Five-day Getaway in Trabzon, Turkey

Trabzon is one of Turkey's beautiful cities. It is located near the Black sea and has land border with Georgia (Batumi City).  Its breathtaking nature, nice weather,  friendly residents, and variety of great food are only few of the reasons why its tourism starts to boom. Trabzon is a charming city in the black sea region.

Uzungol Waterfalls

Me and my friend decided to visit Trabzon in May 2022. To make the most out of the five-day trip, we planned our itineraries ahead of time. In most of our trip together, we don't put too much itineraries in a day so we still own our time. Trabzon's climate is cold throughout the entire year so we prepared more layers of clothing.

Day 1:  Arrival and Strolling the city center.

We flew via Turkish airline from Muscat to Trabzon for 4 hours and 20 minutes. It was raining when we arrived past lunch time. Trabzon's airport is not as big as the other airports so it will not take time to queue in the immigration and wait for the luggage. Outside the airport, we bought a Turk sim card for internet connection, which is a big help if you are in a DIY travel. We hired a taxi to bring us to our hotel in Meydan. Meydan is the center of Trabzon. This is where most of the hotels, travel agencies, restaurants and shopping centers are located. We chose a not so expensive hotel which is only a 5-minute walk to the city center.

Our half day was spent strolling the city center and the Meydan park. We enjoyed walking in the city with our umbrellas as it was raining that day. We also visited the Forum mall.

Trabzon City Park on a rainy afternoon

For our day 2 and day 3 itineraries, we asked our hotel to arrange the tour. Almost all hotels in Trabzon offer a standard price for the tour packages. You can also visit any of the travel agencies offering tour packages in the city centre, just near Meydan park.

Day 2: Uzungol.

More than an hour drive from Trabzon city, Uzungol town is the home of the famous Uzungol lake and Uzungol waterfalls. Uzungol is a hidden paradise in this southeast part of Trabzon. Walking around the lake, and drinking coffee while sitting in one of the restaurants in the vicinity is like unwinding in tranquility. Going up the observation deck and looking the lake from above also gives a very relaxing mood.

Uzungol Lake

Uzungol Waterfalls

Day 3: Sumela Monastery, Hamsikoy Village and Karaca Cave

Located in a breathtaking steep cliff at 1200 meters height, the Sumela Monastery in Trabzon is a 1600 year-old Orthodox monastery. Believed to be constructed in 389AD, this ancient complex is now transformed into a museum. Called by the locals as monastery of Virgin Mary, the monastery is a historical landmark and a must-visit destination in the Black Sea region. 

Entrance of the monastery captured from the library window

The kitchen area of the monastery

Overlooking the pathway going to the monastery from the top.

Hamsikoy village is a mountain village famous for its picturesque landscape, and its delicious rice pudding called Sutlaci. Staying overnight in one of Hamsikoy's hotel will let you experience Turkish rural living. 

Hamsikoy village captured from the terrace of a restaurant.

Hamsikoy's famous rice pudding, Sutlaci

If you only have a day tour, this can be a sidetrip if going to Sumela Monastery and Karaca cave.

Karaca cave is situated on top of a mountain. The cave is not that big so it will not take much time to explore the inside of it. Expect magnificent rock formation inside the cave. You can also visit the souvenir shops, restaurants and  an observation deck for the panoramic view of the mountain.

Entrance to Karaca cave

Terraces outside Karaca cave

A view of the community below the observation deck of Karaca cave

Day 4: Side trip to Batumi City, Georgia

Our fourth day is a side trip to Batumi City, Georgia. You can check my blog on my short trip to Batumi city.

Day 5 - Trabzon City tour - Hagia Sophia Mosque and Ataturk Pavilion

Since our flight leaving Trabzon is at night, we spent the whole day strolling the city. Meydan, where our hotel is located is only a few minutes drive to the aiport, so we had the chance to wander around. 

We walked from the hotel to the Hagia Sophia Mosque, and the almost 20-minute walk allowed us to see more of the city. 

Hagia Sophia Mosque

At the back of Hagia Sophia Mosque

From Hagia Sophia Mosque, we hired a taxi to bring us to Ataturk pavillion. We got to see the inside of the Palace which is now transformed into a museum. The flowers in the garden outside the palace are good backdrop for photos.

Trabzon is a city with a charm of its own. We are mesmerized by its beauty. Turkish rural living within a city is what we experienced in our stay. Not every residents can speak English well, but it is not a barrier, because their friendly smiles and accommodating behaviour will let you feel at home. Food and hotel prices are affordable and so are the tour packages. There are still many destinations that we have not explored yet, and that gave us something to look forward to returning to Trabzon. 

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