In the north of Turkey, between the deltas of the Kyzylirmak and Yoshilirmak rivers, this region is spread with fertile land, which is also called "Mesopotamia of the Black Sea".

Samsun is a port city that has become the cradle of many civilizations. Geographically, he will build from the following areas: Alcham, Asardzhik, Ayvadzhik, Bafra, Charshamba, Havza, Kavak, Ladik, Ondokumais, Salypazary, Tekkekoy, Terme, Vezirkopru, Yakakent, Ilkadym, Janik, and Atakum. It can be reached by land, air, sea and rail.

Do you know about this?

The legendary warlike Amazon women lived in Samsun,
  . In Samsun many historical wooden buildings have survived,
  . The Kyzylirmak River in Samsun flows into the sea,
  . In addition to the sea, sun and sand in Samsun, there are all conditions for winter sports and ecotourism
. Did you know that the National Resistance, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk started in Samsun. It was in this city that the foundations of Turkish statehood were laid.

Samsun's story

In the ancient world, Samsun was one of the most important cities in the region of Paflagonia. The earliest settlements of Samsun date from the Paleolithic period, as evidenced by finds found in a cave in southern Tekkekoy. In other periods of the Stone Age, Mesolithic and Neolithic, settlements were also found here. In the Eneolithic and Bronze Age, in the south of the city of Samsun, in the district of the Dundar Tepe Khoyugu barrow, there was one of civilizations. In the scriptures of the hitites, the oldest inhabitants of Samsun are referred to as galaskars.

In the early Bronze Age in 1200 BC, after the Gascalars, not far from the Terme River, the legendary Amazons settled. In the 6th century BC the ancient Greeks founded today's Samsun (Amisos) as one of the colonies of Pontus at the Black Sea, then the city came under the control of the Roman Empire.

After this, the city was in the possession of the Persians, Alexander the Great and his successors. Roman and Byzantine emperors, the Principality of Danishmentliler Beiligi and Anatolian Seljuks. Thanks to Sultan Mehmet, the city passed into the Ottoman state and one of the most important events in the history of the city was the arrival of May 19, 1919 Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and the start of the Turkish Liberation War. This day in all of Turkey has been celebrated since 1936 as the "Day of Youth and Sports."

In historical sources, Amazons are found very often as warriors who do not get off their horses, using a bow, arrow and a double-sided ax (labris) as a weapon. According to a belief, in order to better pull the bow, they removed the right breast in childhood and hence the name of the Amazon, which means "without breast". The ancient Izmir poet Homer describes the Amazons as "similar to men" and that in the Troy War they took possession of a place near the city of Troy.

These women founded the ancient city of Terme (Temiskira) off the coast of the Black Sea. Here they lived and they had interesting ceremonies. They say that they used men as slaves and entered into close relations with them only for procreation, and after that they were killed. They also crippled or killed male children, and the girls were brought up by the same warriors as they themselves.

Many sculptures and paintings but the whole world depicts the Amazons. Among them, the most famous - this is a sculptural composition depicting the Amazons, made famous in the 5th century BC. sculptors Feidias, Polikleitos and Kresilas (copies of the Roman period) and Rubens's painting "The Warlike Amazon."

Antique city of Amisos

In ancient times, Samsun (Amisos) was considered the central city, and it went through several levels of development. In the 6th century BC when he was a small settlement, the Miletians came here, and residents from Cappadocia and Fochi were based here. After this, the history of Amisos began its development in parallel with the history of the region.

Samsun, as an important commercial port of the Black Sea, starting from the Bronze Age (Eneolithic) (about 5000-3000 BC), until now has been trading not only with central Anatolia, but also with other areas of the Black Sea coast. Here, importance was attached not only to trade and navigation, but also to art, as evidenced by theatrical buildings and masks for performances. These samples of masks, which are the symbol of the theater, have survived to the present day. And the magnificent mosaic and treasury of the city today is in the Museum of Archeology and Ethnography of Samsun. In order to get acquainted with the ancient ruins, during a tour of the Black Sea you can visit this ancient city of Amisos.

