Related Posts
Today, we're heading to one of the most overlooked regions in all of Turkey: the north. Northern Turkey gets skipped by most travellers because it sits far from Istanbul and the usual tourist circuit, but trust me, it's absolutely worth the short domestic flight. I've put together a 5-day itinerary covering Trabzon, Uzungol, Rize, and the Ayder Plateau that works whether you're travelling on a budget or just prefer not to rent a car. And without further ado, let's get into it.
How to Get to Northern Turkey
Getting There by Plane (from Istanbul)
The easiest way to reach this part of Turkey is by flying into Trabzon Airport. You can catch a flight from either Sabiha Gökçen or Istanbul International Airport. Both take about 1.5 hours in the air, and tickets are generally affordable on Turkish domestic carriers like Turkish Airlines or Pegasus. If you're coming from the Middle East, many countries have direct flights to Trabzon, which makes things even simpler.
I wouldn't recommend the bus from Istanbul. It's around 20 hours, and the flight is so cheap that it rarely makes sense to sit on a bus that long. Save your energy for actually exploring.
How to Get Around
For Trabzon and Uzungol, public transport and minibuses work perfectly fine. From Trabzon Airport, take the Havas bus to the main bus station, then catch a bus to Uzungol from there. The journey covers about 99 kilometers and takes roughly two hours. The road through the Pontic Mountains is genuinely beautiful, so you won't mind the ride.
For Rize and Ayder, I'll be honest: a rental car makes the trip considerably easier, and some of the best spots require flexibility. That said, there are buses between Trabzon and Rize (about one hour), and organized tours run to both Rize and Ayder if you'd rather not drive.
Northern Turkey Itinerary: Day by Day
Day 1: Arriving in Uzungol
After landing at Trabzon Airport and taking the minibus to the bus station, catch your connection to Uzungol. Book a lakeside motel ahead of time. The views from a room that faces the lake are a big part of what makes Uzungol special, and the popular spots fill up quickly in the seasons. Find nice motels overlooking the lake directly below.
Uzungol Lake
Once you've checked in, spend your first day exploring Uzungol at an easy pace. The lake itself formed centuries ago from a landslide in the Pontic Mountains. Snowmelt and rainfall feed it, and the result is this perfectly calm body of water surrounded by thick green forest. The village around it feels like it belongs in a different era, with wooden houses and small cafes hugging the waterfront.
Don't miss the Uzungol Mosque. It's right near the center and has an interesting design that blends Ottoman style with local architectural touches. It stands out against the green backdrop of the mountains in a way that makes for a great photo.
Uzungol Terrace
For a panoramic view over the lake, climb the stairs from the center up to the terrace, or just walk up the road. The further you go, the better the perspective gets.
When you're hungry, grab a seat at one of the cafes by the lake. The food here is basic; lower your expectations. Order tea, maybe a simple dessert, and focus on the scenery.
Day 2: Breakfast and Moving to Trabzon
Wake up early on Day 2. The lake is completely different before the tour buses arrive. There's a quiet that settles over the water in the early morning that you genuinely can't experience at 11 am when things get crowded.
Kom Cafe
After a short walk around the lake, head up to Kom Cafe for breakfast. This spot sits high above Uzungol and offers one of the best views. You've probably seen it on Instagram. You can join an organized trip up, or hike it yourself, which takes about an hour. It's tiring, but rewarding once you get there.
A word from experience though: don't do this in summer. The trail is exposed and steep, and the sun turns it into a real slog.
The breakfast spread at Kom is a proper Turkish affair: cheese, honey, menemen (a tomato and egg scramble cooked Turkish style), bread, and tea. You should also try Kuymak here. It's a thick mix of local cheese and cornmeal, almost fondue-like in texture. Personally, it wasn't really my thing despite being a big cheese fan. But you should try it yourself!
Trabzon Center
After breakfast, catch a bus back to Trabzon from the same spot where you first arrived. Check into your hotel in the city center and then spend the evening exploring on foot. Walk through Meydan Park, which is a lively open square with restaurants around its edges. Then head down Uzun Sokak, a long pedestrian street packed with shops, dessert cafes, and locals going about their evening. It's a good introduction to how Trabzon actually feels as a city.
For accommodation, I recommend Otel Tahir Aga Konagi. It's budget-friendly and only a 5-minute walk from the city center, which puts you in a good position for Day 3.
Day 3: Exploring Trabzon City
Start your morning with coffee. Company Cafe or Gloria Jean's near the city center are good options, both easy to find and close to where the day's main sites begin.
Trabzon Hagia Sophia
Your first stop is Hagia Sophia. Don't confuse it with the one in Istanbul. This version dates back to the 13th century and carries a completely different character. It was originally built as a Byzantine church, later converted into a mosque, and today functions as a museum. The old frescoes and paintings on the interior walls have survived remarkably well.
