Amasya is a historic city and province in north-central Turkey, set in a dramatic gorge on the Yeşilırmak river beneath the rocky heights of Mount Harşena. Known as the Şehzadeler Şehri, or City of Princes, where Ottoman heirs trained as provincial governors, Amasya is famous for its Pontic royal rock tombs carved into the cliffs, its riverside Ottoman timber mansions, and its sweet apples. The birthplace of the ancient geographer Strabo, it blends Hellenistic, Roman, Seljuk, and Ottoman heritage in one of Turkey's most scenic provincial towns.
Top food tours
Guided experiences that show you Amasya through its food.
Amasya Bazaar and Old Town Food Walk (Self-Guided)
Includes: Amasya çöreği ring bread fresh from bazaar bakeries — a city-specific recipe flavoured with fennel seed and sesame · Misket apple jam and apple vinegar tastings at bazaar stalls, featuring Amasya's most celebrated agricultural product · Riverside tea gardens beneath 18th-century Ottoman yalı houses on the Yeşilırmak waterfront · Pop-up apple stalls during the August–November harvest season offering fresh regional varieties
Traditional Amasya Tasting Menu at Amaseia Mutfağı
Includes: Keşkek — pounded wheat and lamb requiring hours of preparation — served as the principal tasting course · Toyga çorbası yoghurt soup, a 15th-century recipe from the Amasya and wider Pontic culinary tradition · Riverside terrace seating overlooking the Yeşilırmak River and the ancient Pontic rock tombs · Çiçek bamyası okra stew showcasing produce sourced from the Amasya and Çorum plains
Keşkek and Local Dishes at Taşhan 1699 Restaurant
Includes: Keşkek prepared from scratch — pounded wheat and lamb slow-cooked for hours in a UNESCO-listed Anatolian tradition · Stone-vaulted caravanserai dining room and open courtyard in a building dating to 1699 · Clay-pot güveç stew baked in a wood-fired oven with seasonal vegetables and lamb · Regional meze spread including ezme, cacık, and market pickles served alongside fresh village bread
Apple Orchard Tasting (Seasonal — Apple Garden Cafe)
Includes: Fresh Misket apple tastings alongside locally produced apple jam, apple vinegar, and apple tea · Seasonal orchard walk during August–November harvest, including observation of the traditional apple-picking process · Elmalı börek pastry and apple molasses (elma pekmezi) made on-site with fruit from the surrounding orchards · One of the few venues to compare multiple Amasya apple varieties — Misket, Bozkırlı, and Starking — side by side
Private Amasya Cooking Class
Includes: Bazaar market visit to source fresh local ingredients before cooking — connecting the kitchen session to Amasya's food supply chain · Hands-on preparation of keşkek, çiçek bamyası, and Amasya çöreği in a domestic konak kitchen · Shared meal with the host following the cooking session, with written recipes provided to take home · Small-group format (up to six participants) in a private home — a more intimate experience than a restaurant or group tour
Tour formats
Different ways to experience Amasya's food scene.
Items tours
Cooking classes
Take a piece of Amasya home with you.
Private Anatolian Cooking Workshop
Foodie tips
Get more out of every meal.
Çiçek bamyası is only authentically made in Amasya using the geographically marked local okra variety — this dish is impossible to replicate elsewhere and is the number-one must-order
Visit the bazaar early in the morning (08:00–09:00) when the çöreği ring bread comes out of the oven fresh
Friday is the weekly market day — the best opportunity to buy fresh local produce, cheeses, and honey directly from provincial farmers
Most lokantas display the day's dishes in bain-marie trays at the front — point and choose without needing Turkish
Wash down local dishes with Amasya's own dried-mint tea (nane çayı) or fresh apple juice in season, rather than alcoholic drinks in this conservative city