Cheap flights to Samsun
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Quick summary
Country
Turkey
Continent
Asia
Airport
SZF
Currency
Turkish lira
Time zone
UTC+3
Deals already spotted to Samsun
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19 May 1919
Samsun, where modern Turkey began
A Samsun city break combines three things visitors rarely expect in one place. The largest city on Turkey's Black Sea coast, about 850 km east of Istanbul, is where Mustafa Kemal Atatürk landed from the steamer Bandırma on 19 May 1919, the traditional start of the Turkish War of Independence. He spent six days at the Mıntıka Palas before heading on to Havza and Amasya. The city also has a long string of beaches, one of the richest bird deltas in the country, and the cliff tombs of Amasya within a day trip inland.
Amisos, tobacco and a modern port
Ionian settlers from Miletus founded the city as Amisos around 760-750 BC. It later passed under Persian, Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman rule. Tobacco long dominated its economy, and it has the largest harbour basin on the Turkish Black Sea coast. Fires and earthquakes left no old town: Samsun is mostly a 20th-century city stretched along about 20 km of coastline.
Following Atatürk
The 1919 museums and a pier full of memory
| Place | What you see |
|---|---|
| Bandırma Ship Museum, Doğu Park | A full-scale replica of the steamer, opened as a museum in 2006. Usually open 08:30 to 16:45, and from midday on Mondays (check the hours). |
| Gazi Museum (Mıntıka Palas) | The building where Atatürk stayed; upstairs, wax figures of the 18 companions who landed with him. |
| Panorama 1919 Museum | The largest oil painting in Turkey. |
| City Museum (Kent Müzesi) | The history of Samsun in a former hotel on Atatürk Boulevard (check before you go). |
| Onur (Honour) statue | Erected in 1932 in Atatürk Park, the symbol of the city. |
| Tobacco pier | Lined with statues of Atatürk and his companions. |
The Road of Liberation
The Kurtuluş Yolu, or Road of Liberation, is a 98 km route between Samsun and Amasya that the Turkish press describes as being turned into an open-air museum; how far the project has got is worth checking locally.
Black Sea coast
Atakum, Batıpark and Amisos Hill
The Atakum beaches
Samsun's coast has some thirty beaches, mostly fine sand, and the Atakum district has the most of them: about ten carry a Blue Flag (the number changes from year to year), next to a 10 km cycle path along the sea. In Batıpark the Amazon Village Museum rounds off the stroll, and the Yabancılar Bazaar is the place for souvenirs. Watch for currents along the shore, and note that some beaches have little shade.
A gondola up Amisos Hill
About 4 km from the centre, Amisos Hill holds tumuli dated between 300 and 30 BC, a museum and a cafe. A 320 m gondola, opened in 2006, climbs 62 m up from Batıpark in a minute and a half to two minutes. Without it, you can reach the hill by dolmuş (route 1) or by tram and then on foot.
Kızılırmak Delta
A bird paradise 30 km from the city
In the Bafra Plain, about 30 km away (up to roughly 50 km depending on the access point), the Kızılırmak Delta spreads over 56,000 hectares. 352 bird species have been recorded here, about three quarters of all the species seen in Turkey, and 50,000 to 100,000 waterfowl spend the winter in the wetlands. Part of the delta has been a Ramsar site since 1998, and entry is free.
More green escapes
Nebiyan mountain and its highland pasture are best in summer. Near the Altınkaya dam, 15 km north of Bafra, the Bafra Kolay tourist centre makes another easy outing. Close to the airport, in Çarşamba, the Göğceli wooden mosque, dated 1206, is assembled without a single nail.
Day trip to Amasya
Tombs of the Pontic kings and Ottoman houses
A little over 120 km away, Amasya sits in the Yeşilırmak valley below its citadel and the five rock-cut tombs of the Pontic kings, about 12 m high. Along the river, the Yalıboyu Ottoman houses, mostly 19th-century, now hold hotels and restaurants. Sultans Murad II and Selim I were born here, and so was the geographer Strabo.
Don't miss
The walk up to Harşena Castle, the Burmalı Minare Mosque with its spiral minaret, and the Sultan Beyazıt complex of 1486. The region is also known for small, very fragrant apples. Amasya has had its own airport since 2008.
Getting there
By car or coach allow about 1.5 to 2 hours (check); the regional train takes about 3 hours (check the timetable). The town is walkable, apart from the slopes up to the citadel.
Food
Bafra pide, ice cream and Black Sea cooking
Locals talk about a trio: Bafra pide, ice cream and nokul. Bafra lies about 20 km west of the 19 Mayıs district.
| Speciality | What it is |
|---|---|
| Pide | A filled flatbread eaten here in large quantities: cheese and egg, cured pastırma and egg, sucuk and egg, or the kıymalı version with minced meat on a thin, crisp crust. The best known are the Bafra and Terme pides. |
| Bafra ice cream | A traditional ice cream made with water-buffalo milk, caramelised sugar and salep, dense and creamy. |
| Çakallı menemen | A thick version of menemen, served in roadside restaurants about 20 km before the centre on the road from the south. |
| Turşu kavurması | Pickled green beans sauteed with onion and tomato paste, a Black Sea side dish. |
| Fried anchovies | A winter treat, as along the rest of the coast. |
Where to eat
Cafes and restaurants line the harbour and the beach with no real stand-out; a pide restaurant, a pideci, is the simplest way to eat locally. Amasya, for its part, is known for its apples.
