Samsun and the Black Sea Coast

Samsun is the largest city on Turkey's central Black Sea coast, located about 130 km north of Amasya and reachable in roughly 1.5 hours by intercity coach from the Amasya otogar. Coaches are frequent throughout the day, making this one of the easiest day trips from Amasya. The city carries deep historical significance as the landing point of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk on 19 May 1919, the event that launched the Turkish War of Independence, and the Bandırma Ferry Museum — a full-scale replica of the steamship that carried Atatürk from Istanbul — is the city's most visited monument, sitting on the seafront promenade. A morning arrival allows time to begin at the Atatürk Museum in the city centre, which holds period photographs and documents, before taking the city tram to the waterfront Bandırma museum. Lunch is well served at one of the seafood restaurants near the Atakum pier, where fresh Black Sea fish and Samsun pidesi (a local dürüm wrap) are on every menu. The broad sandy beach at Atakum stretches several kilometres west of the city centre, backed by a long promenade lined with cafés and ice-cream stalls, and it holds Blue Flag status. Afternoon is best spent walking the promenade or swimming at Atakum beach. The Samsun Archaeological Museum near the city park holds finds from ancient Black Sea-area settlements and can be covered in about an hour. Samsun's coastal temperature is typically several degrees cooler than inland Amasya in summer, making the trip especially refreshing in July and August. Return coaches to Amasya run through the early evening, so there is no need to rush. The daily regional train between the two cities is scenic but takes around three hours each way and is not practical for a day trip.