Tourist’s guide to Samsun, a major port in northern 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.

Port city of Samsun

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 ​​9352 square meters. km And although the city of Samsun is located on the coast, tourists visit it primarily for sightseeing purposes.

Amazon warriors

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 whose honor 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.

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Cities of Turkey - 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)
Museum Wax Statues

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.

Ship Museum Bandirma Vapuru
  • The museum is open on weekdays from 8:00 to 17:00.
  • Entrance 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
Mustafa Kemal statue on horse
The statue of Mustafa Kemal

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 a bronze statue of Mustafa Kemal on a horse rises majestically. 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
Warrior Statue

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.

Amazonian wax figures
  • The attraction is available at any time, but in order to visit museums it is necessary to take into account the working hours – the exhibition is open daily from 9:00 to 18:00.
  • The price of admission is 1 TL ($ 0.25).
  • Address: Samsun Batipark Amazon Adasi, Samsun, Turkey.
Sahinkaya Canyon

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.

Sahinkaya Canyon
  • 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

Samsun port

The city and port of Samsun in Turkey is located between the deltas of the Yeshilirmak and Kyzylirmak rivers that 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

Hotel North Point Hotel
North point hotel

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.

Lunch at an inexpensive cafe in Samsun

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 three-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:

Dinner at the Agusto Restaurant
Agusto restaurant
  • Batipark Karadeniz Balik Restaurant (fish restaurant)
  • Agusto Restaurant (French, Italian, Mediterranean cuisine)
  • Ve Doner (served doner, kebab)
  • Samsun Pidecisi (offer Turkish pide cakes with different fillings)

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How to get to Samsun

Airport Carsamba
“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.

Turkish Airlines Plane

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.

Airline RusLine

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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