Free Trabzon Travel Guide & Mobile App

Plan your Trabzon trip with Evendo. Get free guides to top attractions, restaurants, hotels, and bars. Web access or download the mobile app.

Download the Free PDF guide

All photos

Trabzon blends Black Sea scenery, Byzantine and Ottoman heritage, Sumela Monastery excursions, regional cuisine and lively local culture in northeastern Turkiye.

A Black Sea City of Layers

Trabzon stretches along Türkiye’s eastern Black Sea coast, where steep wooded hills rise behind a dense urban shoreline. Its position between Anatolia, the Caucasus and the wider Black Sea world made it a commercial and cultural meeting point for centuries. Today, the city combines busy avenues and apartment districts with old stone walls, Ottoman mosques, Byzantine churches and viewpoints overlooking the water. Ortahisar, the historic core, is the natural starting point for understanding this layered city, while the waterfront and Boztepe show how strongly Trabzon’s identity remains tied to its coastal setting.

Imperial Heritage and Living Culture

Trabzon’s most celebrated historic monument is Hagia Sophia Mosque, a former Byzantine church whose surviving frescoes and architecture reflect the sophistication of the medieval Empire of Trebizond. The city’s walls, Gülbahar Hatun Mosque and nearby Atatürk Mansion add later Ottoman and republican chapters. Markets and neighbourhood cafés bring a more contemporary rhythm, with Black Sea specialities such as hamsi, kuymak and Akçaabat köfte appearing on local tables. Trabzon is also a practical base for exploring the surrounding province, including the forested Altındere Valley and Sumela Monastery, which lies outside the city in the Maçka district.

Mountains, Tea and the Coast

The landscape changes quickly beyond the built-up shoreline: tea gardens, hazelnut orchards, humid forests and dramatic mountain valleys define the wider region. Within the city, Boztepe provides a broad perspective over rooftops, harbour and sea, while the coastal road connects urban districts and seaside recreation areas. Trabzon is neither a museum piece nor a resort town; its appeal lies in the way medieval memories, religious landmarks, seafaring history and everyday Black Sea life remain closely interwoven.

When is the best time to visit Trabzon?

Best: June, August–September · 25–28°C

13° Temperature Range for JanuaryLow: 5.2°C, High: 13°C Precipitation Range for JanuaryLow: 90 mm, High: 150 mm J

13° Temperature Range for FebruaryLow: 5.4°C, High: 13.1°C Precipitation Range for FebruaryLow: 80 mm, High: 140 mm F

14° Temperature Range for MarchLow: 6.3°C, High: 13.8°C Precipitation Range for MarchLow: 70 mm, High: 130 mm M

16° Temperature Range for AprilLow: 8.1°C, High: 16.3°C Precipitation Range for AprilLow: 60 mm, High: 120 mm A

21° Temperature Range for MayLow: 11.1°C, High: 21.3°C Precipitation Range for MayLow: 50 mm, High: 110 mm M

Best 25° Temperature Range for JuneLow: 15°C, High: 25.4°C Precipitation Range for JuneLow: 40 mm, High: 100 mm J

29° Temperature Range for JulyLow: 17.3°C, High: 29.1°C Precipitation Range for JulyLow: 30 mm, High: 90 mm J

Best 28° Temperature Range for AugustLow: 17.6°C, High: 28.1°C Precipitation Range for AugustLow: 40 mm, High: 100 mm A

Best 25° Temperature Range for SeptemberLow: 15.6°C, High: 25.3°C Precipitation Range for SeptemberLow: 50 mm, High: 110 mm S

20° Temperature Range for OctoberLow: 12.8°C, High: 20.1°C Precipitation Range for OctoberLow: 60 mm, High: 120 mm O

15° Temperature Range for NovemberLow: 9.7°C, High: 15.3°C Precipitation Range for NovemberLow: 70 mm, High: 130 mm N

