“Castle Village” Population: 400
Old name: Saracık
Kaleköy is a pinprick of a place northeast of Amasya on the road that runs through Yassıçal (once Ebemi), with its popular Yaylagöl Sosyal Tesisleri restaurant, and Saraycık (Small Palace), a slightly larger settlement. With your own car you might want to come here for a taste of the old Turkey and to admire the wood-and-stone houses, the crumbling castle and hamam, an old çamışırhane (laundry) and a venerable mosque. There is said to be a şelale (waterfall) nearby although I didn’t visit it. Nor did I visit the presumed ruins of a temple to Zeus Stratios on nearby Büyük Evliya Çalı Tepesi.
Villagers in this area traditionally wove “field kilims”, large striped blankets of natural coloured sheep and goat wool. If you can find any for sale they make fine, if weighty, souvenirs.
Sleeping
There are rooms available at the Yayagöl Sosyal Tesisleri although I haven’t seen them personally. Tel: 0358-241 6003
Transport info
There are no dolmuşes to get you here from Amasya so you may have to make arrangements there with a taxi driver.
