Known for its breathtaking natural landmarks, Trabzon is Turkey’s second biggest city after Samsun in the Black Sea Region. This northern city is a more developed city than some of the other cities in the region and although the city is notable for its natural beauty, it also has a lot of historical value.
Historically known as Trebizond or Trapezus, present-day Trabzon is home to numerous lush forests and mountains with many rivers and hills due to the wet climate, even in the warmer months. Trabzon is connected to neighboring cities by large highways, has a huge seaport for international shipping traffic on the Black Sea, and a major airport.
Trabzon offers a variety of travel and exploration opportunities when it comes to nature, thrill-inducing activities, food, history, and culture. To have a good time while exploring all that this city has to offer, learning about its top tourist destinations and activities is essential.
Trabzon’s Top Tourist Locations and Activities To Explore
Trabzon was the capital city of the Trebizond Empire from 1204 and 1461 and served as the foundation for other states. Now, it’s one of Turkey’s largest tourism and travel hubs. Here are some famous places to visit and explore when visiting this majestic city:
1. Sumela Monastery
Sumela is a 1600-year-old ancient Orthodox monastery located 1200 metres above sea level on a cliff in Trabzon, Turkey. Uniquely positioned on a cliff face in Macka National Park, just a short drive from Trabzon, this monastery draws admiring attention from everybody, whether international visitors or domestic.
The climb up this magical place itself is a tourist attraction of its own, offering gorgeous natural views with the cold crisp air to add to the trekking ambiance. Tourists can explore the monks’ quarters, central courtyard, kitchens, and bedrooms and see the spectacular biblical church frescoes and the water trickling from the rock face, which urban legend says has medicinal properties.
2. Uzungol Lake
Uzungol Lake is marked by its stunning beauty, nestled in a valley between high mountains and surrounded by magnificent flora, including lush trees, green grass, and mountains overlooking the village of Uzungol. This lake is situated in the Çaykara district of Trabzon province at the foot of the Soganli Mountains.
It’s around 99 kilometres from Trabzon’s city centre and approximately 19 kilometres from Çaykara city centre. Tourists can visit this location as part of their day trip excursion to stroll around the lake, enjoy food in lakeside cafes, explore souvenirs in craft shops, or rent bikes to experience the beauty of this northern wonder.
3. Hagia Sophia of Trabzon
Not to be mistaken with Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia, Trabzon’s Hagia Sophia is smaller and lacks the outstanding pieces of art that adorn the Istanbul one yet it has a charming character. The local government has transformed the former tourist attraction into a mosque, yet the site remains open outside of prayer times.
This Hagia Sophia mosque dates from the 13th century and features typical Byzantine architecture, as well as antique carved depictions of boats on the outer stone walls. To experience a place of history and architecture, this is the heritage site tourists must visit.
4. Trabzon Museum
Trabzon Museum, also known as Kostaki Castle, showcases ethnographic and archaeological exhibits that usually pique the interest of history lovers. The building went through many owners until the structure was turned into a museum by the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism in 1987.
The Museum has around 4000 displays spread across four floors, while the castle begins at the seashore and stretches inland from Trabzon’s highest point. Today, this still-standing building is an example of mystical architecture that’s marked with ancient history.
5. Ataturk’s Mansion
The Turkish Republic’s founding father, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, owned this mansion in Trabzon but rarely visited it. However, this beautiful building now attracts thousands of tourists to view its gorgeous gardens brimming with flora, as well as the well-kept furniture from the 1920s.
Visitors can observe Ataturk’s original speech from when he landed in Trabzon, images of him from numerous city trips, as well as his bedroom, bathroom, and study room. The mansion is on itineraries for guided city tours, as it’s located in Trabzon’s Soguksu neighbourhood and is easily accessible by public transportation.
6. The Picturesque Yayla Plateaus
For tourists up for an overnight trip when visiting Trabzon, visiting the beautiful Yayla Plateaus is a must. Visitors can drive farther into the Kackar mountain ranges from Trabzon to find the Yayla Plateau village and book a hotel for the day. With so much greenery, wildlife, and natural landmarks available, tourists can never look at crowded beach resorts the same way again.
The name Yayla relates to a century-old practice in which city people travel to grasslands in the summer to escape the heat. Most of the cafes and restaurants on this plateau serve their self-manufactured bread, butter, and cheese, which makes the dining experience here surrounded by so much vegetation a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
7. The Calkoy Historical Caves
Located 51 kilometres from Trabzon city, Calkoy is 110 metres above sea level and offers an ancient cave system open for exploration for tourists. As the visitors make their way into the caves with a guide, the small trickles of water, which have formed many stalactites and stalagmites, provide a particular ambiance to this magical spot of nature.
Although the humidity may be low at the cave’s entrance, it rises as people pass through. After exploring the cave systems, tourists can visit nearby coffee shops to relax and unwind from their trip.
8. The Haider Nabi Resort
If tourists wish to discover the flora and taste of Trabzon, they must head to the Haidar Nabi Resort which is one of Trabzon’s most stunning tourist sites. Sitting 1,600-metre-high above sea level, this resort offers picturesque beauty and great visitor accommodations.
Haider Nabi resort has a lovely natural setting, with fog, rain, grasslands, lush meadows, hot springs, and lakes. The resort is also home to Trabzon’s famous restaurants, cafes, craft shops, and more. This incredible resort is located around 35 kilometres from Trabzon.
9. Trabzon City Square
Trabzon Square, also known as Ataturk Square, is a famous tourist site in Trabzon, located in the city centre and adjacent to the city’s main tourist attractions. It’s the main city centre, offering the most well-known hotels, restaurants, cafés, and hospitals, as well as several government buildings.
Tourists can also find traditional craft shops and carpets and ceramics stores to buy souvenirs for their trip back home. Offering a mix of traditional and modern life, this place is a must-see for tourists who are visiting the city for the first time.
10. Sera Lake
Sera Lake is another lovely landslide dam constructed by the formation of the dam of the Sera River during an earthquake in 1950. The 1,200-metre-long lake is located about 12 kilometres from Trabzon’s city centre and invites visitors to experience its beautiful greenery.
Tourists can host a picnic at the lake or visit a lakeside café to stare out at the breathtaking landscape of the lake, sail around the lake, or cycle through the park connected to the lake.
A City Blessed With History, Mountains, and the Sea
Trabzon’s tourism options are excellent since the city is one of the most beautiful tourist destinations in Turkey and one of the most lively tourist attractions for travellers. Tourists can have a memorable time exploring this city by booking guided tours and excursions here at iLinkTurkey to learn more about the sites and attractions as they visit them.
