The Genoese Castle rises about 2.5 km west of Akçakoca centre, on a cliff jutting into the sea between two coves. It takes its name from the Genoese; its walls show traces of the Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine periods.
There is a tall tower in the south of the castle and a water cistern in its inner courtyard. The castle and its surroundings are an archaeological and natural protected area. In 2013 it was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List together with the castles on the Genoese trade route.
In antiquity Akçakoca was the town of Diapolis, the port of Prusias ad Hypium (today's Konuralp). A 2016 excavation near the castle uncovered a Roman building that was in use from the 1st–2nd to the 4th–5th centuries AD.
Genoese Castle Beach below the castle and the Women's Beach right next to it received the Blue Flag in 2026. The Yalıyarlar coast to the west is also known as the "seal rocks" because of its sea caves. The area around the castle is one of the district's favourite picnic and sunset spots.
Before you go
- Go in the late afternoon for the sunset; the view is at its best then.
- The slopes and rocks can be slippery; wear comfortable shoes.
- Combine your castle visit with a swim at Genoese Castle Beach.
