Where to Visit Bayburt
Ancient Cities
Aydıntepe Underground City This ancient city is located in the Aydıntepe district of Bayburt. The city is composed of galleries carved in the rocks, chambers with pillars and more extensive areas, which are connected to these chambers. Only a small section of this underground city is open for visit. The discovered findings are exhibited at the Erzurum Archeological Museum.
Çiftetaş - II Hill This hill located at the Çiftetaş Village was assumed to be a natural formation but after the excavations executed in between 1993 - 1995 some ancient remains were found. These findings are exhibited at the Bayburt section of the Erzurum Archeological Museum.
Castles
Bayburt Castle The castle was constructed on the steep rocks located at the Northern part of the city. The constructors of the castle are not certain. Before it was conquered by the Turkish forces, it had been under the dominance of Roman, Byzantine, Arabic and Kommenos civilizations.
Saruhan Castle The castle is located at the Saruhan village located at 35 km. distance from the city center.
Mausoleums The most important mausoleums of the city are Pulur (Gökçedere) Ferhat Bey Mosque, Sünür (Çayıryolu) Kutlu Bey Mosque, Dede Korkut Mausoleum.
Bayburt Highlands
Kop Dağı Tourist Center- Kop Dağı Highland
Transportation: This mountain village is 40 km out on the Bayburt - Aşkale road and can be reached by inter-city buses. It is 84 km from the Erzurum airport.
Description: The 2918 m. Mt. Kop is used by winter sport enthusiasts. Because it serves as a ski center, it has excellent infrastructure. There is a 112-bed guest house which belongs to the Provincial Government. The Kop Martyr Memorial here commemorates the struggle of the local people against the Russians which lasted from March 2, 1916 to July 16, 1916.
Accommodation - Food and Drink: Because it is used as a ski center, it has excellent infrastructure with ample lodging and restaurants. You can also obtain basic supplies from the village of Kop 15 km from Mt. Kop.
Sultan Murat Highland
Transportation: Bayburt is 54 km northwest of Aydıntepe.
Description: Very popular with the local people, the Sultan Murat highland holds 3 festivals every year: the Sultan Murat Festival (June 23), the Martyrs Festival (August 20) and the Yayla Obası Festival (September 15). It has an excellent infrastructure and in the summer there is a restaurant, teahouse, small market, butcher and a bed and breakfast which serves visitors.
Accommodation - Food and Drink: You can stay in the bed and breakfast and all of your necessities can be obtained from the village.
Sports Activities
Hunting The hunting sport in the city has developed in time and there is a hunting and marksmanship club in the city. Winter season is the most appropriate season for terrestrial hunting. Çoruh River and its branches are suitable for sweet water fishing.
Trekking The Kemer, Soğanlı, Haldizen, Kırklar, Köse, Coşan, Kop, Otlukbeli, Divanyolu and Sarıçiçek mountains surrounding the city have an average altitude of 2000 - 3000 meters and these mountains are suitable for horse rides and trekking activities.
Rafting One of branches of Çoruh river, is springing from the Mescit mountains and other is springing from Otlukbeli mountains unite at the vicinity of the Dikmetaş village in the borders of the province. Çoruh river is one of the most important rivers of Turkey with its high flowing rate and therefore is very suitable for water sports like rafting. The course starts from the Dikmetaş village and ends at the Aslandede village, as Çoruh river leaves the borders of the province. This course is the most suitable course for rafting and canoeing.
Ski Center The Kop Mountain was declared as “Tourism Center” and therefore the planning of the construction of ” Kop Mountain Ski and Winter Sports Center” is executed and ended by Ministry of Tourism.
Black Sea Tourism Guide
OVERWIEW
Beaches that seem to go on forever, mountains covered with verdant green and picturesque valley and plains. Fields of tea, hazelnuts, tobacco and corn. The winding blacktop road following the near strip of beach bounded by steep mountains falling, it would seem, straight into the sea. Bays, fishing villages and beaches. This is the Black Sea region.
The following cities are all located in the Black Sea region: Amasya, Artvin, Bolu, Çorum, Düzce, Giresun, Gümüshane, Kastamonu, Ordu, Rize, Samsun, Sinop, Tokat, Trabzon Zonguldak, Bartin and Karabük.
You can begin your trip in this charming luxuriantly green little region of ours from the endless hazelnut orchards and foaming sea of Akcakoca. Let us not neglect, however, to mention the industrial cities of Eregli, Zonguldak, Karabuk and two cities of the interior one, Safranbolu, which is full of examples of Turkish architecture of unrivaled beauty, the other city being Devek, famous for its intricately carved walking canes. Along the coast you will come to the delightful recreational sites such as Inkum, Amasra and Cakraz. As you pass through Cide and Inebolu and approach Sinop, you might begin to wonder if there are still traces of the Amazons in the forests. As far as can be determined from mythological evidence the women warriors called Amazons lived in the region. The name of Sinop, one of the country’s province, comes from a queen of the Amazons named Sinope. The birthplace of the philosopher Diyojen, this city, with its natural bays protected from the winds, is one of the Black Sea`s best holiday spots.
Samsun is one of the Black Sea`s biggest ports and is a industrial and commercial center. The first rays of light that would eventually lead to the birth of the Turkish Republic broke through the darkness here.
The characteristic feature of the coast between Samsun and Trabzon are the extensive hazelnut orchards. The cities of Unye and Fatsa east of Samsun are popular holiday resorts with natural scenic beauty, beaches, accommodations, camping and restaurants. Ordu is a charming Black Sea city with hazelnut orchards stretching out for miles in every direction. The Castle of Giresun, perched upon a steep rocky slope, is like a crown upon the city. From the castle, the beaches of Giresun, stretching out like cords of gold are unforgettable. The Roman general Lucullus saw cherries for the first time in Giresun and liked them so much we had them introduced into Europe.
Another important commercial port on the Black Sea is Trabzon. As the beginning of Iran’s transit road, it connects with the ports of the other countries on the shores of the Black Sea. The Trabzon Castle was founded on an area shaped like a table and the architecture which has grown up around the castle reflects Byzantine, Commagene and Ottoman styles. The most important structure in Trabzon is the Ayasofya Museum. The interior is decorated with frescoes and on the exterior are a number of reliefs. The panoramic birds-eye view of the city which can be had from Boztepe Park and the Ataturk Mansion are splendid indeed. Near Macka inside the Altindere National Park is the Sumela Monastery. The Sumela Monastery, which is perched on high cliffs overlooking the Altindere valley, was founded in the 14th century by Alexius III. Inside the monastery is a church, a library, various other rooms and a sacred spring.
The area around Rize is the part of the country which receives the most precipitation. In this region where every conceivable hue of green can be see, tea is grown on terraced fields set into the mountainsides. It is the center of tea production in Turkey and the view from the Agricultural Park is as much like heaven as anyone could imagine. Hopa is the last Turkish port before reaching the Russian border. South of Hopa is the province of Artvin. Artvin was established on the terraced heights overlooking the Çoruh River valley. Artvin’s highlands are very famous and there are still Georgian museum and churches in the area. Çoruh , an area full of wild beauty, is ideal for river sports of all kinds.
