Three Days in Trabzon and Rize

This plan uses Trabzon as a base for two nights and moves along the coast to Rize on the third day. Trabzon has an airport with domestic connections, and hiring a car there is the simplest way to reach the monastery and the valleys. Weather on the Black Sea coast turns quickly; pack a light rain jacket even in midsummer.

Day 1: west and south Trabzon

Start at Hagia Sophia, Trabzon (Ayasofya Camii in Turkish). The 13th-century church stands on a rise west of the centre, looking out to sea. It is used as a mosque today, so plan around prayer times. Women need a headscarf, and everyone should cover shoulders and knees; shoes come off at the door. Walk around the outside too: the separate bell tower and the carved stone reliefs on the facades are part of the visit. An hour is enough.

In the afternoon, drive up to the hills south of the centre for the Atatürk Mansion (Atatürk Köşkü). It was built around the turn of the 20th century for a local banking family, and Atatürk stayed here during his 1937 visit. The rooms are small and the garden is large; allow an hour in total. In the evening, the old market streets of Ortahisar are good for a walk.

Day 2: Sumela and the city museum

Leave early. Sumela Monastery sits on a cliff face in the Altındere valley near Maçka, reached by road through the town of Maçka along a narrow, winding valley road. From the car park a steep path climbs through the forest; it can be wet, so wear shoes with grip. The monastery reopened after years of work to secure the rock face against falling stones, and it draws large crowds: in summer the queue grows towards midday. With the climb, the rock church and its fresco fragments, and the walk down, give it half a day.

Back in town, visit the Trabzon Museum, set in the Kostaki Mansion from the early 20th century. It reopened in 2025 after a long restoration. The ground floor shows how the house was lived in, and an archaeology hall entered from the garden covers the region's earlier periods. Allow an hour and a half.

Day 3: Rize

The coastal road to Rize is a short drive east. Both stops are in the town centre. The Rize Museum occupies a 19th-century house known locally as the "Sarı Ev" (Yellow House), with regional costume, textiles and household objects. The second stop is the small Rize Atatürk Museum, a house museum. Two hours covers both.

For the afternoon, either sit in one of the tea gardens above the town (Rize is the centre of Turkish tea growing), or drive east towards Çamlıhemşin and up the Fırtına valley to Zil Kale, a medieval castle on a rocky spur. The road is narrow and the last part is on foot; set off early so you are not driving back in the dark.

Practical notes

• Some museums close one day a week. Check the hours on each museum page.
• Going to Sumela on a weekday helps with the crowds.
• To continue east or south, see the Van and Kars route or the Gaziantep, Şanlıurfa and Mardin route.