The Black Sea Region - Turkey with Your Family: From Bustling Bazaars to Historic Sites - page 188

Safranbolu. Full of character, it
has lots to see, including
Trabzon Castle , several
churches and mosques including
the Church of Divine Worship
known as the Aya Sofya (Haghia
Sophia) which is now a museum
(see p. 193), St Anne's Church
(Haghia Anna) and St Eugenius
Church (Hagios Eugenios), and
landmarks like the Zagnos
Bridge and Tower (see p. 191).
Trabzon has a few parkland
areas, including the Maçka-
Altındere Valley National Park
and the Sürmene Çamburnu
forest recreation area, plus it is
surrounded by countryside char-
acterised by hazelnut groves.
Trabzon was once the capital of
the medieval Empire of
Trebizond, and evidence of its
importance can still be seen
today. It can trace its history
back to the 7th century BC, and
exploring the countryside will
reveal remains of centuries-old
structures, including early
Byzantine and Genoese monas-
teries and castles. Nearby is the
Sümela Monastery (see p. 191)
and just along the coast the
resort of Rize (see p. 195).

remains of Giresun Fortress (see
p. 190) that perches on the top.
The castle was once an important
building for defending the area.
Karagöl Kumlugu Beach and
Bahçeler Beach, Sinop
Lying in coves with mountains
and park wilderness as their
backdrops, the Karagöl Kumlu g u
Beach and Bahçeler Beach at
Sinop are great for long, relaxing
days playing in the sand or swim-
ming in the sea. There are not
too many amenities as such, so it
is a good idea to take picnic
chairs and rugs, snacks and
drinks. The town of Sinop, its
attractive harbourside area and
its collection of holiday villages
and restaurants are within easy
reach for a few more amenities.
Rize Beaches

★
The town of Rize itself stands at
the foot of the Pontic Alps that
seem to fall right into the Black
Sea. Where they meet there are
long, stretches of beautifully
clean and sandy beaches, ideal
for a family day relaxing by the
sea. Nearby are hotels and
restaurants, many of which cater
for children by offering special
menus, high chairs and buggy
storage space.

Best Beaches

★
The beaches at Giresun are some
of the best in the Black Sea
region. Soft and sandy, they offer
the potential for hours of fun for
your young children. Your older
children or teenagers may like to
climb up the hill that lies next to
the beaches and explore the

Natural Wonders &
Spectacular Views
Karagöl National Park, Artvin
Located around 25km from Artvin.

Giresun Beaches

An outstandingly beautiful nature
area, the Karagöl National Park
offers the chance to walk along

188