Gathering the gems worth your time…
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.
Introduction quoted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA
Sources gathered & checked 3 days ago
At a glance
- Best time to go
- April–December
- Vetted picks
- 27 places to see, do, eat, and stay
- Real coverage
- 9 vetted creator sources — mostly locals
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 these 27 picks are sourced
4 of 27 are named by a second, independent source — Lonely Planet — and each card names its own. The remaining 23 rest on the reference article alone: we list them because Wikivoyage or Wikipedia documents them, not because anyone else vouched for them. We also watched 9 creator videos, 6 of them from local channels rather than visiting ones. 22 of the 27 descriptions are quoted word for word from Wikivoyage under CC BY-SA rather than written by us, as is the introduction above — each of those cards says so. What we add is the checking, the corroboration above, and the choice of which places are worth your time at all.What we can't promise is that it's still true. Venues close, hours and prices change, and we don't re-check them — a place here closed for good and sat on this page for a year before anyone noticed. The insights are AI-written from these sources and can be wrong too. Confirm anything you'd be sorry to be wrong about before you set out. Terms.
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
Alp Yollarda · 181K viewsLocaltr
TRABZON ON THE BLACK SEA COAST
Mick and Trudie · 127K views
TRABZON’DA GEZİLECEK YERLER | 3 GÜNLÜK GEZİ ROTASI
gezilesiyer · 108K viewsLocaltr
Top 10 Places to Visit in Trabzon - Travel Guide
RouteBagg · 14K views
Karadeniz'in İncisi Trabzon Gezi Rehberi
Nil Sezer ile Seyri Alem · 7K viewsLocaltr
WHAT TO DO in TRABZON: TURKIYE's BLACK SEA COAST
Chens of a Lifetime · 7K views
Tarihi ve Doğası ile Sizi Şaşırtacak Trabzon'da Gezilecek En iyi 10 Yer I Trabzon Gezi Rehberi
Gezi Rotası · 7K viewsLocaltr
Trabzon'da Gezilecek Yerler | 4K Görüntüler ile En Güzel 15 Yer
Seyahat Dergisi · 5K viewsLocaltr
TRABZON GEZİLECEK YERLER | Sümela Manastırı, Ayasofya Cami, Atatürk Köşkü, Çal Mağarası | Gezi Vlog
Öğretmenim Yolda · 3K viewsLocaltr
Best time to go
Best window: April–December
Kind weather all year — there is no month to avoid.
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IdealGoodOkayOff-season
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. Single source means the opposite, said plainly: the reference article lists it and nothing else we checked does.
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.
Vetted sources
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
Single sourceZeytinlik 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.
Description quoted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA
Vetted sources
Kalepark Fortress
Single sourceThis 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.
Description quoted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA
Vetted sources
Santa Maria Church
Single sourceSümer Sk 24
This is the only church in Trabzon that still has regular Roman Catholic masses.
Description quoted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA
Vetted sources
City Museum
Single sourceKahramanmaraş 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.
Description quoted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA
Vetted sources
İskender Paşa Mosque
Single source100 m east of Meydan· Free
Built by governor İskender Pasha in 1559, and extensively restored in 1882. Its medressah and graveyard have been lost.
Description quoted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA
Vetted sources
Trabzorspor Museum
Single sourceopposite City Museum
History and trophies of Trabzonspor football club.
Description quoted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA
Vetted sources
What to do
Trabzonspor
Single sourcebus to Akyazı
They play soccer in Süper Lig, the top tier.
Description quoted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA
Vetted sources
Central Hamam
Single sourcewest 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.
Description quoted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA
Vetted sources
Mehmet Akif Ersoy Indoor Swimming Pool
Single sourceby airport
Olympic-size swimming pool. Not for small children.
Description quoted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA
Vetted sources
Yomra Climbing Gym
Single sourceHükümet Cd, Yomra
Sports complex with climbing and bouldering. For natural climbing try the Şahınkaya rockface in the western district of Düzköy.
Description quoted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA
Vetted sources
Sekiz Direkli Hamam
Single sourceHistoric hamam to the west of the bazaar quarter. It has separate days for men and women.
Description quoted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA
Vetted sources
Royal Sinema
Single sourceYavuz Selim Blv
The city's main cinema. Some films are western with Turkish subtitles.
Description quoted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA
Vetted sources
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.
Vetted sources
Bahce Cafe
Single sourceHalkevi Cd 41
A relaxed garden cafe with a small menu.
Vetted sources
Kulüp Bahçe Kafe
Single sourceoff Uzun Sk
Small garden restaurant with diverse menu and live music.
Description quoted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA
Vetted sources
Şişman
Single sourcein Suluhan Centre 50 m west of Meydan
Central spot, one part is family-friendly, the other is men-only.
Description quoted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA
Vetted sources
Tarihi Kalkanoğlu Pilavı
Single sourcefacing Hanife Hatun Mosque
Restaurant established in 1856 serving traditional pilav dishes.
Description quoted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA
Vetted sources
Ganita tea garden
Single sourcenext to Kalepark Fortress
Pleasant tea garden by the seafront and old fortress.
Description quoted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA
Vetted sources
Rengârenk Balık Evi
Single sourceTemel Sokak,
Small no-frills fish meals at a low price
Description quoted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA
Vetted sources
Where to stay
Cephanelik Hotel
Single sourceKanuni Sultan Suleyman Blv
This was the city's medieval arsenal or armoury, now restored as an upscale hotel and restaurant.
Description quoted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA
Vetted sources
Novotel
Single sourceDunya Ticaret Sk 9, Yomra
Good beachfront location and comfy rooms, but many adverse reports for reception and service.
Description quoted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA
Vetted sources
Zorlu Grand Otel
Single sourceKahramanmaraş Cd 9
Very central, good service and comfort, but the a/c can't cope with hot weather.
Description quoted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA
Vetted sources
Ramada Plaza
Single sourceRize Cd 23
Smart hotel 3 km east of the airport. Spacious, with restaurants and bars.
Description quoted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA
Vetted sources
Şanlı Otel
Single source100 m south of Otogar
A cheap and convenient hotel very close to the Otogar.
Description quoted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA
Vetted sources
Build your day
Pick the places you want in Trabzon, Türkiye and we will put them on a map in an order that does not cross the city twice.
Where to next
More of Türkiye we’ve vetted — nothing else is close by.
- IstanbulThe only city spanning two continents, with Ottoman imperial architecture, the Grand Bazaar, and a Michelin-rated dining scene.
- CappadociaSunrise hot-air balloon flights over volcanic fairy chimneys and cave-carved cities like Göreme and Derinkuyu.
- AntalyaTurquoise-coast resort hub with a Roman-Ottoman old town (Kaleiçi) wrapped around a working yacht harbor.
- BodrumWhitewashed Aegean peninsula built around a Crusader castle, now home to Michelin-starred kitchens like Maçakızı.
- PamukkaleBlinding-white travertine terraces of mineral pools sitting above the ruins of ancient Hierapolis.
- Ephesus/SelçukOne of the best-preserved Roman cities in the Mediterranean, anchored by the Library of Celsus and the Great Theatre.
Travel content from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 4.0. Encyclopedic context from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Videos via the YouTube Data API.