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Trabzon

Türkiye

Trabzon travel guide

Green mountains, misty lakes and cool summers on the Black Sea.

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Photo: Ozbakanelwan · CC BY-SA 4.0
Best time to visit
May-September
Flight from the Gulf
Direct flights from several Gulf cities, mostly in summer; about 2 h from Istanbul
Airport
Trabzon (TZX), about 10 min from the centre
Time difference
Same time as Riyadh, Doha and Kuwait; 1 h behind the UAE
Currency
Turkish lira (TRY)
Language
Turkish
Visa
Many Gulf passports are visa-free or use an e-Visa - check before you fly

Trabzon, on the Black Sea coast of Türkiye, is the gateway to the greenest mountains of the country: tea gardens, forests, waterfalls and high plateaus where the air is cool even in August. It has become one of the favourite summer destinations of families from the Gulf.

Plan four to six days. Stay two or three nights in the city for Boztepe, the Hagia Sophia and the Atatürk Pavilion, and spend at least one night at Uzungöl, the lake village in the mountains. Add a day for the Sümela Monastery and, if you can, two days at the Ayder Plateau in the province of Rize.

The best months are May to September. It rains often on the Black Sea, even in summer, so bring a light raincoat – the rain is what keeps everything so green. Roads to the plateaus are long and winding: a car with a local driver is the most comfortable way to travel.

Things to do in Trabzon

The places our guests love most, with the time you need and how to avoid the queues.

A lake at 1,100 metres surrounded by forest, with a mosque on the shore, wooden houses and tea gardens. Walk around the lake, take a boat…

Full day or overnight

A monastery built into a cliff high above a forest valley, one of the most dramatic sights of the Black Sea. It reopened after a long…

Half day

A green high valley with waterfalls, wooden houses and hot spring baths. Stay a night to enjoy the cool air and the views of the Kaçkar…

1-2 days

A 13th-century Byzantine church with famous wall paintings, used again as a mosque since 2013. A quiet garden looks over the Black Sea.

45 minutes

An elegant white mansion of the late 19th century in a garden of flowers and pine trees, where Atatürk stayed in 1937. Now a small museum.

1 hour

The hill above Trabzon, with tea gardens and a park looking over the city and the sea. Best in the evening, when the lights come on.

1-2 hours

Hotels in Trabzon

Hotels we know and recommend. Send your dates: we book the best rate for you and confirm on WhatsApp.

Summary

Trabzon ★★★★★

City centre, near Meydan

Central · Indoor pool and spa

Best priceon request
Summary

Trabzon

Boztepe, about 2 km from the centre

Sea views · Kebab restaurant

Best priceon request
Summary

Trabzon

On the coast, outside the centre

Outdoor pool · Family rooms

Best priceon request
Summary

Trabzon

Uzungöl

Near the lake · Bungalows

Best priceon request
Summary

Trabzon ★★★★★

On the coast road, near the centre

Sea views · Indoor pool

Best priceon request
Summary

Trabzon

Atatürk Alanı (Meydan)

Main square · Good value

Best priceon request
Summary

Trabzon

Ayder Plateau, Rize

Mountain views · Near the hot springs

Best priceon request
Summary

Trabzon

Hillsides around the lake, Uzungöl

Lake views · Big families

Best priceon request

All hotels in Trabzon

Tours, packages and transfers in Trabzon

Private day trips with your own driver and guide, complete holidays, and airport transfers at a fixed price.

Trabzon Airport TZX Arrival or departure, to or from any hotel in the city
Carsup to 3 passengers from €45 Vans and SUVsup to 7 passengers from €75 Minibusesup to 16 passengers from €150
Book transfer

Price per vehicle, one way. Meet and greet with your name, flight monitoring and waiting time included.

Where to stay in Trabzon

City centre (Meydan)The main square and its shopping streets, restaurants and cafés. Practical for a first night and close to the airport.
Boztepe and the coastHotels on the hill or by the sea, with views over the city and the Black Sea, a few minutes by car from the centre.
UzungölThe lake village in the mountains, with wooden hotels and bungalows. Quiet and cool, the highlight of the trip.
Ayder Plateau (Rize)A high green valley with waterfalls and hot springs, about 3 hours away. Wooden guesthouses and simple hotels.

