Now that the summer is around the corner, many of us can’t stop thinking about lying in a sunny beach, feeling the sun in your face before jumping into the wavy, chilly and salty sea water. Enjoying a nice beach day is not in conflict with a rally adventure, and during the Caucasian Challenge you will drive across the northern seaside of Turkey. These are some of the best beaches of the Turkish Black Sea coast that you can enjoy on the way!
Sinop
The city of Sinop is located near Cape Sinope, in the ancient region of Paphlagonia, and it is the capital of Sinop Province. It used to be a refunded Greek colony in the ancient times, but today it is one of the nicest sea resorts of Turkey at the Black Sea. Some of its more important landmarks are the Sinop Fortress, Balatlar Church, or Temple of Serapis.
Gerze
Gerze is a town and district that forms part of the Sinope Province of Turkey. Apart of its stunning beaches bathing in the chilly Black Sea, Gerze offers other leisure and cultural activities. 15 kilometer away from the town you can find the Çeçe Sultan Tomb, a place famous for pilgrims gathering around it. Other typical excursion places are Değirmenler and İdemli, and Gazhane Bay.
Samsun
Samsun is one of the biggest ports of the black sea, and a busy seaside city. As a big city, the beach is not its only appeal. The Ataturk Culture Center holds concerts, cultural events, opera stages and every kind of musical performance. There are many museums around the city to get involved in the culture of the province, and an international folk music festival that takes place every year.
Kilyos
Kiyos is located in the northern mouth of the Bosphorus. Here the waters of the Black Sea are especially chilly and subject to dangerous undertow. However, if the weather allows it, it is a nice place to lie down on the beach and have a relaxing day of sun and sea. Dalia Beach is a pretty place to watch the sunset by the Black Sea. Inside the city, the 14th century Genoese castle is an historical landmark, but is sadly inaccessible for tourists as it is in the military zone. However, you can always visit the historical cistern, the eight cannons, and the 26-meter-high monumental plane trees are also spectacular within the castle area.
Turkeli
Turkeli is a small town that forms part of the Sinope district. It’s so popular among beach lovers that its populations grows from 7000 to 10.000 people during the summer seasons. The town is small and cozy; the beach is itsmain attraction and tourism the most important income for its residents. However, Turkeli also has an active and important port for leisure and sea trade.
Amasra
Amasra is a Black Sea port town in the Bartin Province of Turkey. It is highly appreciated for its natural sights and its beautiful beaches. Like most of the other beach cities listed here, the main employment of its inhabitants is in the sector of tourism, as thanks to its beach and beauty people from all over the world come here searching for a vacation in a different place. Besides the beach, you can enjoy the Amasra Castle, the Church Mosque or the Birds Rock Road Mountain.
Zonguldak
Zonguldak is the capital of the province of the same name. It has been an important port town ever since 1849, because it is near the coal mines of Eregli, which made the trade of coal its main commercial activity. Although the port suffered heavy bomb attacks during World War I, it has been restored, and today you can enjoy a beautiful sight of the boats, or take a relaxing walk by the Black Sea. The city is full of tea gardens and restaurants to make your stay nicer, and the beaches are beautiful with dark sand and clear water. Some of the best ones are Kopuz and Uzunkum.
Remember: summer is coming! Forget about operation bikini and better focus on searching for a good adventure to be remembered, like the epic Caucasian Challenge, a road rally which not only will take you across this amazing Turkish coast, but further, all through the Caucasus to the awesome countries of Georgia, Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh!
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