Ağva, on the Black Sea coast is located betweeen two rivers, The River Göksu to the west, and Yeşilçay to the east. The small town falls under the district of Şile.

The very meaning of the word Ağva is “between rivers”. With its picturesque landscape Ağva is a popular destination at weekends and holiday times and many residents of Istanbul have summer houses here. The city of Istanbul is 130 km away and a two and a half hour drive by car. It really gets busy during peak season and has a good beach, shopping facilities, hotels and restaurants.

This is not a clubbing resort. This is a mainly conservative Turkish family resort. It is the ideal places to relax and watch the world go by. You can take a boat tour along the river or just chill out in one of the riverside cafe’s. The surrounding countryside and beaches and coves make this a very calm and tranquil place to spend some time. The abundance of water in the area led to the building of the Yeşilçay Drinking Water Plant which is used to supply drinking water to Istanbul.

There have been settlements along this coast for thousands of years. Ağva used to be part of the kingdom of Bithynia, a kingdom and Roman province. At one time there was a large Greek population here prior to the Greek and Turkish population exchanges in the 1920’s. Originally a fishing and farming village, tourism has played a more important role in recent years.

Places to See

Akçakese Village
If you are travelling from Şile to Ağva along the coastal road then you should turn off and visit Akçakese Village which is situated in an area of natural beauty with camping, good beaches, traditional Turkish cuisine and a very laid back lifestlye.

Kadırga Bay
Kadırga Bay along the coast about 7 km east of Ağva is well worth a visit. With limited facilities is is best to take your own food and perhaps have a barbecue in this natural setting as you sit and relax and watch the sea.