The Black Sea is one of Turkey's well kept secrets. It offers some of the most spectacular scenery, quaint villages and sights, steeped in antiquity, not often seen.

The Black Sea is something of a misnomer. This sea is in fact as blue as the Mediterranean. The waters are crystal clear and the sandy beaches stretch for miles. The coast is covered with ancient fishing and trading towns, and torrential streams come crashing down from the humid mountains.

Those streams lead into the hills and valleys of the hinterland to reveal a world of unexpected and spectacular beauty. Traditional villages spread far into the skyline in a succession of spacious farmhouses and cultivated fields, interrupted by a grouping of local shops or a mosque. The villagers are independent, assertive, hospitable and unfamiliar with the ways of mass tourism.

Humpbacked stone bridges of 16th to 19th Century vintage span the streams. Less picturesque, but more efficient are the one-man crank cable cars that span the wider stretches. The higher you go the greener and grander the scenery. Evergreens replace leaf trees and rising clouds wrap all in mist for most of the day.