Last updated on December 19, 2023.
The city of Sinop sits on a small peninsula that juts out into the Black Sea. I wasn’t expecting much from my visit but it turned out to be a very friendly and beautiful place to spend a couple days.
History
Sinop was founded by the Hittites as Sinuwa and resettled by the ancient Greeks as Sinópi (Σινώπη). It later became the capital of the Kingdom of Pontus (Πόντος). It’s probably most famous for being the birthplace of ancient Greek philosopher Diogenes the Cynic. A statue of him sits at the entrance to the peninsula.
Getting There
To get to Sinop, there are flights on Turkish Airlines and Pegasus Airlines from Istanbul to Sinop Airport (Sinop Havaalanı). It’s also possible to take a bus. From Istanbul it’s 11 hours. From Kastamonu it’s around three hours. The bus terminal is located outside the peninsula near the airport.
Reis Hotel
I stayed at the Reis Hotel (Reis Otel). It’s a nice place and well worth what I paid. The room was immaculate, the service was friendly, and the location near the harbor is excellent. The city center is a short walk away.
Food
The harbor has many restaurants that sit along it. You can count on getting a delicious and reasonably priced fish meal at one of them.