Sinop, Provincial capital on Black Sea coast, Turkey
Sinop is a provincial capital on the Black Sea coast of Turkey, stretching along several natural bays and surrounded by fortress walls. The town sits on a peninsula jutting into the sea, connecting several neighborhoods with narrow lanes and small squares.
The settlement was founded in the 7th century BC by Greek colonists from Miletus and later became an important trading post on the Black Sea. During the Middle Ages, the town changed hands several times between Byzantine, Seljuk, and Ottoman rulers until it became permanently Ottoman in the 14th century.
The name comes from Sinope in Greek mythology, and residents celebrate this connection at local festivals with music and dance. Along the waterfront promenade, families sit in tea houses and watch fishermen lay out their nets in the early morning.
Most visitors arrive by bus or through the local airport and find accommodation near the harbor district. A walk along the city walls offers orientation and shows the extent of the old town on the peninsula.
The town sits at the northernmost point of the Turkish coast, where the Black Sea reaches deepest into the land. On clear days, you can spot dolphins from the tip of the peninsula as they hunt for fish in the bays.
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