Pontus

Tour information

Trabzon – Samsun – Kerazounta – Kotyora – Amaseia – Prusa – Instabul

“In the Footsteps of Forgotten Homelands: A Journey of Remembrance and Honor in Pontus and Asia Minor”

“The land where history became memory and memory became a promise”

Tip for Trabzon :

Try Akçaabat Köftesi (local meatballs) and Kuymak (or Muhlama). Kuymak is a traditional Pontic recipe made with melted cheese, butter, and cornmeal

Trabzon is famous for the art of Telkari These are handmade jewelry pieces crafted from very fine silver or gold wire.

In many of the central restaurants and cafés around Meydan Square, you’ll often find street musicians playing the Pontic lyre (Kemençe). Don’t be surprised if you see people dancing dances that resemble our own—the musical tradition in Trabzon remains very much alive.

Included

1 night's stay at a 4-star hotel in Istanbul
1 night's stay at a 5-star hotel in Samsun
2 nights at a 4-star hotel in Trabzon
1 night's stay at a 4-star hotel in Amaseia
1 night's stay at a 4-star hotel in Prusa
A hearty breakfast buffet is served daily at the hotel
5 buffet meals or dinners at the hotel
Transportation by luxury, air-conditioned bus
All transportation and guided tours as per the itinerary
Greek-speaking tour guide (Romios)
Team Leader – Office Assistant
Liability Insurance
VAT

Not included

Entrance to museums, archaeological sites, and other attractions
Anything listed in the itinerary as optional or at your own expense

Photos

Program

1st day

Larissa – Borders

Gathering of the excursion participants and departure at 22:00 pm

2nd day

Borders – Istanbul

After crossing the National Highway and making the necessary stops, we will arrive at the Kipoi border crossing. There, we will undergo the standard inspection of travel documents and will have free time for shopping at the duty-free shops. Arrival in Istanbul and a visit to the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Church of Panagia Vlacherna, and the imposing Hagia Sophia. Afterward, those who wish may optionally enjoy a Bosphorus cruise, offering a unique view of the palaces, mosques, and bridges connecting Europe and Asia. Later, check-in at the hotel, dinner, and overnight stay.

3rd day

Instabul – Samsun

Breakfast at the hotel and departure; we cross over to Asian Istanbul via the bridge connecting Europe and Asia. After breakfast, we leave our hotel and embark on a spectacular journey toward the East. We cross the suspension bridge over the Bosphorus, passing from Europe to Asian Istanbul, and continue our journey through the historic regions of Bithynia and Paphlagonia.

As we approach the geographical borders of Pontus, the landscape gradually changes, giving way to the lush green slopes and rugged beauty of Asia Minor. We pass through major inland cities such as Nicomedia, Bolu, and Kastamonu. In the evening, we arrive in historic Samsun, ancient Amisos, which is the largest port and gateway to Pontus. Arrival at the hotel, dinner, and overnight stay.

4th day

Samsun - Trabzon

After breakfast, we begin our tour of the city, which was founded as Amisos in the 8th century BC by Miletian colonists and grew to become the most important commercial center of the Western Pontus. We will tour the old Greek Quarter with its imposing mansions and the historic Tsinekeio Gymnasium, the city’s intellectual beacon, and visit the old Tobacco Warehouses, which bear witness to the immense economic prosperity of the Greeks through the tobacco trade. Samsun is a place of profound historical significance, as Mustafa Kemal Atatürk’s landing here in 1919 marked the beginning of the Turkish War of Independence, an event inextricably linked to the tragic chapters of the expulsion of the Pontic Greeks from their ancestral homes.

Our next stop is the beautiful Kotyora (Ordu). We will visit the impressive church of Ypapanti and the church of Saint George, which today serves as a theater, as well as the historic Karypidis School, which stands as a monument to Greek education. Afterward, we’ll have time for lunch on the city’s idyllic beach. For those who wish, there’s the option to take the cable car up to the lush Boztepe mountain. From there, in an atmosphere of absolute tranquility, we will enjoy our coffee with the most beautiful panoramic view of the Black Sea and the city spread out at our feet. We continue our coastal route to historic Kerasounta, the city of cherries and home to great benefactors. We will visit the Church of Saint Nicholas, an architectural gem that now serves as a museum, as well as the imposing building of the Psomaideio School (Junior High School), which served as the intellectual center of Hellenism in the region. On our way, we will admire the small island of Kerasounta (Aritia), the only island in the Black Sea associated with the myths of the Amazons and the Argonauts. Late in the afternoon, we arrive at the glorious capital of the Komnenos dynasty, Trebizond. Check-in at the hotel, dinner, overnight stay

