Amasya
A historic city carved into a river valley where Pontic kings built tombs, Seljuk princes raised mosques and Ottoman architects lined the Yeşilırmak with handpainted konaks.
Amasya sits in a deep, dramatic valley where the Yeşilırmak River has carved a green corridor through the hills of the central Black Sea region. The city stretches along both banks of the river, its white-stone buildings rising in terraces from the water's edge up to the cliffs above, where the rock-cut tombs of the Pontic kings gaze across the rooftops.
Royal tombs and fortress walls
Carved directly into the sheer rock face above the river, the Pontic Royal Tombs are Amasya's most striking landmark. The burial chambers, with their columned facades and Hellenistic detailing, were hewn for the kings of the Pontic Empire between the third and first centuries BCE. Below them, the remains of the ancient fortress follow the ridge line, its walls enclosing a citadel that has been rebuilt and reinforced by successive powers — Byzantine, Seljuk and Ottoman — each leaving their mark in different sections of stonework.
Historic architecture along the river
The Yeşilırmak's banks are lined with wooden konaks and townhouses built in the Ottoman style, their facades turned toward the water. Several fine examples have been carefully preserved, showing the distinctive projecting bay windows and carved wooden eaves common to the Black Sea vernacular. The Yanıözü neighbourhood on the western bank preserves one of the most cohesive streetscapes, with historic houses climbing the hillside in a dense, stepped arrangement. The single-arched stone bridge that connects the two halves of the old city dates to the Ottoman period and remains in everyday use.
Faith and learning
The city was an important centre of Seljuk power, and several medreses from that period survive in the old quarter. Their portals are decorated with geometric tilework and carved stone, standing as quiet, well-proportioned buildings in the shadow of the citadel walls. Amasya also holds a significant place in Ottoman cultural history as the childhood home of the poet Şeyh Galib, whose tekke is a modest but well-regarded site near the river. The Külliye of Sultan Bayezid II — a mosque and surrounding complex built during the late fifteenth century — dominates the main square and remains in active use.
Markets and daily life
The covered bazaar occupies a compact warren of vaulted lanes near the river crossing. Produce stalls and spice sellers occupy the ground level, while workshops selling copperware, felt goods and locally woven textiles are tucked into the side passages. The city is also known for its apple production; the surrounding valley's orchards supply a celebrated variety of Amasya apples, and the fruit appears in local pastries and preserves sold in the market. The Yeşilırmak walk, particularly in the early morning or late afternoon when the light catches the rock tombs above, is considered one of the most picturesque riverside strolls in the Black Sea region.
Find it on the map
- Amasya City
Tours that visit Amasya
No tours visit this place just yet — tell us where you want to go and we'll build one. See all tours
Before you book you should know
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Is this trip right for you?
Our groups are capped at eight travellers, which is about a third of what the industry calls a small group. Eight people share one vehicle, one table at dinner and one guide's attention, and the day can change on the road without anybody being left behind. If you are looking for a coach, a fixed script and a microphone, this is not that.
Most days involve real walking, often on ground that was laid two thousand years before walking shoes: marble worn smooth, cobbles, uneven steps and long site paths with little shade. Bring shoes you can spend a morning in.
Some days move between regions and are largely a drive, with stops along the way. Summers are hot — well over 35°C inland — and winters are colder than most people expect, so layers, a hat and sunscreen earn their place in the bag whatever the month.
How demanding a particular trip is, is written on the trip itself: the physical rating in the header, and the day-by-day itinerary above.
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Rooms, and travelling on your own
Trip prices are per person, sharing a twin room. Each traveller picks their own room while booking, so a party can mix the three:
- Twin share — two single beds, shared with someone you are travelling with or with a traveller of the same gender.
- Travelling as a couple — one double room.
- Individual room — a room of your own, for a single supplement on top of the trip price. Availability is limited, and the supplement for a given date is shown next to the option when you book.
Solo travellers are welcome on every departure, and most of our groups have one or two aboard.
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Accommodation
The hotels named in an itinerary are a guideline rather than a guarantee. Where one is full, or has dropped below the standard we booked it for, we substitute a property of a similar standard in the same area — we would rather change the hotel than the trip.
Check-in is usually mid-afternoon. If you arrive early we will ask for the room, but no hotel can promise one before its own check-in time; luggage can normally be left at reception in the meantime. If you want the room from the night before, ask us and we will add the extra night to your booking.
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Passports, visas and insurance
Entry requirements depend on your nationality and change without much notice, so the only reliable source is the official one: the government of the country you are travelling to, and your own foreign ministry's travel advice. Check both before you book a flight.
Many countries ask for a passport valid for at least six months beyond your travel dates, and for blank pages. It is worth looking at yours now rather than at the airport.
We ask every traveller to carry travel insurance covering medical treatment and repatriation, and we would strongly encourage cover for cancellation and for your luggage as well.
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Your departure is guaranteed — the day can change
Once a departure is on the calendar it runs. We do not cancel a trip for want of a minimum number of bookings, so a booked date is one you can plan flights and leave around.
What can move is the shape of a day. Museums and archaeological sites change their hours, roads close, weather turns, a local holiday lands in the middle of the week. Where that happens your guide reorders the day, or swaps a stop for one of the same weight, and tells you why. Changes to a booked itinerary are covered by our Booking Terms & Conditions.