13° Temperature Range for DecemberLow: 7.2°C, High: 13.3°C Precipitation Range for DecemberLow: 80 mm, High: 140 mm D

Average daytime high and rainfall by month
Month	High (°C)	Rainfall (mm)
January	13	120
February	13	110
March	14	100
April	16	90
May	21	80
June (best)	25	70
July	29	60
August (best)	28	70
September (best)	25	80
October	20	90
November	15	100
December	13	110

Getting to and around Trabzon

How to get there

Trabzon Airport is the principal gateway for the city and lies close to the urban area, with domestic connections within Türkiye and some international services depending on the season and current schedules. Trabzon is also linked by long-distance coaches to major Turkish cities, with the intercity bus terminal serving as an important arrival point. Road travel follows the Black Sea coastal corridor, while mountain roads lead inland towards Maçka and other parts of the province. Rail services do not serve Trabzon, so travellers arriving by train elsewhere in Türkiye need to continue by road or domestic flight.

Transportation

Central Trabzon can be explored on foot, although the city rises sharply away from the shoreline and some routes involve steep streets or busy roads. Municipal buses, private minibuses known locally as dolmuş, taxis and app or phone-booked car services connect the centre with outlying districts and the airport. Dolmuş routes can be useful but may require local guidance, as vehicles generally display their destinations rather than following a simple tourist network. A car is convenient for excursions into the province, particularly towards Maçka and mountain valleys, but traffic and limited parking can make independent driving less comfortable in central Ortahisar.

Best attractions in Trabzon

Trabzon’s principal sightseeing begins in Ortahisar, where fragments of the old city walls and the historic urban fabric lead towards Hagia Sophia Mosque, a former Byzantine church known for its medieval architecture and surviving decorative programme. The Atatürk Mansion, set amid landscaped grounds above the city, offers a glimpse of early republican-era public memory and domestic grandeur. Boztepe provides a high viewpoint over the rooftops, harbour and Black Sea, while the Trabzon Museum occupies a historic mansion containing archaeological and ethnographic material. The waterfront and coastal recreation areas present a more contemporary side of the city, with open views and busy local life. Outside the urban area, the forested Altındere Valley and Sumela Monastery form one of the province’s most significant excursions; they should be treated as a separate mountain journey rather than as attractions within Trabzon itself.

Show more attractions

Best landmarks in Trabzon

Hagia Sophia Mosque is Trabzon’s most important surviving Byzantine monument, with a substantial medieval structure and traces of painted decoration that reflect the artistic culture of the Empire of Trebizond. Trabzon Castle is not a single intact fortress but a sequence of walls and defensive remains extending through the historic centre, revealing the city’s elevated and strategically protected layout. Gülbahar Hatun Mosque, built for the mother of Ottoman Sultan Selim I, represents the city’s later Ottoman architectural history and stands near landscaped public grounds. Atatürk Mansion, a distinguished early twentieth-century residence on the hillside, is associated with the memory of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk’s visits. The Zağnos Paşa Bridge and surrounding old-city remains add further evidence of Ottoman urban development, while Boztepe functions as a cultural viewpoint as much as a scenic one.

Show more landmarks

Explore Trabzon on the map

Plan your Trabzon trip on one map. See where the top attractions, landmarks, restaurants, bars and hotels are, find what's near where you're staying, and book hotels and experiences in a few clicks.

Neighbourhoods in Trabzon

Best restaurants in Trabzon

Trabzon’s food culture is shaped by the Black Sea, pastoral uplands and fertile coastal gardens. Hamsi, the small anchovy central to regional cooking, appears fried, baked or incorporated into rice and other home-style dishes. Kuymak, also called mıhlama, combines cornmeal with melting cheese and butter, while kara lahana dishes, cornbread and beans reflect the region’s cool, wet agricultural environment. Akçaabat köfte, associated with the nearby town of Akçaabat, is widely found in Trabzon and is typically served in straightforward grill restaurants. Pide, fresh fish and seasonal vegetable dishes are common across the city. Meydan and surrounding central streets contain cafés, bakeries and family-run eateries, while markets reveal local cheeses, honey, hazelnuts and pickled produce. Tea is part of everyday hospitality, often served throughout the day rather than treated as a formal dessert drink.

