Black Sea Escape: A Day in Şile

1. 01
   History

   Size Up the Castle on the Islet from the Shore

   Start your day in Şile by facing the small offshore islet topped by Şile Castle. This Byzantine-era limestone watchtower stands about twelve meters high and rises across four levels: a cellar below and upper floors that once housed around twenty soldiers. It is also popularly known as the Genoese Castle.

   Şile Kalesi kıyı yolu, Şile, Istanbul, Turkey
2. 02
   Photography

   Stand Beneath the Octagonal Lighthouse

   Walk to Şile Lighthouse, built in 1859 under an Ottoman concession granted to the French. The tower is nineteen meters tall, its light sits sixty meters above sea level, and its walls are more than a meter thick. With its octagonal body and black-and-white horizontal bands, it is considered one of Turkey’s largest lighthouses, with a visibility range of twenty nautical miles.

   Şile Lighthouse terrace, Şile, Istanbul, Turkey
3. 03
   Exploration

   Go Down Under the Rocks

   Head to the trail leading down to the sea caves below the lighthouse, where the coastal rocks hide wave-carved chambers and connected hollows. Entry is free and open, but the ground stays wet and mossy. The way the Black Sea strikes the rock here differs from the Marmara, and the echo inside the caves makes that difference unmistakable.

   Şile sea caves trailhead, Şile, Istanbul, Turkey
4. 04
   Culture

   Find the Home of the Rescue Boats

   Continue to the Şile Lifeboat House, established in 1866 for the organization that rescued people from maritime accidents. Rescue boats were kept here and launched into the sea during storms. The building is a reminder that the Black Sea coast has always meant danger as well as leisure.

   Şile Tahlisiye Kayıkhanesi, Şile, Istanbul, Turkey
5. 05
   Art

   Hold Şile Cloth Up to the Light

   Enter the Şile bazaar and browse the stalls selling Şile cloth, a textile that received geographical indication registration in 2017. Its production rules are strict: 100% cotton, high-twist yarn with about 1,100 to 1,300 turns per meter, woven on hand or semi-automatic looms, whitened with lime cream, and washed in Black Sea water. Every stage must take place within Şile’s boundaries.

   Şile Çarşı entrance, Şile, Istanbul, Turkey
6. 06
   Nature

   Stay Inside the Buoys at Ayazma Beach

   Finish the day at Şile Ayazma Beach, a 1,175-meter public beach with lifeguards. Entry is free, and there are showers and toilets, while sunbeds and umbrellas cost extra. The most serious danger on this coast is the rip current, a narrow corridor of water pulling from shore out to sea. Lifeguards are on duty from 9:00 to 19:00.

   Şile Ayazma Plajı lifeguard tower side, Şile, Istanbul, Turkey

Check opening hours before you go. Hours, access conditions and weather can change.