Heading to our second-to-last stop in Turkey, we thought that there wasn’t much left of the country that would surprise or delight us. I had seen pictures of Amasya online and had thought it looked pretty, but I wasn’t prepared for just how picturesque the town actually was.
Surrounded by mountains, a river cuts straight through the middle of Amasya, producing the wonderful effect of having all of the buildings which line the water reflect in it as the sun is shining. At night, all of these buildings are illuminated in differently coloured lights.
The call-to-prayer from the local mosques echoes off the mountain sides, with the effect of an eerily wonderful surround-sound of Islamic script.
Basically, Amasya was just the type of place that could restore my faith in a traditional Turkey after being disappointed by Pamukkale.
Our stay was made all the better by our accommodation. We stayed at ILK Pansiyon, which is based within an old provincial Ottoman-style wooden house. Modern it is not, but staying there truly does feel like you are staying in a house as opposed to a hotel or hostel.
Our room was huge, with a large decorated ceiling and chandelier. The pension was also full of old paraphernalia, including traditional tools, a large old piano and pots and pans used many years ago, making it feel more like an historic house than an accommodation. Its location close to the river was also a bonus.
The breakfast wasn’t as appealing as other Turkish breakfasts I’d had at previous accommodations and because the house is old, the bathroom in our room, although newly refurbished, was very small. Because of the original fittings and windows, our room also got quite cold at night in October (although there were a couple of radiators). I should also point out that most of the staff speak little or no English, but that relates to most people in Amasya – it is luckily still largely untainted by tourism.
ILK Pansiyon isn’t for those looking for a modern and luxurious hotel. But it is most definitely a uniquely traditional place to stay, in a great location and offers something different to most other places in Turkey. It also adds to the marvelous atmosphere of Amasya itself in its design and structure. That alone is worth the visit.
Big thanks to ILK Pansiyon for offering us a discount on our stay at their unique guest house.
okay, i’d stay here
Looks beautiful! I’d never even considered visiting Amasya but I may need to add it to my list, looks lovely!
It really was! I was so surprised.