Destination guide
Trabzon
Türkiye
Trabzon is the largest city in the Eastern Karadeniz region of Turkey, with a population of 323,000 in 2023, and another 500,000 in the outlying towns. It was once known as Trebizond, ruling an independent "Empire" around the eastern Black Sea.
AI insights
Local-ledAI-written from the Wikivoyage listings, transport section and mostly LOCAL creators' videos on this page
When visiting traditional hammams like the Central Hamam, check for separate gender-specific entrances rather than assuming time-based access; the men's facility and the women's facility are located in different parts of the building complex to maintain privacy.
Prioritize visiting the Trabzonspor Museum to understand the city's intense local identity, as the club is the primary cultural touchstone outside of Istanbul and a major source of regional pride.
Look for segregated seating areas in local eateries like Şişman, where some sections are designated for families and others for men-only dining; observe the layout before sitting down.
Avoid relying on the Archaeology Museum for your itinerary, as it has been inaccessible for an extended period; instead, head to the Ganita tea garden near the old fortress for a local perspective on the city's waterfront.
Seek out long-standing establishments like Tarihi Kalkanoğlu Pilavı for authentic, traditional meals, as these historic venues are the best way to experience local culinary history rather than relying on hotel restaurants.
How we vet these picks
Every pick is drawn from real sources — YouTube creators, Wikivoyage, and Wikipedia. We only surface sources that actually exist and that we've checked for authenticity — no filler, no dead-end searches.Watch first
Ranked by views and how well each landed with the people who watched it, judged against the other coverage of this place — plus a local creator where we found one.
ALP KIRŞAN TRABZON'DA| Karadeniz’in En Büyüleyici Şehri | Alp Yollarda | 4K
TRABZON ON THE BLACK SEA COAST
TRABZON’DA GEZİLECEK YERLER | 3 GÜNLÜK GEZİ ROTASI
Top 10 Places to Visit in Trabzon - Travel Guide
Karadeniz'in İncisi Trabzon Gezi Rehberi
WHAT TO DO in TRABZON: TURKIYE's BLACK SEA COAST
Tarihi ve Doğası ile Sizi Şaşırtacak Trabzon'da Gezilecek En iyi 10 Yer I Trabzon Gezi Rehberi
Trabzon'da Gezilecek Yerler | 4K Görüntüler ile En Güzel 15 Yer
TRABZON GEZİLECEK YERLER | Sümela Manastırı, Ayasofya Cami, Atatürk Köşkü, Çal Mağarası | Gezi Vlog
Best time to go
Best window: April–December
Kind weather all year — there is no month to avoid.
Rated from ten years of daily temperature and rainfall recorded at this destination, via Open-Meteo's ERA5 reanalysis. Hover a month for its real numbers.
Getting around
Getting around
"Take my camel, dear", said my Aunt Dot, as she climbed down from this animal on her return from High Mass. The Towers of Trebizond (1956) by Rose Macaulay follows a group of conflicted dingbats on a journey from Istanbul Walking gets you between the main…
Transport notes from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 4.0.
What to see
Places are listed from Wikivoyage and our own sourced research. Worth it means a second, independent source names the place too; “3 sources agree” means three or more do — and each card names them, so you can check.
Sumela Monastery
Worth itAlso recommended by Lonely Planet
A Byzantine monastery clings to a sheer cliff face above evergreen forest, its rock church still holding faded frescoes inside.
Vetted sources
Aya Varvara chapel viewpoint
Worth itAlso recommended by Lonely Planet
A short 100-meter stroll from Sumela's upper car park gives you a quiet lookout over the monastery and valley.
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Aya Sofya Camii
Worth itAlso recommended by Lonely Planet
A Byzantine-era church turned mosque holds some of the finest surviving frescoes on Turkey's Black Sea coast.
Vetted sources
Archaeology Museum
Zeytinlik Cd 7
This fine mansion was built for the banker Kostaki Teophylaktos in 1889. It's been closed for renovation since 2018 with no news of re-opening.
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Kalepark Fortress
This was rebuilt by the Genoese when they took over in 1306. They called it "beautiful castle", Leonkastron or in Turkish Güzelhisar, which you wouldn't guess from its shambles of a ruin.
Vetted sources
Santa Maria Church
Sümer Sk 24
This is the only church in Trabzon that still has regular Roman Catholic masses. It was founded by Italian Capuchin monks expelled from Tbilisi in 1845, as part of a long anti-Catholic campaign by the Russian Tsars.
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City Museum
Kahramanmaraş Cd 14
This exhibits city history from its Ancient Greek foundation to Ottoman times, plus local natural history and ethnography. Signage is only in Turkish.
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İskender Paşa Mosque
100 m east of Meydan· Free
Built by governor İskender Pasha in 1559, and extensively restored in 1882. Its medressah and graveyard have been lost.
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Trabzorspor Museum
opposite City Museum
History and trophies of Trabzonspor football club.
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What to do
Trabzonspor
bus to Akyazı
They play soccer in Süper Lig, the top tier. They're Turkey's most successful team outside Istanbul and often qualify for European tournaments. As well as local support, they have big diaspora followings in Istanbul and Baku.
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Central Hamam
west flank of Meydan
Traditional Turkish baths. The men-only hamam is next to Burger King. The women-only (bayanlar) hamam is in the alley round the corner.
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Mehmet Akif Ersoy Indoor Swimming Pool
by airport
Olympic-size swimming pool. Not for small children.
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Yomra Climbing Gym
Hükümet Cd, Yomra
Sports complex with climbing and bouldering. For natural climbing try the Şahınkaya rockface in the western district of Düzköy.
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Sekiz Direkli Hamam
Historic hamam to the west of the bazaar quarter. It has separate days for men and women.
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Royal Sinema
Yavuz Selim Blv
The city's main cinema. Some films are western with Turkish subtitles.
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What to eat
Muhlama in an Altındere valley café
Worth itAlso recommended by Lonely Planet
You eat a bubbling pot of melted cheese and cornmeal, the Black Sea region's signature comfort dish, in a village café near Sumela.
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Bahce Cafe
Halkevi Cd 41
A relaxed garden cafe with a small menu.
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Kulüp Bahçe Kafe
off Uzun Sk
Small garden restaurant with diverse menu and live music.
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Şişman
in Suluhan Centre 50 m west of Meydan
Central spot, one part is family-friendly, the other is men-only.
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Tarihi Kalkanoğlu Pilavı
facing Hanife Hatun Mosque
Restaurant established in 1856 serving traditional pilav dishes.
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Ganita tea garden
next to Kalepark Fortress
Pleasant tea garden by the seafront and old fortress.
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Rengârenk Balık Evi
Temel Sokak,
Small no-frills fish meals at a low price
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Where to stay
Cephanelik Hotel
Kanuni Sultan Suleyman Blv
This was the city's medieval arsenal or armoury, now restored as an upscale hotel and restaurant.
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Novotel
Dunya Ticaret Sk 9, Yomra
Good beachfront location and comfy rooms, but many adverse reports for reception and service.
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Zorlu Grand Otel
Kahramanmaraş Cd 9
Very central, good service and comfort, but the a/c can't cope with hot weather.
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Ramada Plaza
Rize Cd 23
Smart hotel 3 km east of the airport. Spacious, with restaurants and bars.
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Şanlı Otel
100 m south of Otogar
A cheap and convenient hotel very close to the Otogar.
Vetted sources
Travel essentials
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Travel content from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 4.0. Encyclopedic context from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Videos via the YouTube Data API.