Turkey's Black Sea coast comes as a surprise.The sky is often grey but the land is green from plentiful rain. Fat dairy cattle munch lush grass and produce the country's best milk and butter. Fresh sardines are a delicacy.

 

The Black Sea coast (maps) is never crowded because cloud is more common than sun, and the sea water is chilly. But that's fine with the adventurous types who come here for a few days to savor its deep history, its dramatic beauty, its special cuisine, and its prime legend: Jason led his Argonauts along this coast in quest of the Golden Fleece.

Concentrate on the coast east of Sinop, a fortified town with a long history. (The only exception west of Sinop is the small, beautiful seacoast town of Amasra [not Amasya], with its own dramatic fortress and history.)