Trabzon is a beautiful and developed city lying on the southern shores of the Black Sea with many must-see places. Every year, millions of travelers come to Trabzon upon hearing about the fame of the best tourist places in Trabzon.
Trabzon welcomes its visitors with its rich historical and cultural background and many natural wonders. If you are also a traveler who loves to explore new places full of history and scenic beauties, keep reading our article on the top activities and the top tourist attractions in Trabzon.
Top Places to Visit Around Trabzon Turkey
If you have started searching for the top places to visit around Trabzon Turkey, you must have already realized that Trabzon is home to countless beautiful places to visit. Since it would be impossible to visit all of them in a short trip, you can get help from Trabzon travel guides to explore the best attractions in Trabzon province.
However, we recommend you empty out enough time from your schedule not to miss anything in this beautiful city. You can rent a car and explore the beauties of Trabzon at your own pace with the help of our Trabzon travel guide. Let’s examine them a bit more closely;
The Most Beautiful Natural Places to Explore in Trabzon
When you hear someone talk about Trabzon, they are most likely talking about the beautiful nature of Trabzon. Lying on the shores of the Black Sea, Trabzon is most famous for its scenic beauties consisting of the sea, valleys, plateaus, mountains with evergreen forests, lakes, and rivers. Here are some of the most beautiful natural places to explore in Trabzon;
• Altındere Valley National Park: Located in the Maçka District and only 48 km away from the city center, Altındere Valley National Park is certainly one of the best regions to visit in Trabzon. The valley with an area larger than 4 hectares has gained the status of a national park and is being preserved accordingly.
The national park, which literally translates as “Golden Creek Valley”, features a creek surrounded by steep mountains with an evergreen landscape. Fishing and camping are among the top activities of visitors here. There is also a 65 km long walking path extending into the forest for a nature walk.
• Çal Camili Natural Park: Located in the Düzköy District and only 45 km away from the city center, Çal Camili Natural Park is also a great region to visit in Trabzon. The natural park with 88 decare area has a diverse flora and fauna including wild roses, rhododendrons, black salsify, wildcats, lynxes, and numerous birds of prey.
You can admire the beauty of nature in the wooden gazebos and cycle or walk around the park. Also, you should not forget to pay a visit to Çal Cave while you are here.
• Çal Cave: Located within the borders of the Çal Camili Natural Park, this famous cave is one of the coolest places to visit in Trabzon. It’s considered to be the second-largest cave in the world with an 8 km-long accessible area. The massive cave features a creek flowing inside and many beautifully shaped stalactites and stalagmites. The air quality in the cave is so good that it’s believed to possess therapeutic qualities for asthma.
• Uzungöl: Uzungöl, which literally translates as “Long Lake”, is a beautiful landslide dam formed by the blockage of the Haldizen River. Located on an 1100 mt elevated area from the sea surrounded by evergreen pine forests, Uzungöl is one of the most popular places in Trabzon. You can find more than 60 different indigenous plant species and more than 250 different species of birds.
Canoeing, paragliding, cycling, sightseeing, and nature walks are among the popular activities here. You can also have a more pleasant time by participating in summer festivals here.
• Sera Lake and Nature Park: Sera Lake is another beautiful landslide dam formed by the blockage of the Sera River due to an earthquake in 1950. The 1.200 mt long lake is only 12 km away from the Trabzon city center. The park features a rich flora. You can gaze into the mesmerizing scenery of the lake and the park from the lakeside restaurant, sail through the lake, or go cycling around the park.
• Balıklı Lake: The captivating lake with a 1.500 mt elevation is located in the Akçaabat District and is only 50 km away from the Trabzon city center. The lake derives its name, which literally translates as “fishy”, from the delicious trouts raised in it. You can get a taste of the rich “Karadeniz” cuisine you have been hearing about for a long time while you are here.
• Şahinkaya Canyon: Şahinkaya is a 2,5 km long natural wonder formed by river erosion. The canyon located at the borders of the Düzköy District is 65 km away from the Trabzon city center. The famous canyon with steep cliffs is one of the best places to visit in August in Trabzon. The International Climbing Festival held in August every year draws the attention of climbers throughout the world.
