ARTVİN
A winding drive midway up a
Mountainside takes you to Artvin, the capital of the province. At the foot of
the escarpment, a ruined 16th-century castle crowns a rocky outcrop. Artvin is a
charming city with beautiful old Turkish houses, typical of the region. The
area's mild climate makes summer visits delightfully refreshing and every June,
crowds of tourists, as well as brightly-clad locals, throng to the Kafkasör
festival, where the spectacle of fighting bulls highlights the celebration. The
adventurous might like to attempt white-water rafting on the wild, romantic
Coruh River. During the Middle Ages the Artvin area came under Georgian
sovereignty, which makes it the best place for touring remains of the Georgian
past. Its wonderfully scenic roads lead to the ruined churches and settlements
that stand as a legacy of this period. The best-preserved of these are at Barhal
and lshan, in the majestic Kackar Mountains. Barhal also offers some of the best
country horseback riding. Several other churches in Bagbasi and Camliyamac are
just off the road to Erzurum, passing by the Tortum Waterfalls and the pristine
Tortum Lake. Other Georgian churches and settlements near Yusufeli are
Dörtkilise, Köprügören, and Tekkale. Yusufeli itself boasts wonderful
possibilities for nature lovers and hiking at 4000 meters. East of Artvin is the
former Georgian capital Ardanuc with its famous castle, which overlooks the
longest canyon in the region.
HOPA
Hopa, an attractive town at the foot of a forested mountain, is the last port
before the Turkish-Georgian border. The international boundary actually divides
the village of Sarp. 27 km northeast of the town of Borcka on the way to Artvin
there is the wonderful alpine lake of Karagöl, with various pine trees, as well
as other flora and fauna. The road to Artvin traverses the Cankurtaran mountain
pass, where verdant landscape changes to barren rocks. Hatira Valley National
Park, about 25 km in length, is 10 km from Artvin, between the confluence of the
Coruh River and the Hatilla stream in the east, and Mt. Nathali (2,923 m) in the
west. Canyons with sheer cliffs and vertical drops can be seen though out the
park. Both Mediterranean and Black Sea flora flourish together in the park along
with bears, deer, wolves, foxes and eagles. Special houses on top of wooden
stilts are home to the park bees who produce the famous regional honey.
ŞAVŞAT
55km east of Artvin is Savsat, an
alpine village surrounded by meadows of wild flowers and butterflies, rushing
streams and quaint chalets. The local womens' organization has established a
training center for weaving in an attempt to keep the indigenous carpet and
kilim traditions alive. Karagöl - Sahara National Park, 17km from Savsat on the
way to Ardahan, has one of the most beautiful Karagöl alpine lakes as well as
the widely-known Sahara plateau. The lake is 45 km northeast of Savsat via
Veliköy Village, another typical authentic village. The area around the lake is
covered with a variety of pine trees and also has picnic facilities. Wildlife,
including bears, is plentiful. The Sahara plateau itself is also covered with
beautiful mineral and fresh springs. On the plateau is Kocabey Kislagi Village
where you can see traditional wooden houses with their friendly residents.
Another important plateau and popular summer residence in the region is Bilbilan
whose people are also exceptionally welcoming and helpful. Generally, in all the
national parks you can see wonderful examples of birds and butterflies.
►ANASAYFA