When to visit Trabzon: season by season
When planning Trabzon, factor in the rain first. According to the Turkish State Meteorological Service (MGM) averages for the Trabzon station over 1927–2025, the city sees between 7 and 13 rainy days every month. Added together, these monthly averages come to roughly 130 rainy days a year. Rain is what keeps the Black Sea coast so green, which is why any itinerary here should have an indoor alternative for every day.
| Month | Average temperature (°C) | Average rainy days | Total monthly rainfall (mm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7.6 | 11.8 | 82.8 |
| April | 11.8 | 12.5 | 57.0 |
| July | 23.1 | 7.7 | 36.6 |
| August | 23.5 | 8.3 | 47.8 |
| October | 16.7 | 11.8 | 113.4 |
| December | 9.6 | 11.9 | 85.3 |
Source: MGM, Trabzon province statistics (1927–2025). Figures are for the coastal station. Uzungöl and the highland plateaus sit higher and are cooler.
Summer (June–August)
This is highland (yayla) season. On long-term averages, July and August have the fewest rainy days, and the highland festivals take place in these months. According to the Governorship of Trabzon's inventory, the Hıdırnebi festival begins every year on 20 July and lasts three days. This is also when the crowds peak. Citing figures from the Trabzon Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism, Anadolu Agency reported 808,009 foreign visitors to the city in 2025, with Saudi Arabia in first place at 442,064. Sumela, Uzungöl and the highlands are at their busiest in summer, which is why an early start matters.
Spring and autumn
May, early June and September strike a good balance between crowds and weather. October, on long-term averages, is the wettest month (113.4 mm). If you are travelling then, have a "rain plan" ready for every day; the section "Trabzon on a rainy day" below is there for exactly that.
Winter
Winters on the coast are relatively mild, with a January average of 7.6 °C. Snow falls mostly at higher altitudes. If you are heading up to the highlands or Uzungöl, check road conditions with the General Directorate of Highways (KGM) on its information line, 159, or in its daily road conditions bulletin (both in Turkish). Make sure your car has winter tyres and snow chains. In winter the sightseeing day is shorter and the evenings longer, which makes a warm break in the hammam or sauna all the more welcome.
Places to visit in Trabzon, in order: day 1, the city
Day one takes in the city's layers of history on foot and with short hops by car or minibus. The order follows the light and the crowds: the seafront in the morning, the centre at midday, the hilltop in the late afternoon.
Morning: Hagia Sophia Mosque
According to Türkiye's official Culture Portal, the building was constructed as a church between 1250 and 1260, under Manuel I Komnenos of the Empire of Trebizond. It is one of the examples of late Byzantine church architecture. After Mehmed the Conqueror took Trabzon it was converted into a mosque. It was restored and became a museum in 1966, and since 2013 it has once again been used as a mosque. The image of Christ Pantocrator in the dome and the frescoes depicting scenes from the Gospels were cleaned and brought back to light between 1957 and 1961 by a Russell Trust team from the University of Edinburgh.
Practical note: the building is a working mosque today. Visit outside prayer times and dress accordingly; women visitors should bring a headscarf. According to the Culture Portal, the mosque is on the coastal strip, about 3 km from the main square, and can be reached by dolmuş (shared minibus) or municipal bus.
Towards midday: Trabzon Museum (Kostaki Mansion) and Uzun Sokak
Back at the Meydan, stop at the Kostaki Mansion near Uzun Sokak. According to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism's museum record, the mansion was built between 1898 and 1913 by Italian architects for the banker Kostaki Teophylaktos. Atatürk stayed here with his wife, Latife Hanım, from 15 to 17 September 1924, on his first visit to Trabzon. The building opened as the Trabzon Museum on 22 April 2001. The archaeology section in the basement is a good introduction to the history of the places you will see in the rest of this itinerary. According to the Ministry's announcement, the museum is open from 09:00 to 18:00.
Then walk along Uzun Sokak to Meydan Park. This is the city's living centre: tea gardens, bakeries, crowds. It is a good place for lunch; the section "What to eat in Trabzon" below tells you what to order.
