27.08.2026 14:20
With its 3,000-year-old deep-rooted history, unique bays, and famous gastronomy, Amasra, the pearl of the Western Black Sea with a population of 6,600, hosted over 1 million domestic and foreign tourists in the first 8 months of 2026. In the district, which continues its rise with ancient city excavations and cruise tourism, it is aimed to exceed 1.5 million visitors by the end of the year.
Amasra, a district of Bartın with a 3,000-year-old deep-rooted history and unique bays, experienced a veritable visitor boom in the first 8 months of 2026. The district, with a population of 6,600, hosted over 1 million domestic and foreign tourists in the 8-month period, once again proving that it is the darling of Black Sea tourism.
Amasra, which bears the traces of many civilizations such as Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, Genoese, and Ottoman, and was included in the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List in 2015, is leaving behind one of the busiest seasons in its history in the summer of 2026. The district, which attracts visitors with its historic Amasra Castle, Amasra Museum, the iconic Rabbit Island, and its famous seafood cuisine, is preparing to close the year with a new record.
CRUISE TOURISM AND ANCIENT CITY EXCAVATIONS GAINED MOMENTUM
Important artifacts such as the "Water Nymph" unearthed during the "Amastris Ancient City" excavations, carried out in partnership with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and Bartın University since 2022, have added a new dimension to the district's historical tourism.
On the other hand, within the scope of cruise tourism, which gained momentum with the completion of the passenger pier by the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, 13,351 Russian tourists visited the district in 15 voyages organized with the "Astoria Grande" ship in the first 8 months of 2026. Cruise tours, which were paused due to regional developments in the Black Sea, are expected to regain momentum in 2027.
YEAR-END TARGET: 1.5 MILLION TOURISTS
Melih Saylam, President of the Amasra Culture and Tourism Association, evaluating the tourism activity in the district, emphasized that the season was quite productive: "Our Amasra spent the first 8 months of 2026 very intensely. Thanks to the holiday periods and the good weather, we hosted over 1 million visitors in the first 8 months. This year, especially with the abundance of bonito and the geographically indicated 'Amasra Salad', we also stood out in gastronomy. With the support of our ancient city excavations and our state, we aim to exceed 1.5 million tourists in our district by the end of 2026."