- Kastamonu city has a hilltop castle and Ottoman houses
- The Mahmut Bey Mosque at Kasaba is part of a UNESCO World Heritage site
- Küre Mountains National Park has canyons such as Valla and Horma
- A wild, little-visited coast at Cide and İnebolu
- Airports
- Kastamonu (KFS) for domestic flights, or Ankara Esenboğa (ESB) about 3 hours by road
- Best time to go
- May-October
- Type
- Province
Kastamonu is one of the biggest provinces on the western Black Sea, a sweep of forested mountains, river valleys and a long, rugged coastline. Its capital is an attractive provincial city with a castle on a rock, old mosques and streets of timber-framed houses, and it sees very few foreign visitors.
For UK travellers who like walking and history, it offers some of the finest landscape in northern Turkey along with medieval monuments. It belongs to the Black Sea region; see our Turkey guide for planning basics.
Things to do
- Kastamonu Castle – a fortress on a rocky outcrop above the city, with wide views over the rooftops.
- The old town – Ottoman houses, the clock tower and the Nasrullah Mosque area by the river.
- Mahmut Bey Mosque, Kasaba – a 14th-century wooden mosque with painted ceilings and carved columns in a village near the city. It is one of the medieval wooden mosques of Anatolia inscribed together on the UNESCO list in 2023.
- Küre Mountains National Park – karst country of forests and gorges, shared with Bartın.
- Valla Canyon – one of the deepest canyons in the park, for experienced hikers with a guide.
- Horma Canyon and Ilıca waterfall – a walkway along a gorge near Pınarbaşı, easier for most visitors, with a waterfall nearby.
- Cide, Gideros and İnebolu – a quiet coast of small bays and fishing towns; Gideros is a sheltered inlet with a few restaurants.
- Taşköprü – a town known for garlic and for its old stone bridge.
Where to stay
| Area | Why stay there |
|---|---|
| Kastamonu city | Restored Ottoman mansions as boutique hotels, near the castle and old town |
| Pınarbaşı | Village guesthouses for the canyons of Küre Mountains National Park |
| Cide and İnebolu | Small seaside hotels on a quiet coast |
Getting there
Fly from the UK to Istanbul, then take a domestic flight to Kastamonu Airport (KFS) where scheduled, or drive. Ankara is about three hours by road, and Istanbul roughly six to seven. Coaches run from both cities. A car is essential for the national park and the coast, as distances are long and roads wind through the mountains.
Best time to visit
May to October is the best window for walking. Autumn brings fine forest colours. July and August suit the coast. Winters are cold inland and roads into the mountains can be snowy.
The canyon trails in Küre Mountains National Park vary hugely in difficulty; ask locally about conditions and use a guide for Valla.
Top attractions in Kastamonu
Kastamonu on the map
Frequently asked questions
Is Kastamonu worth visiting?
How far is Kastamonu from Safranbolu?
Roughly two hours by road.
Is Kastamonu on the coast?
The city is inland, but the province has a long Black Sea coastline around İnebolu and Cide, about 1.5 to 2.5 hours' drive away.
Written by
Anna Beach, family & practical travel editor
Anna knows which beach has shade at 3pm and which car hire excess is a rip-off. She covers sun, islands, family trips and practical travel tips.
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