5th day

Trabzon – Panagia Soumela

After breakfast, we set off for Mount Mela. Traveling through lush green countryside, we arrive at the eternal symbol of Pontic Hellenism, Panagia Soumela. We will admire the monastery perched on the sheer cliff, the famous frescoes, and pay our respects at this sacred site founded by the Athenian monks Barnabas and Sophronius. We return to the city to visit the church of Hagia Sophia, a masterpiece of Byzantine architecture with exquisite reliefs and frescoes, standing as a monument to the Empire’s heyday. We will climb Soguk Su Hill to see the imposing mansion of the banker Konstantinos Kapagiannidis. The building, a model of high aesthetic design, was later donated to Atatürk and today serves as a museum. We will stroll through the picturesque alleys of the Old Town to see traditional Pontic houses, the iconic Theophylaktos Mansion, and the historic church of Panagia Chrysokefalou. Our tour ends at the city’s central square, the famous Meydan. We’ll have free time to explore the bustling market of Trabzon. There you can find the famous handmade “kazaz” (telkari) jewelry, local products, and enjoy your coffee or tea in the heart of the city, experiencing the pulse of its daily life. Return to the hotel and dinner. – Panagia Soumela

6th day

Trabzon – Amaseia

After breakfast, we depart from Trabzon and head west. Our route reveals another side of Pontus as we leave the coast and head inland, climbing up toward the impressive valley of the Iris River. We arrive in Amaseia, the city that served as the first capital of the Kingdom of Pontus. Built in a narrow pass between towering, sheer cliffs, Amasya offers one of the most imposing sights in Asia Minor. Arrival at the hotel, dinner, overnight stay.

We will walk along the riverbanks, where we will admire the old Greek mansions and Turkish villas (Yalıboyu). These buildings, with their traditional architecture, seem to hang over the water, creating a unique setting. Next to the riverbanks, we’ll come across the statue of Strabo, the great geographer of antiquity who was born here and chronicled the world of his time.

On the sheer cliffs towering above the city, we will see the famous royal tombs of the Mithridatic dynasty. Carved high into the rock, they stand as an eternal symbol of the power of the ancient kings of Pontus.

Our tour then takes on the character of a national pilgrimage as we arrive at Clock Square. There, we will stand in reverence and respect at the site where, in September 1921, the gallows were erected for the intellectual, political, and religious leaders of our homeland. This spot represents a true “Golgotha” for Pontic Hellenism.

We will discuss the infamous “Courts of Independence” (Amasya İstiklâl Mahkemeleri), the special military tribunals organized by the Young Turk movement with the aim of exterminating the prominent Greeks of Pontus. In this place, 174 prominent figures were led to a martyr’s death, sealing the history of Pontic Hellenism with their sacrifice. Arrival at the hotel, dinner, overnight stay

7th day

Amaseia – Prusa

After breakfast in Amaseia, we set off on a long but beautiful journey through central Asia Minor, heading for the lush Prusa, built at the foot of Mount Olympos in Bithynia (Uludağ). We will visit the Grand Mosque ( Ulu Cami ), a masterpiece of early Ottoman architecture with 20 domes and an impressive fountain inside, we will tour the famous silk market, the Koza Han, a historic caravanserai where the silk trade flourished for centuries, and we’ll have free time to try the traditional “Iskender kebab,” which originated in this city . We will not miss the opportunity to visit the iconic monument dedicated to the two legendary figures of shadow theater, Karagiozis and Hatzivatis. Check-in at the hotel and dinner.

8th day

Prusa – Larissa

After breakfast, we set off on our return journey. We cross Eastern Thrace and reach the border (Ypsala–Kipi). After passport control, we cross the Evros River bridge and return home.

Our journey continues along the Egnatia Highway, with stops along the way to rest. We arrive in Volos late at night, our hearts filled with the sights, the people, and the history of Pontus and Asia Minor. We return with the solemn promise that we will return to these lands and with the deep commitment that we will never forget our unforgettable homelands

9th day

10th day