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heading to trabzon soon - best photo spots?
honestly the best views are from boztepe park at sunset, you get the whole city and sea together. the cable car up there is like 20 lira each way, cheap for the shot
if you want something more dramatic, hike up to the castle ruins above ortahisar. it's a bit of a climb but you'll see the old stone houses with the mountains behind, way better than the touristy spots near the square
sümela monastery is overrated for photos imo, too crowded and the scaffolding never comes off. instead walk along the zigana river near the city center, the old bridges and water reflections are solid
if you're up for a proper hike, head to the kaymakli monastery ruins. it's abandoned and crumbling, way fewer people than sümela, and the overgrown stone walls with the valley below make for moody shots. bring sturdy shoes, the path is rough but worth it
Uzungol is the obvious answer if you haven't already been bombarded with photos of it. Go at sunrise before the tour buses show up and you'll get the lake reflection without fifty people in your frame. Damn tourists ruin it by noon.
3 Days in Trabzon: Itinerary 2026
Start your trip in the historic center around Meydan Park and the Ortahisar neighborhood. Visit the Trabzon Castle ruins and the 13th-century Hagia Sophia (now a mosque), whic… 🗺️ Day One: Old Town
Start your trip in the historic center around Meydan Park and the Ortahisar neighborhood. Visit the Trabzon Castle ruins and the 13th-century Hagia Sophia (now a mosque), which is open daily from 9:00 to 17:00 and costs 60 TRY. For lunch, head to Tarihi Kalkanoğlu Pilavcısı (Taksim Cad. No: 8) for their famous pilav with butter, a local staple since 1856. In the afternoon, wander through the bazaar streets near Gülbahar Hatun Mosque, where you can shop for silver and traditional textiles.
🚌 Getting Around
Trabzon's public buses (Trabzon Büyükşehir Belediyesi) cover most areas, with single rides costing around 15 TRY, but you'll need a Kentkart card (available at kiosks near Meydan). Taxis are plentiful and metered, with a base fare of 40 TRY plus 25 TRY per kilometer; always confirm the meter is on. For day trips to surrounding villages, minibuses (dolmuş) leave from the main otogar, with fares ranging from 30 to 80 TRY depending on distance.
🏞️ Day Two: Uzungöl
Dedicate your second day to the iconic Uzungöl lake, about 99 kilometers southeast of Trabzon city, a 2-hour drive by car or dolmuş (round-trip minibus costs around 150 TRY per person). Arrive by 9:00 to enjoy the calm morning reflections before the crowds. Walk the lakeside promenade, then hike up to the Seyir Tepesi viewpoint (entrance 50 TRY) for panoramic photos. For lunch, try the fresh trout at one of the lakeside restaurants, such as Uzungöl Restaurant, where a full meal costs 300 to 500 TRY.
🏰 Day Three: Sumela
On your final day, visit the cliff-hanging Sumela Monastery, located 47 kilometers south of Trabzon in the Altındere Valley National Park. The monastery is open from 8:00 to 19:00 in summer, with an entrance fee of 350 TRY, and you'll need to walk about 1.5 kilometers uphill from the car park (or take a shuttle for 50 TRY). Combine this with a stop at the nearby Karaca Cave (open 9:00 to 18:00, 100 TRY), known for its colorful stalactites. Return to Trabzon by late afternoon, allowing 1.5 hours for the drive back.
🍽️ Where to Eat
Beyond the tourist spots, try local favorites like Akçaabat köfte at Köşk Restaurant in Akçaabat (about 20 minutes west of the city), where a portion costs 250 TRY. For a sweet treat, visit the historic Tarihi Çarşı'da Şekerci (Sümer Sokak No: 5) for their famous kuymak and helva. Don't miss the chance to taste hamsi (anchovies) during the winter months, served grilled or in a pilaf at seaside restaurants along the Black Sea coast.
🌆 Evening Strolls
Evenings in Trabzon are best spent along the coastal promenade at Atatürk Alanı, where locals gather to watch the sunset over the Black Sea. For a livelier scene, head to the cafes and tea gardens around Meydan Park, where a glass of Turkish tea costs about 20 TRY. If you're up for a short drive, the Boztepe hill offers a panoramic view of the city and the sea, with a cable car (teleferik) running from 10:00 to 22:00, costing 60 TRY round-trip.
💡 Practical Tips
Book your accommodation in advance, especially in summer, as Trabzon fills up quickly with domestic tourists; expect to pay 1,500 to 3,000 TRY per night for a mid-range hotel. Carry cash, as many small shops and tea gardens don't accept credit cards. The weather can change rapidly, so pack a light rain jacket even in summer, and wear sturdy shoes for the monastery and cave visits.
the guide nailed the big spots but honestly u should skip the cable car to boztepe and just take a dolmuş or taxi up, it's like 10 mins and way cheaper, the view from the top at sunset is unreal. also if ur there on a friday night check out the fish market near the port, not the fancy restaurants but the little stands where locals eat hamsi fresh off the boats, u'll pay half of what the lakeside places charge and it's way more fun. for sumela, go as early as u can, like 8am, because the shuttle queue gets stupid long by 10 and u lose an hour just waiting. and bring cash for the tea gardens around meydan, half of them don't even have card machines, 20 lira for tea is fine but they'll charge u extra if u ask for a receipt lol.
yeah this guide is pretty spot on, but if you've got a spare morning, skip the city and take the dolmuş up to Sera Lake instead. it's only about 20 minutes from town, and the walk around the lake with the mountains behind it is way more chill than the chaos of Uzungöl, plus you can grab fresh gözleme from the little stalls near the entrance. also, for the hagia sophia, try to hit it right when it opens, the light through the windows is gorgeous and you'll have the place almost to yourself before the
solid guide, the pilav spot is legit but go for the chicken version not the plain butter one, it's what the locals actually order. also u mentioned akçaabat köfte but the real move is eating it at the tiny places along the coast road in akçaabat itself, not the big touristy köşk, look for the ones with plastic chairs outside, they're grilling right there and it's like 150 lira for a portion with bread and salad. for sumela, if u're not into the 1.5km walk, the shuttle is worth it but the walk is actually kinda nice through the forest, just bring water because there's no stalls until the top. one thing the guide missed: the trabzon museum in the old kostaki mansion is small but has some cool byzantine stuff and it's like 50 lira, good for a rainy hour. and honestly skip karaca cave if ur tight on time, it's cool but the drive from sumela adds like an hour each way and the stalactites look the same as any cave after a while. stick around for the evening call to prayer from the hagia sophia minaret, even if ur not religious it's a vibe with the sea behind it.