Show more restaurants

Best bars in Trabzon

Trabzon’s evenings are generally social and relaxed rather than centred on a large club scene. Central streets around Meydan contain cafés, tea houses and restaurants where residents meet after work, while venues in the city and along the coast may offer live music or late dining without adopting a resort-town atmosphere. Tea houses provide an important alcohol-free setting for conversation and games, and football is often followed with particular enthusiasm. Bars and licensed venues exist, but opening patterns and the character of nightlife vary, so expectations should remain modest outside the central districts. Evening walks along the waterfront and viewpoints from the hills can be more representative of local leisure than nightclubs. During religious periods or local observances, social rhythms may change, and visitors should show discretion around mosques and other religious spaces.

Show more bars

Best nightclubs in Trabzon

Show more nightclubs

Best shops in Trabzon

Shopping in Trabzon combines ordinary Turkish high-street commerce with products rooted in the eastern Black Sea region. Central streets around Meydan and Kunduracılar offer clothing, footwear, household goods, jewellery and small specialist shops, while the marketplace area is useful for observing everyday trade rather than browsing a purpose-built tourist bazaar. Regional foods make practical souvenirs: hazelnuts, local honey, tea, dried produce and packaged specialities are widely associated with the province. Visitors may also encounter handmade textiles, woven goods and traditional metalwork, although quality and provenance vary between sellers. Shopping centres provide a more modern retail environment beyond the historic core, while small bakeries and food shops are better for fresh local items. The best purchases tend to be durable regional products with clear labelling, rather than generic souvenirs presented as exclusively Trabzon-made.

Show more shops

Get your free copy of our complete guide to Trabzon, delivered straight to you.

Everything on this page, from attractions and restaurants to essentials and local phrases, in one PDF you can read offline, print or share.

Already have an account? Sign in

Trabzon essentials

Currency and Payment

Türkiye uses the Turkish lira, written as TL or TRY. Cards and contactless payments are common in established hotels, supermarkets, shopping centres and many restaurants, but smaller cafés, market stalls, local minibuses and rural businesses may prefer cash. ATMs are widely available in central Trabzon and around transport hubs, although foreign-card fees and exchange-rate charges vary by provider. Visitors should keep a modest amount of lira for short journeys and small purchases, while choosing to pay in lira rather than accepting an unfamiliar dynamic currency conversion rate when a card terminal offers that option.

Safety

Ordinary urban precautions are appropriate in Trabzon: keep valuables secure in crowded streets and transport areas, take care on steep or uneven pavements, and use clearly identified taxis or established transport services. Coastal roads and major junctions can be busy, so pedestrians should take particular care when crossing. Mountain excursions bring different risks, including rapidly changing weather, narrow roads and slippery paths around forested valleys. At night, remain aware of surroundings in unfamiliar areas and arrange transport when walking routes are poorly lit. Visitors should also check current regional travel advice before travelling near sensitive border areas.

Emergency Situations

The national emergency number in Türkiye is 112, which coordinates ambulance, police, fire and other urgent services. Give the operator the exact location, a nearby landmark and a contact number, and ask hotel or accommodation staff for help if language is a difficulty. For non-urgent police matters, a police station or local tourist office can provide guidance. Emergency medical treatment is available through hospitals and clinics in Trabzon, but international visitors should carry travel insurance details, identification and information about regular medicines. In mountainous areas, do not rely solely on a mobile signal; share excursion plans with accommodation staff.

