Trabzon - Sumela - Uzungöl

Trabzon Meydane on a Saturday morning

We combined three little trips into one weekend in Northeastern Turkey this winter. After arriving at Trabzon's airport and a short ride into downtown, we went for a short walk to acquaint ourselves with Trabzon, 250 km due south of Sochi across the Black Sea. The downtown square has a plesant openness, surrounded by cafes, büfes, and restaurants. In the morning, we walked through some of the quiet streets just off the square with ordinary, everyday shops until we arrived at the Black Sea a few hundred meters away. Even late on a Saturday morning, the city seemed reticent. Stores were closed, there weren't many pedestrians, and hardly any traffic.

Along the sea closer to downtown, Trabzon has a nice plaza and pier right along the water that appears abandoned in the off-season. Further along the sea, large boats and docks occupy the waterfront. In the distant haze above the water, we could see freighters and large ships, moving through the sea. We scaled the pier rocks and enjoyed the sea air while we waited for our tour pickup.   

Pier looking out to the Black Sea

Sunlight dividing Sümela Monastery

  


















We walked back to the hotel where our small group transport took us to Sümela Monastery, about a 45-minute elevating ride of mostly expressway south through Maçka. The majority of the drive's views were construction sites, perhaps a sign of potential development in the region that is known for its abundance of stone. As we neared Sumela, the views suddenly changed into un-touched, tree-covered and snowy terrain.

At the Sümela drop-off point, we climbed along a zigzag fence on the side of a mountain. It was a bit treacherous thanks to the ice and snow accumulated over the dirt and gravel path and occasional sharp inclines. The climb lasted at least 30 minutes before we arrived at the primitive Monastery near the summit. There is also a dolmuş option that can take you much closer to the top, if you prefer. The monastery has been used on and off for the last 1600 years. The remoteness of its location has not changed, and most of the monastery's site is available for touring. The views from the windows are unforgettable, and some of the art, particularly frescoes in the cave chapel, are unlike anything I had seen at the chapels in Göreme or elsewhere. Much of the material is still in remarkable condition, and I was speechless most of the two hours we were there.

Frescoes inside the large cave chapel at Sümela Monastery

After our driver took us back to Trabzon, we boarded a bus for Uzungöl, a hotel-filled village with plenty of natural beauty, about 90 km away. We arrived late Saturday evening, enjoyed a night breakfast (since that's all the hotel had for food in stock) and tried to watch some of the Pinstripe Bowl online. In the morning, we trekked around the mostly-frozen lake. Again, construction and development were ubiquitous. The village had an abundance of small hotels and gift shops. This was clearly the off season for visitors, as we scarcely encountered people other than construction workers and some shop owners during our 2-hour walk. Just outside the village, we saw amazingly situated houses in the cliffs and mountains on the ride out of town. Uzungöl is much more popular in the summer since it is a lake destination. But the town offers a really nice getaway from a big city in the cold season as well. Whether adventurous hikes or a relaxing escape from the noise and hurried pace of Istanbul, Uzungöl is a safe bet. In addition, we found a Turkish coffeepot in a gift shop for 6TL. The same style pot was 25TL in Istanbul.

Back in Trabzon, we visited the Trabzon Museum, which houses jewerly, small weapons, trinkets, and clothes from the Turkish Revolution and late Ottoman eras. The building was formerly used as a schoolhouse and is itself an interesting model of architecture and interior design. The real gems are in the basement, where the museum keeps some of the oldest finds from the region. Xenophon traveled through Turkey's Black Sea area (Trebizonde) in the 4th C. BC, and archaeologists have uncovered a number of interesting busts, kitchen items, tools, and even a life-size bronze sculpture of Mercury. Museum admission is a no-brainer for 5TL, and the entire visit should last about 90 minutes to see everything. Pictures are OK.

Although the Trabzon airport is very close to the downtown area, the real attractions seem to be outside of the city: Sümela, Uzungöl, the waterfront. With everything so close and plenty of tour and transport options, it's easy to see a lot in a 48-hour stay.

Lake Uzungöl on a quiet, off-season Sunday

Click the photos tab above for albums from Trabzon, Uzungöl, and Sümela.