Page 8 - The Verdant Black Sea

The most beautiful of the Black Sea
highlands can be seen in the provinces
of Sinop, Ordu, Giresun, Trabzon, Rize,
Artvin, Gümüşhane and Bayburt.
Throughout Turkey, the highlands and
the lifestyle of its people have an
important place in the rich cultural
landscape. This region has therefore
been identified as the Highlands and
Nature Tourism Development Zone,
involving the creation of facilities for
such outdoor activities as camping,
golfing, skiing, caving, paragliding,
rafting and horse riding. For example,
fishing huts are being restored in Şile,
Akçakoca, Amasra, Cide, Çaylıoğlu and
Sinop and converted into sites for
tourism. The aim is to make the Black
Sea highlands a focal point for the
development of eco-tourism with
camping sites located within carefully
planned conservation areas.

Besides its natural beauty and outdoor
activities, the Black Sea region is rich in
historic and cultural assets. Human
settlement in the region started as early
as the 12th century BC. Situated on the
transit routes between Europe and Asia,
this region has always been a highly
coveted land and changed hands
frequently between the Pontus
Kingdom, the Romans, Turkish tribes
and the Mongols, all competing to take
control of the area and ruling it in turn
for a time. After the conquest of
İstanbul in 1453, the region was
gradually absorbed by the Ottomans.
Reflected in the lifestyle and traditions
of today's inhabitants, all of these
various cultures have left their mark on
the shores of the Black Sea.

Çamlıhemşin, Rize

8 The Verdant Black Sea