Afternoon: the Atatürk Pavilion
The pavilion stands above the city in the Soğuksu area, in a garden surrounded by pine trees. According to the Culture Portal, it was built as a summer house for the Trabzon banker Konstantin Kabayanidis and carries traces of European Renaissance architecture. Atatürk stayed here in 1930 and in June 1937; on the 1937 visit, on 11 June, he made his decision here to donate his property to the nation. The pavilion opened to visitors as a museum in 1943. It is one of the city's most visited sights: according to provincial figures cited by Anadolu Agency, 373,920 people visited in 2025. Leave time to sit in the garden for a while.
Late afternoon: sunset on Boztepe
Boztepe is the hill above the city. Its viewing terraces and tea gardens frame both Trabzon's harbour and its coastline in a single view. It is close to the centre and a short ride up by dolmuş or car. To watch the sun go down over the sea, be up there an hour before sunset. Even on cloudy days, the moment the city lights come on is worth the wait.
Evening: a hammam on Boztepe
After a day of walking up and down hills, a hammam or a short massage is a calm way to end it. Our Trabzon spa is on Boztepe, inside the Radisson Blu Hotel Trabzon, with a blue-tiled Turkish bath and a couples' massage room. Details are in the section "Hammam and massage in Trabzon" below.
Day 2: Sumela Monastery and the Altındere Valley
Day two takes you out of the city. Sumela Monastery (Sümela in Turkish) lies within Altındere Valley National Park, in the Maçka district; the valley was declared a national park in 1987. According to a geographical study of Sumela by Mehmet Zaman, the monastery is 17 km from Maçka and 47 km from Trabzon. It sits at around 1,300 m, roughly 300 metres above the valley floor, built into a natural hollow in the middle of a sheer rock face.
The story of Sumela
According to the museum record, the monastery was founded during the reign of the Byzantine Emperor Theodosius I (375–395) by two monks from Athens, Barnabas and Sophronios. The real founder of the complex we see today is Alexios III, Emperor of Trebizond (1349–1390), who is also named in the frescoes. In the Ottoman period it was protected by imperial decrees and endowments. It was repaired and its frescoes renewed in the 18th century, and it enjoyed its most brilliant period in the 19th century with new buildings. It was emptied in the 1923 population exchange. A major restoration that began in September 2015 cleared 4,000 tonnes of rock from the cliffs and built a new 300-metre walkway. According to the General Directorate of Cultural Heritage and Museums, the monastery reopened to visitors with an official ceremony on 1 July 2021. Sumela is on UNESCO's World Heritage Tentative List.
Practical steps for your visit
- Check the opening hours that morning. At the time of writing, the museum record shows opening at 08:00, closing at 17:00 and the ticket office closing at 16:30. Hours can change with the season, so check muze.gov.tr before you set off.
- Leave early. According to provincial figures, Sumela was the city's most visited site in 2025, with 514,596 visitors. Arriving close to opening time means not getting stuck on the narrow walkway.
- Be ready to walk. From the car park you climb to the monastery through forest on a sloping path. Bring shoes with a good grip and a rain jacket.
- Sort out your ticket. The Müze Kart (museum card) is for Turkish citizens; international visitors can buy a ticket at the site or check the current ticket and pass options on muze.gov.tr.
- Allow time. The drive, the walk and the visit together take half a day. Spend the afternoon in the valley without hurrying.
On the way back: Hamsiköy
If you come down from Sumela to Maçka and make a short detour towards Zigana, you reach the village of Hamsiköy. Hamsiköy rice pudding (sütlaç) was registered with a geographical indication in 2017 on behalf of the Maçka Chamber of Tradesmen and Craftsmen. The village's atmosphere is as good a reason for the detour as the pudding itself.
Evening: a massage
After a day in the valley, an evening massage is an hour for your feet and back to rest. You can read what to expect in the descriptions on our massage page. Whether you choose a slower-paced session or one with more focused pressure depends on what you feel like that evening. If you are travelling as two, our couples massage guide explains how two sessions in the same room work.
Can you do Sumela and Uzungöl in one day?
