A hammam and massage plan for visitors to Trabzon and Uzungöl: season, route and booking

Adding a spa to a trip looks easy until three questions come up. Is the location open on the day I arrive? Will I make my appointment after a day at Uzungöl? How do I write the message from abroad? The answers sit partly in what the location itself has told us and partly in a few official sources. We put the two side by side here: the calendar and distances come from official sources, the location details come from what the location has told us.

This is a trip plan, not a buyer's guide. For the questions to ask when you compare massage places in the city, see our guide to choosing a massage spa in Trabzon. The evening after a hike is covered in massage and hammam after a hike at Uzungöl, and how the hammam works is in our Uzungöl hammam guide. We do not repeat those here. This article stays with the calendar, the route and the order of booking.

When should you visit Trabzon, and how does the spa plan change with the season?

Foreign arrivals peak in July and August. The Trabzon location is open all year; the Uzungöl location serves in season only and is closed now.

The Ministry of Culture and Tourism's Annual Border Statistics Bulletin for 2025 shows 445,869 foreign visitors entering through Trabzon's border gates (the airport and the port) in 2025. Of these, 239,000 arrived in July and August, about 54 per cent. Add June and September and the figure rises to 341,084, about 76 per cent (the percentages are our own calculation from the bulletin's numbers). The table below shows May to October, next to the long-term weather averages for the same months.

Sources: Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Annual Border Statistics Bulletin 2025 (table T5); General Directorate of Meteorology, Trabzon station, 1927-2025 averages.

Three notes help you read the table correctly. First, the arrival figures cover all nationalities; the bulletin gives no monthly split by nationality. Second, the weather values belong to Trabzon's coastal station. Uzungöl lies at about 1,090 metres, so it is cooler there, and we did not use a separate measurement for that height. Third, the figures are border-gate records. They do not show how long a visitor stays or whether they use a spa.

For visitors from the Gulf, the same bulletin's nationality table (T8) says the following. Of the foreigners who entered Trabzon in 2025, 200,418 were Saudi, 24,626 Kuwaiti, 22,538 from the United Arab Emirates, 21,935 Jordanian, 18,263 Iraqi and 11,145 Bahraini. Other large groups were the Russian Federation (51,882), Germany (17,698) and Azerbaijan (15,030). The Arab countries named in the bulletin add up to 304,022 (our own sum: Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Jordan, Iraq, Bahrain, Qatar, Egypt, Lebanon and Libya). Nationality is not the same as language, but the figure shows that writing in Arabic is a real need for one group of visitors. That is why there is a separate section on it below.

We have no information on how busy the location gets in the summer season. If your itinerary is tight, sending the booking message before you leave still makes the plan easier.

What is the difference between the Trabzon and Uzungöl locations, and which is open when?

The Trabzon location is in Boztepe and is open every day from 07:00 to 23:00 all year. The Uzungöl location is seasonal; as of 21 October 2026 it is closed, and no reopening date has been given.

The table sets the two locations side by side. Where a cell is empty of information, it is because the location has not given us any, and we do not make it up.

The Trabzon location is inside Radisson Blu Hotel Trabzon. The entrance is through the hotel lobby and the spa is on floor -4. The Uzungöl location is inside Flora Uzungöl Resort Hotel. We do not give the Uzungöl season calendar, a reopening date or hours in this article, because we do not have a date. Check the current status on the location page. While the location is closed, the call card sends you to the Trabzon location's line.

In practice: do not build your Uzungöl day around a hammam appointment there. Walk by the lake in daylight and leave the evening for Trabzon. The same approach is comfortable even when the Uzungöl location is open in season, because the time you finish a lakeside walk is never fully known in advance.

Where does a hammam and massage fit into 2, 3 and 4 days?

Put outdoor sightseeing in the daytime and the hammam and massage in the evening. After a long road day to Sümela or Uzungöl, book the appointment in Trabzon, once you roughly know your return time.

The flows below are a suggestion, not a rule. Distances and opening times come from official sources. For travel time, look at Google Maps for your own transport and the traffic at that hour, because we do not give durations.

A 2-day plan

• Day 1: Arrival. See the Hagia Sophia Mosque and the Meydan area, and watch the sunset from Boztepe. In the evening, depending on your flight, a hammam or massage at the Trabzon location. The Hagia Sophia has served as a mosque since 2013, so mind prayer times and dress (Culture Portal).
• Day 2: Sümela or Uzungöl, one of the two. If you try to do both in two days, the evening appointment gets squeezed. For Sümela, the museum's page gives 08:00-17:00 as opening hours and 16:30 as the ticket office closing time; hours can change, so check before you go.

A 3-day plan

• Day 1: A city day; a hammam or massage in the evening.
• Day 2: Sümela, in the Altındere Valley. Return to Trabzon in the afternoon and keep the evening for rest.
• Day 3: Uzungöl. It is 99 km from Trabzon (Culture Portal). Walk at the lake from morning to midday and head back in the afternoon. Confirm the appointment once you know your return time.

