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Trabzon

Sumela Monastery on the Green Black Sea Coast

Plan this trip
2 daysIdeal stay₹3,600From / night₹1,400Food / day₹2,130Entry

The main city of the eastern Black Sea, green and wet, with tea plantations climbing the hills behind. Sumela Monastery clings to a cliff 45 km inland in Altındere Valley (a lift and walkway lead up to it after its restoration); the Byzantine Hagia Sophia of Trabzon keeps its frescoes; and the highland plateaus (yayla) and the lake at Uzungöl are a drive away. Flights from Istanbul take about 2 h.

Highlights

  • Sumela Monastery on its cliff
  • Hagia Sophia of Trabzon frescoes
  • Boztepe tea garden view
  • Tea plantations of Rize
  • Hamsi (anchovies) and kuymak (cheese-and-cornmeal fondue)
  • Ayder highland plateau

Things to do

  • Sumela Monastery & Altındere ValleyMorning · 5h
  • Hagia Sophia of TrabzonAfternoon · 1h 30m
  • Boztepe sunset teaEvening · 1h 30m
  • Rize tea gardens & Ayder plateau day tripMorning · 9h

Tours & tickets

Tours & tickets in Trabzonvia GetYourGuideTours & tickets in Trabzonvia Klook

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When to go

Best time: May – September

Worth knowing

Black Sea Rainy Season

The eastern Black Sea is the wettest part of Turkey, and October and November bring the heaviest rain, with fog in the valleys and occasional landslides on the roads up to Uzungöl and Sumela. Keep a spare day and check the road before setting off. June to September is the best time.

Worth knowing

Bayram Holiday: Buses and Flights Sell Out

Ramazan Bayramı (about 9-12 March 2027) and Kurban Bayramı (about 16-19 May 2027, often stretched to nine days off) send millions of Turks travelling. Intercity buses and domestic flights sell out and prices jump, coastal hotels fill, and some museums close on the first morning. Book transport and rooms early, and avoid travelling on the first and last days of the holiday.

  • Ramadan (Ramazan) — The fasting month, expected from about 8 February to 9 March 2027. Life for visitors carries on: restaurants, cafes and sights stay open, and alcohol is still sold in tourist areas. In conservative cities (Konya, Mardin) eat discreetly in daylight. At sunset the iftar meal fills restaurants and Sultanahmet's square becomes a night market; drummers wake the neighbourhoods before dawn.
  • Ramazan Bayramı (Eid al-Fitr) — The holiday ending Ramadan (expected about 9-12 March 2027). Millions of Turks travel home: intercity buses and domestic flights sell out and prices jump, so book a few weeks ahead. Some museums close on the first morning; Istanbul's bridges and public transport are often free.
  • Kurban Bayramı (Eid al-Adha) — The four-day feast of the sacrifice (expected about 16-19 May 2027), often stretched to nine days off. The biggest travel rush of the year: buses, flights and coastal hotels book out and fares double, and the Aegean and Mediterranean resorts fill with Turkish families. Avoid moving between cities on the first and last days.