Amasra

Amasra (not to be confused with the Central Anatolian mountain town of Amasya) is a seaside resort on the Black Sea coast of Turkey with a population of 14,984 (2016), though this explodes in the summer to around 25,000. Most summer visitors are from Istanbul or Ankara.

Understand

Orientation

Amasra is 310 km (193 miles) north of Ankara, 467 km (290 miles) east of Istanbul; 203 km (122 miles) west of Kastamonu; 97 km (56 miles) north of Safranbolu; 387 km (240 miles) west of Sinop and 111 km (69 miles) east of Zonguldak.

At Amasra an isthmus leads to the upstanding promontory rock of Zindan Kalesi (Dungeon Castle) on which part of the Byzantine fortification stands, overlooking both Büyük Liman (Big Harbour) to the east and protecting the prettier Küçük Liman (Little Harbour) to the west. Küçük Liman is further protected by the closely adjacent island of Boztepe which encloses the northern side of the harbour and is connected by the Roman era Kemere Köprüsü (Arch Bridge) to Zindan Kalesi.

When to visit

The best time to visit may be in September, after the crowds have left. Try and avoid Turkish long weekends.

Tourism information office

The town has no permanent tourist information office, though over the summer there is a small information kiosk at Büyük Liman, which has irregular hours.

Get in

By plane

The nearest major airport is at Ankara.

By bus

The bus station (Ph. +90 378 315 11 63) is at the end of Zübeyde Hanım Cd by the Amasra Müzesi (Museum of Amasra) on the shores of the Küçük Liman (Little Harbour). Both dolmuş and long-distance buses operate from here. However most long-distance buses arrive and depart from the provincial capital of Bartin, which is 16 km (10 mi) south of Amasra.

Bartin

Frequent dolmuşes run from a terminal on 165 Sk in Bartin to Amasra (7 TL, 20 to 30 mins as two routes are used) as follows:

Departing Bartin for Amasra: 7:00, 8:00, 8:30, 9:15, 10.30, 12:30, 14:30, 16:30, 18:00, 19:30, 21:00, 23:00.
Departing Amasra for Bartin: 7:00, 8:00, 8:30, 9:00, 10.30, 12:30, 14:30, 16:30, 18:00, 19:30, 21:00, 23:00. During the summer period the frequency increases to every 30 minutes or when full.

In Bartin long-distance buses use the new intercity bus terminal.

From Bartin there are services to Ankara (8 daily); Istanbul (13 daily); Kastamonu (10 daily, 4 hour 30 min); Samsun (2 daily, 9 hours); Sinop via Kastamonu (6 daily, 7 hours, 30 min).

Kamil Koc operate services between Bartin and Trabzon (132 TL) via Safranbolu (30 TL), Karabük, Sinop (60 TL) and Samson. Departs Trabzon at 15:15 and 18:00. Departs Bartin for Trabzon at 15:00.

Kamil Koc operate services between Bartin and Kastamonu (55 TL) via Safranbolu and Karabük. Departs Kastamonu at 5:30 and takes 3 hours. Departs Bartin at 15:00 and takes 4 hours.

Metro Turizm operate services between Bartin (via Istanbul's Dudullu and Alibeyköy bus stations) and Bayrampasa (Esenler) bus station. Departures from Istanbul at 8:00, 12:00, 14:00, 17:00, 22:00 and 23:59. Departures from Bartin at 8:00, 10:00, 12:00, 16:30, 23:00 and 23:59. Expect the journey to take 7 hours 15 to 8 hours 15 min and to cost TL 80 to 88 (as of Sept 2019).

Ankara

Efe Tur buses depart Ankara for Amasra at 8:30, 10:30, 16:30 and 23:00. The buses depart from Amasra for Ankara at 4:15, 8:50, 13:45 and 16:45. The journey takes 4 hours 30 min to 4 hours 55 min and costs 75 TL (as of Sept 2019).

Metro Turizm operate services between Bartin and Ankara. Departures from Ankara at 8:30, 12:00, 18:30 and 23:59. Departures from Bartin at 2:00, 6:30, 14:00 and 16:30. The journey takes 3 hours 30 min to 4 hours and costs 50 to 55 TL.

Istanbul

Efe Tur operate services between Istanbul's Esenler bus station with pickups at Istanbul's Alibeyköy and Dudullu and bus stations) and Amasra. Fare 110 to 115 TL (as of Sept 2019). Departures from Istanbul at 15:00 (8 hours) and 23:59 (7 hours 15 min) Departures from Amasra at 13:45 (9 hours 15 min) and at 23:15 (8 hours 10 min).

