Şile & Ağva: the back story

About Şile & Ağva: the back story

By the ULTIMATE Istanbul Editorial Team

Editor-in-Chief: Jai Michael

Şile and Ağva lie on the Black Sea coast of Istanbul province, east of the Bosphorus: wooded hills, sandy coves and a cooler, greener feel than the city. Şile is a small resort town with a lighthouse and a castle on an islet; Ağva, further east, sits where two rivers meet the sea.

Şile

Şile is a small resort town on the cliffs, with a 19th-century lighthouse, a castle on a rocky islet just offshore and beaches either side. It is also known for Şile bezi, a light, crinkled cotton cloth woven here and sold as shirts and tablecloths.

Ağva

Ağva lies between the Göksu and Yeşilçay rivers, just before they reach the sea. Riverside hotels and restaurants line the banks, boats take you upriver under the trees, and quiet coves such as Kadırgalı are nearby.

The Black Sea is wilder than the Marmara: swim only on beaches with lifeguards and heed the flags.

Casa Lavanda

In the forest village of Ulupelit, inland from Şile, Casa Lavanda is a country hotel with a garden, rooms and a restaurant that holds one MICHELIN Star in the 2026 MICHELIN Guide Türkiye: one of the best reasons to stay the night.

The sea

The Black Sea can have strong currents. Swim on supervised beaches, heed the flags and stay out of the water when it is rough.

Our advice: go on a weekday in early summer or September, stay a night in Ağva or at Casa Lavanda, and take the river boat in the late afternoon.

Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with Şile & Ağva: the back story before you go.