The historic town of Safranbolu and the coastal district of Amasra closed 2025 with record visitor numbers, hosting millions of domestic and international tourists.
Nearly 3 million people visited Amasra, a district of Bartın famed for its unspoiled coves and rich culinary tradition, while more than 3 million tourists traveled to Safranbolu in Karabük, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Both destinations saw increases of around 500,000 visitors compared with the previous year, pushing tourism figures to all-time highs.
Often described as “the fingerprint of the Ottoman Empire,” Safranbolu offers visitors a journey through history with its well-preserved inns, baths, mosques, fountains and bridges, as well as traditional mansions built between the 18th and 20th centuries. The town is considered an open-air museum reflecting Ottoman architecture and urban culture.
Safranbolu Tourism Operators Association Chair Şebnem Urgancıoğlu said 2025 was a strong year for tourism, noting nearly a 5 percent rise in overnight foreign visitors and more than 3 million day-trippers. “We ended the year with encouraging figures, but this is not enough for us. We will continue working together with all institutions, local authorities and the state to achieve even better results,” she said.
Urgancıoğlu added that Safranbolu now enjoys year-round tourism thanks to growing interest from the Far East, with most foreign visitors coming from Taiwan, China and Thailand. She also highlighted ongoing projects aimed at improving sustainability and quality in tourism, including the municipality-led “Purple Flag Project,” as well as efforts to address traffic and parking issues and promote the town at international tourism fairs.
Amasra, founded in the 12th century B.C. by Phoenicians under the name Sesamos, boasts layers of history from the Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, Genoese, Seljuk and Ottoman periods. The town stands out with its untouched bays, clean beaches, historic castle — added to UNESCO’s Tentative World Heritage List in 2013 — and a cuisine centered on fish and salads.
Following the completion of the Amasra Port Passenger Pier and Marina project by the Transport and Infrastructure Ministry, nearly 3 million people visited the district last year, including around 500,000 overnight guests and some 30,000 cruise passengers.
Amasra Culture and Tourism Association Chair Melih Saylam described the town as the showcase of the Black Sea region, attracting visitors not only with its sea and nature but also with its historical heritage and gastronomy. He noted that the town’s population of around 6,000 rises to nearly 60,000 during the summer months, while cruise tourism over the past three and a half years has contributed significantly to both visitor numbers and quality.
Local restaurateur Mete Ayyıldız said the tourism season was particularly strong during summer and holiday periods, adding that visitors are drawn to Amasra’s natural beauty, seafood and its signature salad. “We also welcome guests in winter to experience our historical sites and local cuisine. When the sea gets colder, the fish become even more delicious. Amasra and its salad are a source of pride for the country,” he said.
