SINOP
Sinop is
one of the most beautiful natural harbors on the Black
Sea coast. There are many legends about the foundation of the city
but the most dependable is that the Miletion colonists founded it in the
7th century BC and the city is the birthplace of the cynic philosopher
Diogenes. According to another legend the province is said to have received
its name from the Amazon Queen "Sinova". The town's
citadel dates from that early age and the foundations of the Temple of
Serapis is to be found on the grounds of the Archaeological Museum where
some beautiful golden icons are displayed. The 13th century Alaeddin Mosque,
the Alaiye Medresse, and the Balatlar Church are of interest in the city.
Traditional nautical wood carvings, good crystal and the original cotton
clothes of the city are praiseworthy and unique, so you will want to have
examples of these artifacts. The seaside hotels and small holiday villages
will make you stay longer and you will have the opportunity to sit in a
fish restaurant by the harbor and watch the perfect combination of green
and light blue while sipping your wine and tasting some traditional
Turkish food. Hamsilos Fjord, 11 kilometers from the
city center is the only fjord in the country.
Gerze, situated on a peninsula, 40 kilometers southeast of Sinop, will provide
you with fine beaches, meadows, restaurants and parks, while Camgölü
provides camping facilities in a large forest sloping to the sea. At Boyabat,
the largest town of the province, there are many rock tombs and a citadel.