National Parks of the Black Sea
At the western edge of the Black Sea is the unparalleled Danube Delta, a wetlands unlike any other in the world, where thousands of marsh-loving species thrive. The southern Black Sea coast gives onto hauntingly beautiful, rugged landscapes protected within several national parks.
Europe’s largest wetland is the Danube Delta, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and one of Romania’s greatest natural treasures. The Danube’s is the second largest and best preserved of Europe's deltas: 2,200 square miles of rivers, canals, marshes, tree-fringed lakes and reed islands. You can spend days gliding quietly among the reeds for the privilege of seeing the abundant and often unique plants and animals that live here. As you traverse this ever-shifting world you’ll also come upon villages first settled by pioneers from ancient Greece and the Ottomans Empire.
On the eastern end of Turkey’s Black Sea Coast is Altindere National Park, one of the best known in this coastal region. In addition to its diverse plant and animal life is the Sumela Monastery, clinging to a sheer cliff; climbing the stairs up to this 4th century site will simulate rock climbing well enough for some visitors. Also in the east is Kaçkar Mountain National Park, where rhododendrons like to bloom despite being at 3,000 meters, a steep and heavenly destination for alpine trekkers.
Towards the western end of Turkey’s northern seaboard is Küre Mountain National Park with its canyons and waterfalls, and Abant Lake, known for varied and beautiful foliage and plants. Yedigoller (Seven Lakes) National Park is the best known for its series of lakes, formed by landslides, their prodigious trout population. Forested and full of woodland friends, the deer population is protected in this park.