Whirling the Black Sea

Overview

Tour Map

View Destinations

Tour Plan

1. 1

   Day 1Arrival to Trabzon

   Meet your guide and driver at Trabzon Airport and start touring the city right away. The first stop is the Hagia Sophia Church of Trabzon city. This 13th Century's church is one of the few Byzantium sites that still exist in Trabzon city. Saint Sophia Church of Trabzon is one of the finest examples of Byzantine architecture in the region and houses beautiful Byzantium frescoes. The church is used as a mosque today; however, we can visit the church and see its intact frescoes. Our next stop will be the House of Ataturk, founder of the modern Turkish Republic. This house was built at the beginning of the 20th Century and hosted Mustafa Kemal Ataturk during his visits to Trabzon city in 1934 and 1937. The house was converted to a museum upon his death in 1938. Our next stop will be a stroll in the modern Trabzon city’s pedestrian-only street to taste street food and Anchovy fish if possible. After a Turkish tea break, we will check in to our hotel in Trabzon city and overnight.

2. 2

   Day 2Sumela Monastery and Uzungol

   After breakfast at our hotel, we will drive to a UNESCO World Heritage site, Sumela Monastery. After an hour of a scenic drive, we will arrive at Altindere National Park and visit this important Greek Orthodox Monastery Complex. Nestled in a cliff at an altitude of about 1,200 meters (3,900 ft) facing the Altındere valley, it is a great historical and cultural significance and a major tourist attraction in the Black Sea Region of Turkey. The monastery was founded in AD 386 during the reign of Emperor Theodosius I. We can see the Rock Church, several chapels, kitchens, student rooms, a guesthouse, a library, and a sacred spring revered by Eastern Orthodox Christians. After our visit, we will have our local lunch by the streams of Altindere National Park. 2-hour drive will take us to visit a local Turkish tea factory. Next is the Uzungol town overnight, with the opportunity to enjoy traditional Kemence music and Horon dances. Overnight in Uzungol.

3. 3

   Day 3Rize and Ayder Valley

   After breakfast at our hotel in Uzungol, we will drive to Rize city, Turkey's Tea factory. Our first stop will be the castle of Rize city to get a nice Black Sea breeze and enjoy just another Turkish tea within the spectacular views of the Black Sea and its mountains. Our next stop is the Botanical Garden of Rize to see almost all the flora of the area. We will start driving into the Firtina Valley then. Lunch will be followed by stops at the historical stone bridges of the Firtina stream. The rest of the day is at leisurely in Ayder Valley, known as “the Switzerland of Turkey.” Overnight in Ayder Valley.

4. 4

   Day 4Departure

   Transfer back to Trabzon Airport for your flight home or elsewhere in Turkey.