Road Trip in Turkey: From Istanbul to Ankara via the Black Sea in 7 Days

Leaving from Taksim, the centre of Istanbul, was just a bit nerve-wracking as I got used to the car while manoeuvring the steep hills and roads designed for Byzantine traffic and not the modern age.

This was only for the first few kilometres until we reached the highway. After that, I put my foot down, Jin cranked the volume, and it was smooth cruising until we got to Ankara.

I do not recommend renting a car for your time in Istanbul. Public transportation in the city is excellent, and driving while sightseeing in Istanbul will be stressful.

Once on the highway, driving was a breeze, and we had very light traffic for our entire trip. Roads are in excellent condition, and most of our Turkey road trip was on a double-lane highway.

Before reaching Safranbolu, we left the highway and drove along a single-carriageway until we reached Amasra. (For y’all in Wisconsin and Ohio, a single-carriageway is an undivided highway with one lane in each direction).

From Amasra to Ankara, the road stays single-carriageway until Bartin, the provincial capital, and then it’s a nice (and mostly empty) double-lane highway all the way to Ankara.

So, if you’re planning a road trip in Turkey, rest assured that the driving is easy, the road conditions are excellent, and you’ll have a great time exploring this beautiful country by car.

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The initial part through Taksim’s narrow, steep streets was a bit stressful. But once we merged onto the O-1 Istanbul-Ankara highway, everything smoothed out, and we found ourselves cruising along with ease.

We crossed the impressive Bosphorus Bridge, and a Welcome to Asia sign greeted us on the Anatolian side. Our road trip was already shaping up to be something truly epic, crossing continents from Europe to Asia without even leaving Istanbul! 

Exploring Safranbolu on foot is the way to go, so leave your car at the guesthouse while you delve into the town’s charm. However, having your own wheels will come in handy for exploring the scenic Safranbolu countryside.

Read our complete guide for everything there is to see and do in Safranbolu

The back roads are the best roads! You’ll see why as you explore the little roads in the countryside outside Safranbolu. These back roads will reward you with stunning rural scenes, quaint villages, sheep and shepherds, and a sense of being an explorer.

About 10 km from Safranbolu, you’ll find the Kristal Teras (Glass Terrace) and Tokatlı Canyon. Drive out this way for epic views and great hiking into the canyon. You can also see the Incekaya Aqueduct while you’re here. All these sights are a few hundred metres apart. This location gets you to the Kristal Teras.

Another fantastic drive from Safranbolu brings you to the scenic Sırçalı Canyon and the Stone Terrace (location). Along this route, you’ll be treated to spectacular mountain views, canyons, and quaint rural towns and villages nestled amidst farmland.

For those seeking adventure, head to the Bulak Mencilis Mağarası cave (location). This extensive cave network stretches about 6 km, with 400 meters open to visitors showcasing incredible stalactites and stalagmites.

Google Maps led us through the provincial capital, Bartin, and then onto an unmarked road. With no road signs, we relied on the GPS, not knowing if we were headed in the right direction.

Eventually, we spotted a sign welcoming us to the monument and parked the car by the road. We followed a series of steps leading up the cliffside until we reached the monument.

The Kuş Kayası Yol Anıtı, also known as the Bird Rock Monument, is a historical road marker carved into the mountain to provide a pit stop for Roman legions passing through the region. The monument features a statue of a soldier (minus its head) and a (headless) Roman eagle. It was commissioned by Gaius Julius Aquilla in 41 AD and is the only monument of its kind in Anatolia.

It’s less than 5 km from the Bird Rock Monument to reach the sandy beach in Amasra.

Big Harbour Beach (Büyük Liman Plajı) is better for swimming, while Small Harbour Beach (Küçük Liman Plajı) is prettier and great for sunset as it faces west.

The small Amasra Museum houses a handsome collection of Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, and Genoese-era artefacts. It’s well worth a visit to learn about the region’s history.

For the best view of Amasra, head across the Kemere bridge to Boztepe Island and follow the road past the Weeping Tree. A path beyond the Weeping Tree Cafe has fantastic views over the Black Sea and Amasra below.

Boat trips around Amasra and Rabbit Island leave from Big Harbour and last about 40 minutes. If you’re lucky, you might see dolphins like we did. At a mere TRY 40 per person, an Amasra boat trip should not be missed!

We loved the morning market (think farmer’s market), held daily between Small Harbour Beach and the Kemere Bridge. Here we bought some fresh honeycomb and rose jam to take home with us.

Read our guide to Amasra for a complete list of things to see and do.

In Bartin, we made a quick stop to refuel before continuing on the D750 highway, which eventually merged onto the E89 heading south. The highway took us through verdant pine-covered mountains, gradually transitioning into the drier Anatolian plateau.

Though there were numerous picturesque spots to stop, time constraints compelled us to press on without making any stops until we reached Ankara.

Traffic remained blissfully light until we arrived in the Kale district, where the Anatolian Museum of Civilizations is situated. A kilometre or so before reaching the museum, we found ourselves in the middle of a protest in front of one of the government buildings, which caused chaos. Traffic came to a complete standstill, but luckily, the police showed up to manage traffic.

Patiently, or at least attempting to keep my cool, we waited until we safely navigated through the commotion. Eventually, we arrived at the parking lot (location -a flat rate of TRY 20) just outside the museum.

Choosing favourites is challenging, but the cuneiform clay tablets from the Assyrian Trade Colonies and the astonishing assortment of Hittite artefacts left us in awe.

We only had 2.5 hours at the museum, and we felt rushed. If you are interested in history and art, put aside enough time to appreciate this incredible museum.

If you’re unsure about visiting Ankara’s most famous museum, read our post on the Anatolian Museum of Civilizations.

Heading toward Esenboga Airport, we caught the early afternoon rush, but fortunately, it never escalated to a standstill. We reached the airport in good time, returned our reliable steed, and proceeded to the check-in counter.

And that concludes our road trip in Turkey. We wish you many happy miles in the Black Sea region. Ask away in the comments below if you have any.
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