The Most Famous Historical Places to Visit in the City of Trabzon
The city that has a long and rich historical background including being the capital of the Komnenos Byzantine Kingdom has many alluring historical places. Here are just a few of them;
• Soumela Monastery: It’s a Greek Orthodox monastery dedicated to Virgin Mary. The monastery is built upon a steep cliff at a 1.300 mt elevation in Altındere Valley National Park in A.D. 386. The monastery listed in the UNESCO Tentative List of World Heritage Sites is without a doubt, Trabzon’s one of the most significant historic and touristic venues.
The visitors of the monastery can delve into the history of the city by examining the unique architecture of the monastery and the mesmerizing frescoes and arches in it.
• Hagia Sophia: It’s a former Greek Orthodox church built in the 13th century that is located in the city center of Trabzon. Hagia Sophia now serves as a museum outside of prayer times and has been used as a church, mosque, hospital, and museum throughout its long history.
Hagia Sophia, which is regarded as one of the finest examples of Byzantine architecture, features captivating frescoes, reliefs, and stone carvings. There is also a Bell Tower used as an observatory by local astronomers.
• Trabzon Castle: The castle that is nestled on the highest point of the Trabzon city center is thought to be built around 2000 BC. The tall walls of the castle stretch from the hills on the backside of the old town to the shores of the Black Sea. Even though there are a considerable amount of walls still standing, not all parts of the castle have survived until today.
• Kostaki Mansion (Trabzon Museum): It’s a historical house museum built in the early 1900s that is located in the city center of Trabzon. Although the identity of the architect is precisely unknown, the house has been designed by an Italian architect for a notable banker of Greek origin; Kostaki Teophylaktos.
The mansion draws attention with its Baroque style hand-carved ornamental works. The mansion later was used as a headquarters for the military in the region during the Turkish War of Independence and as a residence for Atatürk’s first visit to Trabzon.
• Atatürk Pavillion: The Pavillion was built by the order of a Greek Banker named Konstantin Kabayanidis as a summer residence in 1890. The building reflects the influence of European and Renaissance Architecture. The Pavillion used by Atatürk as a residence during his visits to Trabzon presents more than 300 artifacts from the late 19th century and the early 20th century.
• Vazelon Monastery: It’s a Greek Monastery thought to be built around 270. Located in the Altındere Valley National Park, Vazelon Monastery is also a place surrounded by a magnificent landscape. Unfortunately, the monastery has been damaged and restored many times throughout history due to many incidents. Currently, it’s not possible to visit the inside of the monastery.
• Panagia Theoskepastos Monastery: The monastery, also known as Kızlar Monastery, was built between 1349 and 1390. Nestled on top of Boztepe, the monastery witnesses magnificent views of the Black Sea and the city.
With the completion of the restoration, the monastery is open for visits as of September 2021. You can examine the chapels, stone churches, and altars in the monastery along with a guide explaining their history.
There are numerous other places to witness the rich history of the city like St. Anne’s Church (Küçük Ayvasıl Kilisesi), Fatih Mosque (formerly known as Panagia Chrysokephalos Church), Trabzon History Museum, and Orta Mahalle area with traditional houses.
Though these are the most significant beauties of Trabzon, there are still many must-see places and lots of attractions in Trabzon. For instance, you should definitely check out Boztepe. Boztepe is a hill located in the Ortahisar District in Trabzon. The hill presents the stunning Black Sea, nature, and city views.
Trabzon also presents many opportunities for outdoor activities. Paragliding, safari, canoeing, fishing, climbing, hunting, sailing, orienteering, bird and plant observation, and more.
Getting a taste of the rich local cuisine is also among the most popular things to do in Trabzon. You can take a bite of Akçaabat Köftesi (a type of meatball) in the lakeside restaurant in Sera Lake and Nature Park. You can also try the delicious Kuymak, mainly made with cornmeal and cheese, in the restaurants in Uzungöl. Also, Sütlaç (rice pudding) made in the Hamsiköy Village is known and loved by many throughout Turkey.
Hopefully, you got a glimpse of what to do in Trabzon Turkey by reading our brief article. If you decide to settle in Trabzon after witnessing so many beauties together, you can be sure that you’ll be able to find your dream house in real estate in Trabzon.
If you have any questions on how to buy a property in Trabzon, you can contact us without hesitation!
