Sinop

A Black Sea port on a peninsula at Turkey's northernmost tip and the birthplace of Diogenes, with a fortress prison, the fjord-like Hamsilos Bay and waterfall-filled forests among its highlights.

Sinop lies midway along Turkey's Black Sea coast and is the country's northernmost city. The old town sits on the isthmus of the Boztepe Peninsula, which juts into the Black Sea, with bays on both its northern and southern sides; Istanbul is about 550 km to the west and Samsun about 160 km to the southeast. Founded in the 7th century BC by Greeks from Miletus, ancient Sinope was one of the earliest colonies on the Black Sea and the birthplace of the Cynic philosopher Diogenes. It was later ruled by the Kingdom of Pontus, Rome, Byzantium, the Seljuks and the Ottomans, and the Battle of Sinop of 1853 was fought here.

The old town's sights are close together and can be covered on foot in a day. The most famous is the Sinop Historical Prison inside the ancient city walls; nearby are the Archaeological Museum, the Alaaddin Mosque, the Pervane Medrese, the Ethnography Museum and the ruins of the Balatlar Church, while the harbourfront promenade is perfect for a fish dinner at sunset. The natural highlights are Hamsilos Bay and Akliman Beach in the northwest of the peninsula; further west are İnceburun Lighthouse (Turkey's northernmost point) and the Sarıkum wetlands, and the Tatlıca Waterfalls, about 45 km to the southwest, make a good half-day trip.

The best time to visit is Jun–Sep, when temperatures are around 20–27°C and the sea is warm enough for swimming and boat trips; spring and autumn are cool and rainy, and winter is damp and windy. Sinop Airport has flights to and from Istanbul, and long-distance buses connect to Samsun, Kastamonu, Ankara and other cities. Allow 2–3 days; for sights outside town, it's best to drive or hire a car with a driver. Local specialities include hand-embroidered cloth, model ships and Black Sea anchovies.

Top sights

• Sinop Historical Fortress Prison – A century-old prison built inside a castle, where writer Sabahattin Ali was once held. Its damp, cold cells leave a lasting impression.
• Hamsilos Nature Park – A narrow, elongated bay said to be Turkey's only fjord, with emerald waters set between forested cliffs. It is Sinop's most beautiful natur…
• Sinop Castle – Ancient walls encircling the old town on the peninsula, built successively by the Greeks, Pontic kingdom, Byzantines and Seljuks, with walk…
• Akliman Beach – A long sandy beach backed by pine forest, with clear water and fine sand, Sinop's favourite summer swimming spot, next to Hamsilos.
• İnceburun Lighthouse – A cape lighthouse at the northernmost point of Turkey, built in the Ottoman period, with the headland stretching out into the Black Sea and…
• Erfelek Tatlıca Waterfalls – A forest gorge with a series of more than twenty stepped waterfalls, climbed along a wooden boardwalk, and Sinop's most popular day trip.
• Sinop Archaeological Museum – Artefacts excavated from Sinope, the ancient Greek colony, displayed alongside the remains of the Serapis Temple and ancient stone sarcopha…
• Alaaddin Mosque – Sinop's oldest mosque, built in the Seljuk period in the 13th century, with a spacious courtyard and an exquisite carved wooden pulpit.
• Süleyman Pervane Madrasa – A Seljuk madrasa completed in 1262, with an arcaded courtyard that now houses craft shops and tea gardens selling local Sinop products.
• Balatlar Church – The ruins of a Byzantine church built over a Roman bathhouse, where recent excavations have uncovered frescoes and mosaics, making it the m…
• Paşa Tabyası – An Ottoman coastal battery built after the 1853 Battle of Sinop, with old cannons overlooking the bay, a quiet spot for watching the sunset.
• Sinop Ethnography Museum – An ethnographic museum set in a 19th-century Ottoman-style timber house, with rooms recreating the daily life, costumes and crafts of old S…
• Sinop Harbour Promenade – A fishing harbour promenade beneath the old city walls, lined with fish restaurants, tea gardens and boat landings, ideal for tasting Black…
• Sarıkum Nature Reserve – A coastal nature reserve where dunes, lagoons and forest meet, an important stopover for migratory birds, with a quiet, clear beach nearby.

Where to eat

• Teyzenin Yeri – Sinop's best-known manti house, famous for tiny dumplings topped with garlic yogurt and walnuts, and for its nokul waln…
• Okyanus Balık Evi – A family-run fish restaurant above one of the town's oldest fish shops, now in its third generation. Fried anchovies an…
• Tarihi Sebat Lokantası – A traditional craftsmen's eatery in the Old Town, where rotating yaprak döner and affordable stews win over locals.