Where to eat: restaurants and cafés

Places we like and recommend to our guests, from local classics to cafés and sweet stops.

Trout restaurants at Uzungöl Seafood & veggie Grilled fish · Around the lake, Uzungöl Fresh mountain trout grilled or baked in a pan, with kuymak and salads, on terraces facing the lake. Reviews on Tripadvisor
Rice pudding of Hamsiköy Desserts · Hamsiköy, on the road to Sümela and Zigana A mountain village famous across Türkiye for its creamy rice pudding (sütlaç) made with local milk and topped with hazelnuts. A sweet… Reviews on Tripadvisor
Cemilusta Halal Black Sea cuisine · Atatürk Alanı (Meydan), city centre A popular restaurant on the main square for Akçaabat meatballs, hamsi (Black Sea anchovies), pide and local dishes. Busy at lunchtime. Reviews on Tripadvisor
Fish restaurants of the Black Sea coast Seafood & veggie Fish · Trabzon and the coast road Simple fish restaurants serve hamsi, the Black Sea anchovy, fried in corn flour, and other fish of the day. Hamsi is best… Reviews on Tripadvisor
Tea gardens of Boztepe Tea and breakfast · Boztepe, above the city Open-air tea gardens with a view of the whole city and the sea. Come for a long Turkish breakfast or tea and… Reviews on Tripadvisor
Beton helva shops Local sweets · Trabzon centre Trabzon's famous "concrete halva" is a very hard nougat with nuts, broken into pieces with a hammer in the shop. A fun… Reviews on Tripadvisor
Akçaabat meatball houses Halal Grills · Akçaabat, 20 min west of Trabzon The coastal town of Akçaabat gave its name to the famous Akçaabat köfte. Several family restaurants on the coast road serve them… Reviews on Tripadvisor
Tea gardens of Uzungöl Tea and snacks · Around the lake, Uzungöl Sit by the water with Rize tea, gözleme pancakes and hazelnuts while the mist moves over the mountains. Reviews on Tripadvisor
Kuymak breakfast houses Halal Black Sea breakfast · Trabzon centre and the plateaus Local breakfast salons serve kuymak - cheese melted with butter and corn flour - in a hot pan, with honey, olives and… Reviews on Tripadvisor
Pide salons around Meydan Halal Trabzon pide · Streets around Atatürk Alanı The local pide is shaped like a boat and filled with cheese, butter and an egg, or with minced meat. Simple, filling… Reviews on Tripadvisor

Halal status is what the restaurant tells its guests and can change. When you book with us, we check it again before your trip.

Tips for your trip to Trabzon

  1. Book a driver for the plateaus. Uzungöl is about 1 h 30 min away and Ayder about 3 h, on mountain roads.
  2. Sleep at least one night at Uzungöl. The lake is most beautiful early in the morning, before the day visitors arrive.
  3. In summer and during Eid holidays Uzungöl and Ayder are very busy - book hotels early.
  4. Take a raincoat and warm layers. Evenings in the mountains are cool, even in July.
  5. Try the local breakfast with kuymak (melted cheese and corn flour) and the rice pudding of Hamsiköy.
  6. Carry some cash in lira for village shops, tea gardens and small restaurants.

Questions

How many days do we need in Trabzon?

Four to six days - the city, one or two nights at Uzungöl, the Sümela Monastery and, if you have time, the Ayder Plateau.

When is the best time to visit?

From May to September, when the mountains are green and the weather is mild. July and August are the busiest months.

Is Trabzon good for families with children?

Yes. Boat rides and horse rides at Uzungöl, waterfalls, picnics on the plateaus and cool weather make it easy with children.

Can you book the hotels and a driver for us?

Yes. Send us your dates: we arrange the airport pick-up, hotels in Trabzon and Uzungöl, and a car with driver for the whole trip.

Plan your trip to Trabzon with us

Hotel, car with driver, tours and restaurants: tell us your dates and who is travelling. We reply in Arabic or English with a full plan and one price. No payment until you confirm.

  • Reply within a few hours
  • Family rooms and halal restaurants checked for you
  • Support on WhatsApp during the trip
Travel dates
Travellers

Photo credits

Photos from Wikimedia Commons, used under their free licences.