On paper, yes; in practice it is exhausting. Sumela lies south of Trabzon, towards Maçka. Uzungöl lies to the east, in Çaykara. According to the Culture Portal and the Governorship of Trabzon, Uzungöl is 99 km from Trabzon and 19 km from Çaykara. The two are not on the same road. Squeeze both into one day and most of it will be spent in the car, with the added rush to make Sumela's ticket office before it closes. The many group tours that combine the two in a single day work around this with a very early start and a long day on the road.
| Plan | When it works | Bear in mind |
|---|---|---|
| Uzungöl as a day trip | If your schedule is tight, in summer and autumn | It means a long return drive. Leave very early and avoid being on the winding road after dark |
| A night in Uzungöl | If you want time for a walk around the lake and the highlands | The lake is far calmer in the morning, and you get an evening to rest at your hotel |
| Sumela + Uzungöl on the same day | Not recommended | Two different directions; the ticket office hours and darkness set the limits |
Our suggestion is to set aside a third day for Uzungöl, ideally with an overnight stay. We cover Uzungöl's seasons, its highlands and winter travel in detail in our Uzungöl travel guide. If you stay by the lake, our spa inside the Flora Uzungöl Resort Hotel brings the hammam, sauna, steam room and massage together under one roof.
Trabzon's highlands: not Ayder, but Trabzon's own yaylas
Say "Black Sea highlands" and most people think of Ayder, in neighbouring Rize. Yet Trabzon's own yaylas (highland plateaus) are more than enough for a half-day or full-day escape. The information below comes from the Governorship of Trabzon's highland inventory.
| Highland | District | Altitude | Access (Governorship inventory) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hıdırnebi | Akçaabat | 1,742 m | 10 km of dirt road heading west from km 12 of the Akçaabat–Düzköy road. Kuruçam is 1 km away. According to the Governorship, both can be reached all year round |
| Kayabaşı | Akçaabat | 1,800 m | 16 km of paved road from Işıklar in Akçaabat (Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism) |
| Kadırga | Tonya | 2,300 m | 24 km from Tonya. Above the tree line; hosts a large festival in July |
| Sultanmurat | Çaykara | 2,000 m | About 105 km via the Trabzon–Çaykara–Ataköy road |
| Kiraz (Maçka) | Maçka | 1,850 m | 22 km of paved road from Maçka, then 7 km of dirt road |
| Çakırgöl | Maçka | 2,500 m | 20 km of dirt road via Altındere Valley National Park |
Which one suits whom?
- A short escape close to the city: Hıdırnebi and Kayabaşı. Hıdırnebi Hill is like a natural viewing terrace, and Kayabaşı is known for its fir forest and walking trails.
- If you want to see a festival: go in July. The Hıdırnebi festival begins on 20 July, and the Kadırga and Sis Dağı festivals are also in July.
- A proper mountain day: Kadırga and Çakırgöl. That means dirt roads, changeable weather and long distances. Go with a local guide or a driver who knows the road.
The weather in the highlands is very different from the coast. Even in summer, mist and a cool wind can arrive without warning. Dress in layers and bring a rain jacket and spare socks. Dirt roads become slippery after rain; if you are going in a hire car, ask beforehand whether it is suitable for these roads.
What to eat in Trabzon
Several of Trabzon's dishes are officially registered, which means their origin and the way they are made are on record.
- Kuymak: a hot breakfast dish made with cornmeal, butter and cheese. "Trabzon kuymağı" received its geographical indication on 5 November 2024, following an application by the Trabzon Chamber of Commerce and Industry; according to Trabzon Metropolitan Municipality, it was the province's 13th geographical indication. GoTürkiye also recommends not leaving Trabzon without a kuymak breakfast. It is a good way to start a day in the highlands or the valley.
- Akçaabat köfte: meatballs cooked over the wood-fired grills of Akçaabat, a registered local speciality.
- Vakfıkebir bread: a large village loaf with a thick crust, also registered.
- Hamsiköy rice pudding: the dessert of the drive back from Sumela (registered in 2017).
- Hamsi: the Black Sea's winter fish. If you visit in summer you may not see it on menus, and that is normal.
A note on mealtimes: a Black Sea breakfast and kuymak are filling. If you are going to the hammam or for a massage, leave an hour or two after a big meal rather than going straight away.
What to do in Trabzon on a rainy day
Rain is part of life in Trabzon. It doesn't spoil the plan; it just changes the order.
- Museums: Trabzon Museum (Kostaki Mansion) and the Atatürk Pavilion are both indoors, and the pavilion's garden is lovely even in the rain.
- Hagia Sophia Mosque: you can spend time inside looking at the frescoes; just go outside prayer times.
- Çal Cave: in Düzköy, 51 km from central Trabzon, this cave is a covered, cool alternative. The Governorship's inventory notes stalactites and stalagmites 150 m past the entrance, and a stream and waterfalls further inside. According to provincial figures, 178,500 people visited in 2025.
