Northern Turkey 2026: Trabzon, Rize and Uzungöl

1. Trabzon: the gateway

A city on the Black Sea whose airport is the closest to most of the beautiful places. Head up Boztepe hill for a view over the city and the sea, visit nearby Lake Sera, and the Haydar Nebi and Hıdırnebi plateaus above the clouds. Most visitors use it as their base for its airport and markets.

Hotels in Trabzon and the best areas to stay →

2. Lake Uzungöl: the most famous view

A quiet lake between green mountains with a wooden mosque on its shore, about two hours from Trabzon airport. It's most beautiful early in the morning with mist over the water, and worth two nights in a lakeside chalet.

Hotels and chalets in Uzungöl →

3. Rize: land of tea and plateaus

Tea terraces run down to the sea, and above them is the Ayder plateau with its waterfalls and wooden cabins, plus the Pokut and Elevit plateaus for lovers of the highlands. In the Fırtına valley, old stone bridges cross the river, and Zil Castle stands among the forests.

Hotels in Rize and the Ayder plateau →

4. Artvin: the Black Lake

A little further east is the Black Lake (Karagöl) among pine forests near Şavşat, quieter and less crowded. It suits travellers combining their trip with Batumi in nearby Georgia.

Hotels in Batumi →

When to go and how many nights?

• The season runs from June to September: mild by day and cold at night on the plateaus.
• Rize is one of the rainiest cities in Turkey, so rain is possible even in summer; it's the secret of its green.
• Most visitors need 7 to 10 nights: most of them in Trabzon, two in Uzungöl and one or two in Ayder.
• The roads are mountainous, so getting around by car is easier than daily trips between cities.

Getting there from Saudi Arabia

There are direct flights to Trabzon from Riyadh and Jeddah, with more in summer, seasonal flights from Dammam, and connections via Istanbul the rest of the year. Ordinary Saudi passport holders don't need a visa for Turkey for up to 90 days.

Flights from Riyadh to Trabzon →