Getting to Samsun
Samsun-Çarşamba Airport, about 20 to 25 km from the centre
Samsun-Çarşamba
East of the city, about 20 to 25 km from the centre (23 km according to Wikipedia), a 25 to 35 minute drive. Flights from Istanbul are frequent, and there are links with other large Turkish cities.
You can also arrive by coach, with a bus station about 4 to 5 km west of the centre, or by train from Sivas via Amasya.
| Journey | Approximate time | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| SZF to the centre | About 25 to 35 minutes | Taxi, Havaş shuttle from the cultural centre, dolmuş or bus; check times and fares |
| Centre to Atakum and Batıpark | About 15 to 30 minutes | By tram or dolmuş along the coast (check) |
| Centre to the Kızılırmak Delta | About 45 minutes to 1 hour | Roughly 30 to 50 km towards Bafra; car or bus (check) |
| Centre to Amasya | About 1 h 30 to 2 h | A little over 120 km; the train takes about 3 hours |
| Istanbul to Samsun by coach | About 12 hours | Possible, but flying is far simpler |
Getting around
Tram, dolmuş and the seafront
The city straggles along about 20 km of coast. A tram follows the shore between Tekkeköy and Ondokuz Mayıs University on the Atakum side: it is enough for almost every visitor need except the airport. The dolmuş minibuses, routes 1 to 4, are more frequent than buses. The Samkart travel card works on trams and buses, not on dolmuşes.
On foot, by bike, by carriage
The seafront is pleasant on foot or by bike, and horse-drawn fayton carriages run along the shore. For the delta, Amasya or the highland pastures, a hire car or an organised excursion is the simplest option.
When to go
When to visit Samsun?
May to June
The start of the good season: mild and pleasant, with the sea still cool.
July and August
Warm and humid, with an average high around 27 degrees C in August: beach season at Atakum.
September and October
September extends the good season; the rains return gradually with autumn.
November to April
The wettest part of the year, especially late autumn and early winter; January lows are around 4 degrees C, and it is the season of the waterfowl in the delta.
How long to stay
How many days, what budget and what formalities
The city and its museums
The Bandırma museum, the Gazi Museum, Panorama 1919 and the Onur statue, then the tram out to Atakum.
Amisos Hill and the delta
The Batıpark gondola in the morning, then the Kızılırmak Delta and its birds.
Amasya
The rock-cut tombs, the citadel and the Yalıboyu Ottoman houses.
Recommended length
Two days for the city, its museums and beaches, plus one day for Amasya.
Cost level
Low to moderate: Samsun is a large city with few tourists, where meals, the tram, dolmuşes and museums remain affordable; seafront accommodation and private excursions are the main expenses.
Entry rules and common sense
Depending on your nationality, an e-visa or an exemption applies: check the official site evisa.gov.tr and your own government's advice (to be verified). Samsun is a welcoming city and the usual precautions are enough, along with care around currents on the beaches. In mosques, cover shoulders and knees and take your shoes off at the entrance.
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In pictures
Samsun in pictures
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FAQ
Frequently asked questions about flights to Samsun
Where is Samsun Airport and how do I get to the centre?
Samsun-Çarşamba Airport (SZF) is east of the city, about 20 to 25 km from the centre, a 25 to 35 minute drive. You can get into town by taxi, Havaş shuttle, dolmuş or bus.
When is the best time to visit Samsun?
May to September. Late autumn and early winter are the wettest months.
Is Samsun an expensive destination?
No: the cost level is low to moderate. Meals, the tram, dolmuşes and museums remain affordable; seafront accommodation and private excursions are the main expenses.
How many days do you need in Samsun?
Two days for the city, its museums and beaches, plus one day for Amasya.
How do you get around Samsun?
A tram runs along the coast, dolmuş routes 1 to 4 are frequent, and the seafront is pleasant on foot or by bike. For the delta, Amasya or the highland pastures, a hire car or an excursion is simpler.
What should you eat in Samsun?
Pide, especially from Bafra, Bafra ice cream and nokul, plus Black Sea dishes such as turşu kavurması and, in winter, fried anchovies.
Is Amasya worth a day trip from Samsun?
Yes. A little over 120 km away, about 1.5 to 2 hours by road, it has rock-cut tombs of the Pontic kings above the Yeşilırmak, a citadel and Ottoman riverside houses.
How much does a flight to Samsun usually cost?
It mostly depends on your departure city, the season and how far ahead you book. The "deals" section above shows real examples of prices already detected by SniperAir for this destination.
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