A 4-day plan

• Day 1: A city day. Keep the evening light.
• Day 2: Sümela.
• Day 3: Uzungöl.
• Day 4: A rest day. This may be the day for the pool, sauna, or a hammam and massage together. If you combine them, the visit gets longer; the last-appointment rule is below.

The outdoor pool is used from June to September, and it depends on the hotel management's decision each year. If you want the outdoor pool on a summer trip, ask about that year's situation in your booking message.

If you want a hammam and a massage on the same day, here is the location's rule. The last appointment is taken one hour before closing for a massage, and two hours before closing for a massage and hammam together. At a location that closes at 23:00, that means about 22:00 and 21:00. You will find more evening options in our evening massage and hammam hours guide for Trabzon. For the city sights, see things to do in Trabzon, and for a five-day Black Sea route, see our Black Sea route article.

How do you connect an Uzungöl day to an evening appointment in Trabzon?

Uzungöl is 99 km from Trabzon. Your return time depends on when the walk ends, the road and the weather, so work the appointment backwards and write to the location if you are delayed.

A countdown helps when you plan an Uzungöl day. Start from the spa's closing time and move backwards:

1. The location closes at 23:00. The last appointment is 22:00 for a massage, and 21:00 for a massage with the hammam.
2. The International SPA Association (ISPA) suggests arriving about 30 minutes before your appointment. For a massage and hammam starting at 21:00, that means being at the location at 20:30.
3. From that time, subtract the drive from Uzungöl to Trabzon, plus a margin for a stop on the way. We do not state the drive time; look it up in Google Maps for the hour you will actually travel.
4. The time you get is when your walk at the lake needs to end. If the weather is closed in or it rains, bring that time forward.

Two sources help with the road. The Trabzon Governorship writes that, thanks to the region's abundant rainfall and relatively mild climate, it stays green in every season. A damp day is therefore ordinary, and you should allow for a wet road. The General Directorate of Highways' Daily Road Conditions Bulletin is the official channel for current road information. Check it before you set out.

When you confirm the appointment is up to you. There are two reasonable ways. One is to take a late evening time and write to the location if you are delayed. The other is to write during the day as you set off back, but we cannot know whether the location will have kept that slot open for you. The location will tell you whether a change of time is possible. Whichever you choose, write the moment you realise you will be late.

You may come off the trail wet or sweaty. Put on a dry layer before you go into the spa; waiting in cold, damp clothes before a hammam or sauna is not pleasant. The order of an evening after a hike is explained in our after-a-hike article.

Which options are confirmed for families, couples and women guests?

The Trabzon location has one couples' massage room, a VIP room with a jacuzzi and an upper floor reserved for women all day. For Uzungöl, only the VIP room with a jacuzzi is confirmed.

Each of these statements is information the location has given us. Here is how it reads for each group.

Couples. The Trabzon location has one couples' massage room, where two people have a massage side by side. It matters that there is only one: if several couples come on the same evening, the room can fill, so write your booking in advance. There is also a VIP room with a jacuzzi in it; we explain what that means in what a VIP spa room is. How a couples' session goes is described in our couples' massage guide.

Women guests. On the upper floor, the hammam, steam room, women's changing rooms and massage rooms are reserved for women all day. The lower floor is mixed and has the pool, sauna, steam room, fitness centre and massage rooms. We explain the arrangement in our guide to the women-only hammam and massage floor.

Male guests. There is no hammam for men at the Trabzon location. On the lower floor, the pool, sauna, steam room, fitness centre and massage rooms are mixed. A man planning a hammam will not find one at this location, and knowing that before you travel lets you plan the trip properly.

Family groups. When women and men come together, the separate floors come into play: the women can use the hammam on the upper floor, and the men the pool and sauna below. To meet at the same hour, plan the appointment times with the location and say in your message that you are a group. Age rules for children can differ from one location to another; if you are coming with a child, ask in advance which areas they may use.

Choice of massage specialist. You can ask the location about your preference for a massage specialist when you book.

At the Uzungöl location the VIP room has a jacuzzi. For a couples' room, a women-only area and other details, the location has given us no information. Ask when it reopens.

How do you book from abroad or from your hotel?

There is no online booking system. You write the day, time, service and number of people to the location's WhatsApp or phone line, and the number starts with +90 in international format.

The phone and WhatsApp numbers are on the call card at the top of the page and on the Trabzon location page; the same number serves both WhatsApp and phone. When you write from a phone abroad, save the number with "+90" and without a leading zero. That format starts with the country code, as in the ITU E.164 international numbering plan.

In your message, include:

• The location (Trabzon, Boztepe)
• The day and time; two alternative times if you can
• The number of people
• The service: massage, hammam or both
• Optional: your name

An example message:

Hello, I would like to book two people for a couple massage at the Trabzon location on 24 July at 8 pm. If that is not available, 8.30 pm is also fine. Thank you.

