Samsun, in the Central Karadeniz region of Turkey, is the largest city on the Turkish Black Sea coast. In 2021 it had a population of 710,000, with about as many more in its surrounding province. Mustafa Kemal Atatürk landed here with his ship Bandırma and its crew on 19 May 1919, and hence where the Turkish War of Independence began. The city is very proud of this, and loves to commemorate the landing any chance it gets.
Photos: Wikimedia Commons contributors.
Samsun in antiquity was Sampsounta or Amisos. A long line of conquests culminated in the Ottoman takeover in 1420. The city traded around the Black Sea and beyond, and still does, and in the 19th century it exported the local tobacco, described as a pungent but premium product. Its mosques were stone-built but its wooden secular buildings burnt again and again, notoriously in the great fire of 1869. This plus earth tremors means that the city lacks an "Old Town" and is mostly 20th century medium-rise. Samsun has a special place in the republican history of Turkey.
The city straggles east-west for 20 km. Except for east of Doğu Park and the short diversion around the port the seafront is a pleasant walk or cycle. If you don’t have a Turkish phone number you may find it too fiddly to register for the turquoise Binbin e-scooters or yellow Fazı ebikes. However there are a dozen outlets which hire bikes or e-scooters. Otherwise to get around you may need to take a tram, bus, dolmuş or taxi. Unfortunately, Samsun's public transport system has not been integrated with Google.
1 Replica of SS Bandırma, Belediye Evleri, ☏ +90 362 238 0023. M 12:00-17:00, Tu-Su 08:00-17:00. Launched in Paisley in 1878, this small freighter-cum-ferry plied the Med, and took its best-known name (for a Marmara sea port) in 1910. In 1919 it conveyed Mustafa Kemal Pasha here to supervise the disbanding of defeated Ottoman troops; but instead he rallied the troops and began the war for Turkish independence. The ship retired in 1924 and was scrapped, but a full-scale replica was built, and opened in 2006 as a museum of those days. There isn't much English, so be ready with your translator. Adult 20 TL.
Theatre: Samsun Art Theatre is midtown off Lise Cd. Hamams - traditional Turkish baths - are just north of Grand Mosque on Necip Bey Cd, and 200 m west on 100 Yıl Blv near Kurşunlu Mosque. Samsun sea front stretches for several km northwest from downtown, with a firm surface for cycling or skating. 1 Atakum Beach is the best, long and sandy but narrow and lacking shade.
Pide is eaten here in industrial quantities. Common styles include kapalı ("covered," meaning folded over into a patty), peynirli-yumurtalı (cheese and egg), pastırmalı-yumurtalı (spicy cured meat and egg), and sucuklu-yumurtalı (Turkish sausage and egg). Samsun Pide comes in various regional varieties, the most well-known being Terme Pidesi—named after the province of Terme—and Bafra Pidesi, named for Bafra. The most popular filling among locals is Kıymalı Pide, made with ground beef sautéed with onions, spices, and occasionally parsley, then baked with the dough. This pide is notably crunchier with a thin, crispy crust and is often served topped with butter.
No free-standing pubs, but cafes and restaurants serve alcohol.
Guide content from Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA) — abridged; the full article has much more.
In Aug, Samsun typically sees ~29°C daytime highs and 4 rainy days.
Cheapest destinations travellers searched recently — refreshed daily.
Flight prices are real fares travellers found in the last 48 hours, refreshed daily — the booking site confirms the final price. Train, bus and ferry fares are shown on the operators' booking sites. Weather data by Open-Meteo; exchange rates: ECB reference. Data updated 2026-08-01. Some links earn Stayonomy a commission at no cost to you.
stayonomy