Do's and Don'ts

Dress modestly when entering mosques, cover shoulders and legs as appropriate, and remove shoes where requested; women may wish to carry a scarf for mosque visits. Avoid photographing worshippers during prayer and ask permission before photographing people closely. At restaurants, tipping is customary when service has been satisfactory but is not a fixed legal obligation. Turkish hospitality can be generous, so a polite refusal may need repeating without offence. Respect signs and barriers at historic monuments, and remember that Hagia Sophia Mosque is an active place of worship. Public drinking is not central to local social life, particularly around religious settings.

Local Tips

Use Ortahisar as a geographic reference point, then explore the city in sections rather than attempting every district on foot in one outing. Boztepe is especially useful for understanding Trabzon’s steep relationship with the sea, while the waterfront offers a flatter route for an evening walk. Visit food markets and neighbourhood bakeries earlier in the day for the broadest choice of local produce. For Sumela Monastery, allow considerably more time than the distance from Trabzon might suggest because mountain roads, seasonal demand and access arrangements can affect the journey. Weatherproof clothing is useful throughout the year.

From Eve

Local phrases worth knowing

You don't need to get them perfect. A few words go a long way, and locals appreciate the effort.

6 phrase groups · English, local and pronunciation

Basics

English	Local	Say it
Hello	Merhaba	[Mer-ha-ba]
Goodbye	Hoşça kal	[Hosh-cha kal]
Yes	Evet	[Eh-vet]
No	Hayır	[Ha-yuhr]
Please/You're welcome	Lütfen	[Loot-fen]
Thank you	Teşekkür ederim	[Te-she-koor ed-eh-rim]
Excuse me/Sorry	Özür dilerim	[O-zoor dee-leh-rim]
How are you?	Nasılsınız?	[Nah-suhl-suh-nuhz]
Fine. And you?	İyiyim. Ya siz?	[Ee-yee-yim. Yah siz]
Do you speak English?	İngilizce konuşuyor musunuz?	[Ing-ee-leez-je ko-noo-shu-yor moo-soo-nooz]
I don't understand	Anlamıyorum	[An-lah-muh-yor-um]

Eating & Drinking

English	Local	Say it
I'd like to see the menu, please	Menüyü görmek istiyorum, lütfen	[Men-ew-yu ger-mek is-tee-yo-room, loot-fen]
I don't eat meat	Et yemem	[Et yem-em]
Cheers!	Şerefe!	[She-re-fe]
I would like to pay, please	Ödemek istiyorum, lütfen	[O-de-mek is-tee-yo-room, loot-fen]

Emergencies

English	Local	Say it
Help!	Yardım!	[Yar-duhm]
Go away!	Uzaklaş!	[Oo-zak-laash]
Call the Police!	Polisi arayın!	[Po-lee-see ah-rah-yun]
Call a doctor!	Bir doktor çağırın!	[Beer dok-tor cha-ee-rin]
I'm lost	Kayboldum	[Kai-bol-doom]
I'm ill	Hastayım	[Has-tai-yum]

Shopping

English	Local	Say it
I'd like to buy...	...almak istiyorum	[al-mak is-tee-yo-room]
I'm just looking	Sadece bakıyorum	[Sah-deh-je ba-ku-yo-room]
How much is it?	Kaç lira?	[Kach lee-rah]
That's too expensive	Bu çok pahalı	[Boo chok pa-ha-luh]
Can you lower the price?	Fiyatı indirebilir misiniz?	[Fee-yat-uh in-de-re-bil-ir mee-sin-iz]

Time & Numbers

English	Local	Say it
What time is it?	Saat kaç?	[Sa-at kach]
It's one o'clock	Saat bir	[Sa-at beer]
Half past (10)	(10) Buçuk	[(10) Boo-chuk]
Morning	Sabah	[Sah-bah]
Afternoon	Öğleden sonra	[O-lay-den ah-so-ra]
Evening	Akşam	[Ak-sham]
Yesterday	Dün	[Doon]
Today	Bugün	[Boo-goon]
Tomorrow	Yarın	[Yuh-run]
1	Bir	[Beer]
2	İki	[Ee-kee]
3	Üç	[Ooch]
4	Dört	[Durt]
5	Beş	[Besh]
6	Altı	[Al-tuh]
7	Yedi	[Yeh-dee]
8	Sekiz	[Seh-keez]
9	Dokuz	[Do-kooz]
10	On	[On]