If you prefer to write in Turkish, this works as well: "Merhaba, Trabzon şubesinden randevu almak istiyorum. 24 Temmuz, saat 20:00, iki kişi, çift masaj odasında masaj. Uygun değilse 20:30 de olur. Teşekkürler." When the reply arrives, confirm by writing the day, time and service once more.

You do not need to write any health information on WhatsApp; you can tell the massage specialist at the start of the session. The location tells us that WhatsApp is usually answered within a few minutes, and that the wait can be longer at busy times. ISPA also suggests calling ahead to ask your questions before you go to a spa, which applies equally to asking by message.

You can write to the location directly whichever hotel you are staying in; you do not have to be a hotel guest. For the price, ask the location: we do not publish prices on this site, and we explain what they depend on in how massage and hammam prices are set.

Which language should Arabic-speaking guests write in?

The Trabzon location has English-speaking staff, and other languages are handled with a translation app. A reply in Arabic has not been confirmed at this location, so we do not promise one.

This matters in a city where a large share of visitors speak Arabic. The locations gave us their language information on 16 and 17 October 2026. For Trabzon, they said there are English-speaking staff and that a translation app is used for other languages. There is no separate statement about replying in Arabic.

Two practical suggestions follow:

1. Write short and plain. In English or Turkish, short sentences hold up in a translation app. Keep the order "day, time, number of people, service".
2. Write the date and time in numerals. A date such as "24 July, 20:00" written with Latin numerals and the month name avoids misunderstanding.

One note for those who prefer to write in Arabic: the locations that answer Arabic WhatsApp messages in Arabic are Harbiye and Mahmutbey in Istanbul (Harbiye and Mahmutbey). That is useful if you will also be in Istanbul, and the detail is in our guides massage in Turkey for Arabic-speaking visitors and massage near me in Istanbul and Trabzon, a visitor's guide. No language information has been given for the Uzungöl location; ask when it reopens.

Can you come without staying at the hotel, and what should you bring?

Yes, you do not have to be a hotel guest. Swimwear and a cap are required for the pool, and a wrap (peştemal) is provided in the hammam.

The practical details the location has given us are these:

• Entrance: Through the hotel lobby; the spa is on floor -4.
• Parking: The hotel car park is open to spa guests; there is no valet service.
• Access: The spa is accessible by wheelchair.
• Pool: Swimwear and a cap are required. You can bring your own or buy them from the location.
• Hammam: A peştemal is provided.
• Getting there: There is no separate shuttle for spa guests. It is about 10 minutes by car to Meydan and 14 minutes to the airport.

The location has given us no information on bathrobes, slippers and other items, so ask in your message. What to take to a hammam is in what to bring to a Turkish bath, and what to wear for a massage is in what to wear for a massage. If a hotel spa is new to you, our first-time hotel spa guide gives a general frame.

How should you use the hot areas after a long day of travel?

After a long walk or a day on the road, do not go straight into the hot area. Drink water, avoid alcohol, and leave if you do not feel well; use the heat at your own pace.

Harvard Health Publishing advises avoiding alcohol and medicines that can affect sweating before the sauna, cooling down gradually afterwards, drinking plenty of water after the sauna, not entering when you are ill, and leaving if you feel unwell once inside. Those tips are about the sauna; the same common sense applies to the steam room and the hammam. If you have a health condition, are sensitive to heat or are pregnant, speak to your doctor before a massage, the hammam, sauna or steam room.

Allow for travel tiredness too. If you will set off early the next morning, taking the appointment early in the evening makes for a calm night; this is a preference, not a rule.

What do you do when the plan goes wrong?

Travel has its surprises, and they reach the spa appointment too. Here are six common situations with simple answers:

• Your flight is delayed and the evening appointment is at risk. Write to the location at once and give your new arrival time. The location will tell you whether a change of time is possible.
• The Uzungöl outing was cut short by rain or fog. Your return time comes earlier; an earlier appointment may be possible, so ask the location.
• Sümela took longer than planned. The museum closes at 17:00. Work the return drive from the evening hour, and keep the evening flexible.
• The Uzungöl location turned out to be closed. That was expected: move the hammam and massage to Trabzon. The location's line will guide you.
• Part of the group wants a hammam and part does not. In Trabzon, the hammam is for women only. The men can meet on the lower floor for the pool and sauna.
• The outdoor pool is closed. The outdoor pool is used from June to September and depends on the hotel management's yearly decision. Ask about the pool, with the day and time, in your message.

A checklist before you set off

1. Check on the location page that the Trabzon location is open on your dates.
2. Look at the Uzungöl location's status. If it is closed, plan Uzungöl as an outing and the spa in Trabzon.
3. Save the location's number in international format (+90).
4. Prepare a message with the day, time, number of people and service.
5. Bring swimwear and a cap for the pool, or buy them from the location.
6. Work out your travel so that you arrive about 30 minutes before the appointment.
7. Look at Sümela's current hours and the General Directorate of Highways' road conditions bulletin.
8. If you have a health condition, are sensitive to heat or are pregnant, speak to your doctor.