Boyabat

Boyabat is in the gorge of the Gökırmak River, so it's a natural transport route, with a castle perched on the cliffs above. "Boy" means border and "-abad" a town; it has in ancient times marked the border with the Persian empire. It's mostly agricultural, with every available scrap of fertile land in the valley growing rice and other produce. The town also makes bricks and tiles, and hosts a campus of Sinop University.

By road head for Karabük then take D030 east past Kastamonu.

Buses from Istanbul run six times a day and take 11 hours via Gebze, Izmit, Adapazari, Bolu, Karabük, Safranbolu and Kastamonu, for a fare in 2024 of 800 TL. One overnight bus from Ankara takes 6 hours. These buses are heading to Sinop on the coast, another 90 min: change there for Samsun and towns further east. Bus lines include Metro Turizm and Flixbus.

🌍 Boyabat Otogarı the bus terminal is east edge of town on D030. All over Turkey, cities have built out-of-town terminals so that long-distance buses don't get snarled in downtown traffic. Boyabat has ingeniously placed its terminal on the wrong side, so travellers from Istanbul and Ankara drag all the way through town then have to get a dolmuş or taxi all the way back. The place was brand new in 2023 but already looks tatty and forlorn. Oddly it contains a düğün salonu, a wedding venue, are they trying to liven it up or is Flixbus going into the wedding limousine business?

Highway D785 heads south from town but comes to an impasse after 25 km, where since 2012 Boyabat Dam has turned the Kızılırmak River into a 60 km-long lake, inundating three dozen villages. They haven't built a new route or installed a ferry.

The area of interest, the old downtown and castle, is compact and walkable.

• 🌍 Grand Mosque (Büyük Cami), Sinop Yolu. The mosque was built in 1856 AD (1272 AH) and repaired after the 1943 earthquake. (updated Feb 2024)
• 🌍 Town Museum, Zübeyde Hanım Cd 2, ☏ +90 368 315 1657. M-F 09:00-17:00, Sa Su 13:00-17:00. Ottoman mansion converted into a museum of local life. Free. (updated Feb 2024)
• 🌍 Boyabat Castle, Bekir Paşa Sk. 24 hours. This defensive position guards routes through the river valleys; it hasn't been attacked since 1300 but has been kept in good repair. It's really just a citadel wall and turrets with nothing inside. Signs say not to climb onto the walkways along the wall but there's not much else to do here. Free. (updated Feb 2024)
• 🌍 Çamlıca Tepe Mosque is perhaps the most imposing of the town's other mosques. It's modern but in traditional style, on Akçil Sk behind the hospital.
• Salar is a village 17 km west of Boyabat on D030 with a large rock-cut tomb in the cliff face, maybe 7th century BC. You might pause for a photo 15 min before you drive into town, it's not worth a special trip.

• Eforyum Fitness Club is on Zeybek Cd near Osmanli Hotel, open daily 10:30-23:00. The fitness centre on Ortaokul Cd in old town remains closed in 2024.

• Emin Saatçilik is the old town shopping area, next to Zafer Otel.
• Cember (hand woven head scarves) and Pıta (printed head scarves) are local giftwares.
• Monday is market day. Boyabat Fair is held in mid October.

Eating places are clustered in old town near the main highway. They include Boyabat Merkez Lokantası, Cihangir Kebap Et Mangal, Menteş Kardeşler Lokantası, Birtat Lokantasi, Tercih Sırık Kebabı, Doyum and Meşhur Sırık Kebabcısı Ali Postaloğlu.

No free-standing pubs, but restaurants serve alcohol. Small cafes might not, but do serve tea in great volumes.

• 🌍 Boyvat Otel, Panayır Cd 9, ☏ +90 368 300 0080. Clean friendly place just off the main road. (updated Feb 2024)
• Menteş Otel almost next door to Boyvat at Panayır Cd 1 is similar quality.
• 🌍 Zafer Otel, Yusuf Kemalbey Cd, ☏ +90 368 315 1119. Decent hotel with popular restaurant. (updated Feb 2024)
• 🌍 Osmanlı Otel, Mehmet Akif Ersoy Cd, ☏ +90 368 333 0333. Comfy enough, but it's right by the main highway junction, so all night you get the thump-thump of vehicles crossing the speed bumps. (updated Feb 2024)

Boyabat and its approach highways have 4G from all Turkish carriers. As of Feb 2024, 5G has not rolled out in Turkey.

• Kastamonu to the west has an extensive old town and citadel.
• Sinop is a resort on the coast, birthplace of Diogenes the cynic philosopher.