- A long breakfast or tea break: the bakeries and tea gardens around the Meydan were made for waiting out the rain.
- The spa: on a rainy afternoon, an indoor pool, sauna and hammam are the calmest way to make the most of the day. You will find the difference between the sauna, the steam room and the hammam in our comparison sauna vs steam room vs hammam.
A break after the highlands: hammam and massage in Trabzon
If you are looking for a hammam or spa in Trabzon, the short answer is yes: the city has hotel spas and hammams. Ours is on Boztepe, inside the Radisson Blu Hotel Trabzon. The address is Soğuksu, Boztepe Mah. Numan Gül Cad., Çamlık Cd. No:2, 61030 Ortahisar / Trabzon, and the phone and WhatsApp number is +90 532 280 73 61. At this location you will find:
- A blue-tiled Turkish bath
- A couples' massage room
- A sauna and an indoor swimming pool
- A gym (cardio, free weights and resistance machines; yoga, Pilates, Zumba and aerobics group classes)
- Skin care
What happens in the hammam?
Our Turkish bath ritual unfolds in three steps. First you warm up on the heated marble platform (göbek taşı). Then the attendant exfoliates your skin with the kese mitt and washes you in soap foam. Finally you wrap yourself in a peştemal and rest in the relaxation room with sherbet or herbal tea. The rituals on our menu are:
| Ritual | Length | What's included |
|---|---|---|
| Pasha Hammam | 40 min | A full-body kese scrub, or aromatic soap foam only |
| Scheherazade Hammam | 55 min | The Pasha ritual, plus an aromatic oil massage for the head, hands and feet |
| Sultan Hammam | 80 min | A scrub with grape seed or coffee bean, brown sugar or honey crystals, followed by foam, an oil massage and sherbet |
You can ask when booking which of these rituals are offered at our Trabzon location.
How does it fit into your day?
- Back from Sumela: if you return from the valley in the afternoon, a hammam early in the evening followed by dinner is a good order.
- After sunset on Boztepe: while you are up on the hill you are close to the spa. A hammam or massage after sunset closes the day before you head back down into the city.
- On a rainy afternoon: the pool and sauna are a warm retreat until the weather clears.
We have listed what to bring in our guide what to bring to a Turkish bath. In short: comfortable clothes to put on afterwards, swimwear if you plan to swim, and some water.
Bookings are made by WhatsApp or phone. In summer, evening slots can fill up quickly, so we suggest messaging during the day. The spa is open daily from 09:00 to 22:00. You don't need to be staying at the hotel to book.
A health note
The hammam, sauna and steam room all heat the body. Research on sauna bathing reports some positive associations, but the same literature lists unstable angina, a recent heart attack and severe aortic stenosis as reasons to avoid the sauna (Laukkanen et al., 2018). If you are pregnant, have a heart or blood pressure condition, or take regular medication, speak to your doctor before you go. NHS guidance notes that during pregnancy it may be best to avoid saunas, steam rooms and hot tubs because of the risks of overheating, dehydration and fainting, with particular care in the first 12 weeks. Don't use the hot rooms straight after a meal or if you have been drinking alcohol, and drink plenty of water.
You can see our other Black Sea locations, including Uzungöl and Ordu, together on our Black Sea spas page.
Trabzon with children
Trabzon is easy to explore as a family; simply shorten the route to match your children's pace.
- Boztepe: wide terraces and tea gardens with open space for children to run around.
- Atatürk Pavilion: the garden and a short museum visit are just the right length for children not to get bored.
- Sumela: the walkway is sloping. With small children, a baby carrier is more practical than a pushchair. Keep close to the railings.
- Uzungöl: the flat path around the lake is where families will feel most at ease.
- The highlands: there is plenty of open space, but the weather changes fast. Bring spare clothes for the children.
A note for the spa: rules on children and age limits for the hammam, sauna and pool can vary from location to location. Ask when you book.
What to do in Trabzon in the evening
Evenings in Trabzon are quiet. The sunset and the city lights from Boztepe come first, followed by dinner and tea around the Meydan. This is not a city for nightlife; evenings are built around a stroll, a meal and rest. That makes it easy to add a hammam or massage to the rhythm of the day. After a tiring day in the valley, an hour on warm marble is a calm interlude before the next morning's journey.
