Considered one of Turkey's prettiest towns, Amayas sits in its own tight mountain valley, away from the rest of Anatolia. The town, set in a rocky ravine with the beautiful Yesilimak River running through it, offers the perfect place to hang out and enjoy the beautiful mountain views that the Turkish landscape has to offer.
Amasya is not just famous for its stunning setting. The town also is home to numerous archaic buildings. The city is dotted with the tombs of kings of the ancient Pontic kingdom, old mosques and seminaries, and most notably the remarkable Ottoman half-timbered houses, which line the river's north bank.
Amasya also plays a role in Turkey's storied history. After World War I, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the eventual founder and president of The Republic of Turkey, came to Amasya to secretly met with friends. The group hammered out the plans for the Turkish struggle for independence. A monument in the main square commemorates the historic meeting, and every year Amasyalis celebrate with a week-long art and culture festival beginning on June 12 (the day of the meeting).