The fortress of Bafra Agsar and the stone graves of Kai Mezarlara
  In the Kyzylirmak valley in the village of Agsar Koyu, the ruins of antiquity are the remains of a fortress, city walls, wells and a prison. An asphalt road with stone steps dating back to 1000 BC leads to this fortress through a tunnel. This place is also attractive with the most beautiful sunsets.
  Under the fortress is a magnificent stone burial. Located in the valley of Kyzylirmak Vadisa, this burial resembles a temple with columns and is a place of frequent visits.

sights

Several relatively old neighborhoods with narrow and winding side streets can only be found around Saat Kulesi Meydani. The rest of the city is largely composed of new neighborhoods, although there are several rather unremarkable mosques, including Haji Hatun  and Pazar  (XIV c.). But the main attraction of the city is considered Archaeological Museum  (open from Thursday to Sunday from 8.30 to 12.00 and from 13.30 to 17.30, admission is 2 TRY) with an extensive collection of Roman mosaics from Karasamsun (the acropolis of the ancient city, now - a military base 3 km west of the city center). Located next door Ataturk Museum  (open from Thursday to Sunday from 8.30 to 12.00 and from 13.30 to 17.30, admission is 2 TRY) and gazi Museum  in the complex of the old hotel on Istiklal Caddesi (open from Thursday to Sunday from 9.00 to 17.00, entrance - 2 TRY), also dedicated to the "father of the nation".

Around the city

Much more interesting places can be found to the west of Samsun, first of all - the vast (56 thousand hectares) wetland area of \u200b\u200bthe delta Kyzyl-Irmak  (Bafra-Balyk-Golleri, there are more than 310 bird species out of 420 registered here in Turkey), stunning sandy beaches and pastoral landscapes around a pretty town Gerze  (Gerze). And west of the shores of the Paflagon coast and the peninsula.

East of Samsun, the coastal plain is wider and greener right before our eyes. In ancient times, these lands were considered the kingdom of the Amazons, and the green river delta Yesil Irmak  often confused with Don. Now these fertile plains are the main supplier of tobacco, and the moist coastal areas are cut by canals, lagoons and swamps, considered perhaps the most popular hunting zone in Turkey.

Town Unier (Unye, 100 km east of Samsun) grew up on the site of the ancient port of Oinaion and boasts its Byzantine church (now the hammam) in the main square of Cumhuriyet Meydani, many colorful old buildings of the Seljuk period, a bustling market and excellent beaches west of the city limits. The best beach has the exact name Uzunkum ("Long Sand") and stretches for almost 7 km, although the rather stormy sea and the lack of lifeguards somewhat impede its popularity. A little south lies the medieval fortress of Jaleoglu, often incorrectly called Unier-Kalesi, although it has nothing to do with the city, but was laid down during the time of the Pontic kingdom to control the passes and then rebuilt by the Byzantines.

On the eastern shore of Fatsa Bay lies a town Bolaman  (Bolaman) - the ancient Polemon and the residence of the Khaznedaroglu family, who ruled the surroundings of Trabzon in the XVIII-XIX centuries, completely independent of Istanbul. Only an ancient fortress has been preserved from those times, and the town itself attracts the attention of boaters - there is a good harbor and beach. And to the north is the cult place of sailors - Cape Yasun (Kiremit), where in ancient times stood the temple of Iason, in which it was necessary to make offerings to the gods before sailing in the turbulent waters of the eastern Black Sea. The Byzantines rebuilt the temple into a church, which is still visible 500 meters from the road. To the east is the tiny village of Caka with one of the best sandy beaches in the region - Beizakum.

Lying east on the bay Horde, the city of the same name was founded by the Greeks under the name of Kotoria, but almost did not preserve its historical buildings. Only the recently restored nineteenth-century Greek cathedral and the Pashaoglu Konaga Museum (open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., admission is 2 TRY) and a rather dull museum of ethnography deserve a brief inspection. However, the city is considered the most famous Turkish producer of walnut confectionery, and its hallmark is chocolate hazelnut, so many tourists specially come here to visit the Sagra Nuthouse specialty store (Suleyman Felek Cad 95).