Transport & Directions

English	Local	Say it
Where's a/the...?	...nerede?	[ne-re-deh]
What's the address?	Adres nedir?	[Ad-res ne-deer]
Can you show me (on the map)?	(Haritada) gösterebilir misiniz?	[(Ha-ree-ta-da) ger-ste-re-bil-ir mee-sin-iz]
When's the next (bus)?	Bir sonraki (otobüs) ne zaman?	[Beer son-rah-kee (o-to-boo-s) ne za-man]
A ticket (to ....)	(....'a) bilet	[(...) bee-let]

History of Trabzon

Greek Foundations at Trapezus

Trabzon began as Trapezus, a Greek settlement traditionally associated with colonists from Sinope during the eighth century BC. Its natural harbour and position on routes linking the Black Sea with the Anatolian interior gave it commercial importance from an early period. The surrounding terrain was difficult to cross, but the coast offered access towards the Caucasus and eastern Anatolia. Ancient writers knew Trapezus as a significant stopping point on Black Sea routes, and Xenophon described the settlement in his account of the retreat of the Ten Thousand in the fourth century BC. The city’s maritime orientation and role as an intermediary between coastal and inland regions remained central to its later development.

Roman Port and Byzantine Frontier

Trapezus came under Roman authority in the first century BC and later formed part of the eastern Roman, or Byzantine, world. Its harbour supported military and commercial links across the Black Sea, while the surrounding region served as a frontier zone between Constantinople’s sphere and powers to the east. Under Byzantine rule the city occupied a defensible position on the coast, strengthened by fortifications and connected to routes across the mountains. Christianity shaped its institutions and architecture, although much of the visible medieval fabric was rebuilt or altered in later centuries. The city’s strategic value increased as political control in Anatolia became more fragmented.

The Empire of Trebizond

After the Fourth Crusade captured Constantinople in 1204, Alexios Komnenos established the Empire of Trebizond with Trabzon as its capital. The state endured until 1461 and governed a changing territory along the eastern Black Sea and parts of northeastern Anatolia. Its rulers cultivated links with Georgia, Byzantine traditions and long-distance commerce, while the city benefited from trade between Persia, the Caucasus and the Black Sea. Hagia Sophia, now Hagia Sophia Mosque, belongs to this period and preserves important evidence of the empire’s religious and artistic culture. Trebizond’s importance also drew Genoese and Venetian merchants, whose commercial presence reflected the city’s international connections.

Ottoman Incorporation and Regional Trade

Ottoman forces under Sultan Mehmed II captured Trabzon in 1461, bringing the last major Byzantine successor state into the Ottoman realm. The city became an administrative and commercial centre on the empire’s eastern Black Sea coast. Ottoman mosques, religious foundations, markets and civic buildings gradually joined the earlier fortifications and churches, creating the mixed urban landscape still visible in parts of Ortahisar. Trabzon’s port handled regional trade and connected Anatolia with the Caucasus, Iran and Black Sea shipping routes. Its population included Muslim and Christian communities, as well as merchants and migrants whose presence contributed to the city’s varied social and cultural character.

War, Occupation and Republican Transformation

The late Ottoman period brought political upheaval and military pressure to the eastern Black Sea. Russian forces occupied Trabzon during the First World War from 1916 until 1918, after which the city returned to Ottoman control during the unsettled years preceding the Turkish Republic. The population exchanges and national transformations of the early twentieth century altered the region’s social composition profoundly. In the republican era Trabzon developed as a provincial capital, port and transport centre, while roads and modern construction expanded beyond the historic core. The city’s contemporary identity therefore reflects both the memory of its imperial past and the practical life of a modern Black Sea regional centre.