Kamil Koc operate services between Amasra and Istanbul's Esenler bus station (via Istanbul's Ümraniye Dudullu and Alibeyköy bus stations). Fare TL 100 (as of Sept 2019). Departures from Istanbul at 19:00 (8 hours), 14:30 (7 hours 55 min) and 23:59 (7 hours 30 min). Departures from Amasra at 11:05 (8 hours 10 min) and 23:15 (7 hours 15 min). The Kamil Koc office in Amasra (Ph. +90 378 315 1515) is located at Amiral Celal Eğicioğlu Cad. No. 1.

Kamil Koc buses depart more frequently between Bartin (via Istanbul's Dudullu and Alibeyköy bus stations) and Esenler bus station. Departures from Istanbul at 1:30, 7:30 9:00, 12:00, 14:30, 16:30, 20:30, 22:30 and 23:59. Departures from Bartin at 2:30, 9:00, 10:30, 12:00, 15:00, 17;30, 23:30 and 23:59. Expect the journey to take 7 hours 15 min to 8 hours 20 min and to cost TL 90 to 95 (as of Sept 2019).

Karabük and Safranbolu

Buses between Karabük via Safranbolu and Bartin are operated by Lüks Bartin (dead link: January 2023). Tickets are sold by Savaş Turizm. Buses depart Karabük 15 minutes before the following times:

Departing Safranbolu for Bartin, 7:00, 8:15, 9:15, 10:15, 11:15, 12:15, 13:15, 14:15, 15:15, 16:15, 17:45, 19:15.
Departing Bartin for Safranbolu and Karabük, 7:00, 8:00, 9:00, 10:00, 11:00, 12:00, 13:00, 14:00, 15:00, 16:00, 17:00, 18:30. The 79 km long journey between Sanfranbolu takes Bartin takes approximately 1 hour 15 minutes and costs 25 TL.

In Safranbolu the buses pick up and drop off passengers at the mini-terminal by the Inci Hotel on İsmail Hakkı Özkan Sokak which runs off Sadri Artunç Cd in the Kıranköy district. The buses terminate at the Savaş Turizm office on Gumruk Sk in Bartin. The dolmuses to Amasra operate from a hut 50 metres away on 165 Sk, which can be seen from the Savas office.

By car

By car, the D010 leads directly from Bartin through Amasra. Here it leaves the coast coming from Sinop . Coming from Zonguldak it is best to drive the D750 to about Bakkacakkadı and turn left onto the D010.

By train

The nearest train station is at Zonguldak.

Get around

The town is compact enough that you can walk everywhere.

See

Amasra Museum was once selected as the best small museum in Turkey.

Do

Sight seeing, swimming

Buy

Woodwork

Eat

Fish and salad

Drink

Traditional cold drink in Turkey is "ayran" which diluted yoghurt with some salt. However beer and wine are also available.

Sleep

Balkaya Pansiyon (315 1434; Iskele Caddesi 35) has clean though small rooms. 30 TL for a single.
Yapmur Pansiyon, Kaleiçı Camiönssok No. 6. Tel: 0378 315 1603, Cell: 0532 771718. 2 bedroom apartments with a living room and modern kitchen and bathroom, and has stunning views of the Black Sea (the higher the floor the better). It easily sleeps 4, and may come with a crib. Expect to pay 100 TL a day during the summer, though this may fall as low as 30 during the off season. An excellent bargain for groups of people. During the off season, the owner's son, Cumhur, may be able to show you around the town. The pansiyon is up a small side street, near the island connected by a bridge.

Nearby

The twin villages of Kapısuyu and Kapısuyu

Kapısuyu is a village 45 km east of Amasra.

Or maybe two. Kapısuyu is cut in two by a stream which forms the boundary between the provinces of Bartın (of which Amasra is a part) and Kastamonu, so officially there are two Kapısuyus in this part of the world: Kapısuyu, Bartın, and Kapısuyu, Kastamonu just to its east. However, this doesn't have many implications in the daily lives of the villagers beyond electing two different mayors, one for each side of the river, and having to dial the area code on landlines to make an "intercity" phone call to their neighbours just across.

The village is in a scenic, pastoral setting, backed by forested and steeply rising mountains, and has a short stretch of sandy beach, a few eateries and accommodation options, all low-key.

Gideros, 57 km east of Amasra, is a deep inlet into the rugged coast, with a narrow mouth towards the open sea. Among the facilities ringing the bay are a campground, a guesthouse, and a couple of restaurants.

Go next

Safranbolu — a well-preserved Ottoman old town inland
İnebolu — a historic coast town in the east

Amasra - town and district in Bartın Province, Turkey