Sera Lake
Next, head to Sera Lake. It sits in a leafy valley a few kilometers from the center, and while it's accessible by public transport, the connections can be a bit confusing. A taxi is the easier call here, or you can join an organized tour that combines it with other Trabzon sights. Once you arrive, rent a pedal boat and take a slow loop around the lake, or just sit at the lakeside cafe and enjoy the calm. It's a low-key spot, and that's exactly what makes it worth a visit.
If you have extra time in Trabzon beyond the three days, Sumela Monastery and Haider Nabi Plateau are both worth knowing about. That said, they're each about an hour from the center and require a rental car. Personally, I think your time is better spent doing the Rize and Ayder extension on Days 4 and 5, which I'll get into next.
Days 4 and 5: Rize and Ayder Plateau
This is where the Northern Turkey trip gets even better if you have the luxury of time.
Before you figure out the logistics, it's worth knowing your options. The simplest way is an organized tour from Trabzon that covers both Rize and Ayder. You show up, someone else handles the driving and timing, and you just enjoy the trip. Packages on GetYourGuide tend to come in cheaper than what the tour operators at Trabzon's center will quote you in person.
That said, the road to Rize and Ayder is genuinely part of the experience. If stopping at a random viewpoint without checking a group schedule sounds more like your style, renting a car is worth considering. It cuts down the dead time between spots, and you can book ahead and collect it straight from Trabzon Airport. Compare rental deals from trusted suppliers in Trabzon directly below.
If you're travelling on budget like me, the bus is still a decent option. Trabzon to Rize runs regularly and takes about an hour. From Rize, you can pick up onward transport to Ayder, though the connections get less frequent the further into the mountains you go, so plan your timing accordingly.
Rize, the Tea Capital
Like Dibrugarh in India, Rize is the tea capital of Turkey, and you can see it the moment you arrive. The hillsides are covered in tea plantations, the shops sell honey and butter, and the city moves at a slower pace than Trabzon.
Start with the Ziraat Tea Garden, one of Rize's most famous spots. It sits on a hilltop with wide views over the city and the Black Sea below. The menu goes well beyond standard black tea: look for lavender tea, hibiscus tea, and various local blends, most priced around $2 per cup.
If you have a couple of hours, head to the Ceceva Tea Plantation, about 30 minutes outside Rize. You get to see the actual process of growing and processing tea, which gives you a much better sense of why this region produces so much of it.
Rize Castle (Rize Kalesi) is another optional stop: free entry, and it has good views over the city.
The seafront promenade is worth a stroll too, with restaurants along the waterfront and bike rentals if you want to cover more ground.
Ayder Plateau
On the way up to Ayder, the Firtina River (which translates to Storm River) is worth slowing down for. Rafting here is one of the more popular activities in the region, with routes available for families and more experienced rafters. If you have time to explore the surrounding area, the Senyuva Ottoman Bridge is one of roughly 20 historic stone bridges along the Fiirtina River valley.
Ayder Plateau sits at around 1,350 meters above sea level in the Camlihemshin area, about two hours from Trabzon's Center. The first thing you notice at Ayder is the air. It's clean in a way that city air never is, and the plateau opens up into a wide green meadow ringed by forested hills and snow-capped Kackar Mountains in the distance.
Gelintulu Waterfall is one of the iconic sights here. The best view is from across the meadow rather than right at the base. Give yourself some distance and you'll understand why it became such a well-known image of the region.
The hot springs at Ayder (Ayder Kaplıcaları) are a highlight, especially if your legs are tired from hiking. The water comes from around 260 meters underground and reaches about 50 degrees Celsius. You can soak in them, and they're a popular option year-round.
If you want something with less effort, paragliding and zipline experiences are both available at Ayder.
For the more active travellers: the Kackar Mountains offer some genuinely challenging and rewarding hiking. Trails typically run between 5.5 and 6.5 hours depending on the route, and you'll be walking through mountain meadows with views of snow-covered peaks in winter.
Best Time to Visit Northern Turkey
The best windows are spring (April to June) and autumn (September to October). The weather is mild, the landscape is at its greenest in spring. These months are also better for hiking, particularly in Ayder, where the trails are more manageable without the summer heat.
Winter is underrated for this region. The hot springs at Ayder are excellent in cold weather, the snow covers the plateau completely and changes the whole feel of the place, and the crowds disappear almost entirely. Some sites may be closed or have reduced hours, so check ahead.
My Final Thoughts on Northern Turkey
Northern Turkey is the kind of trip that stays with you. The landscape is unlike anything else in Turkey, Uzungol and Ayder are genuinely popular for good reason, and Trabzon works well as a base without overstaying its welcome.
Three days cover Trabzon and Uzungol at a comfortable pace. Add two more for Rize and Ayder and you have a solid five-day trip. Honestly, that's the right amount of time here. You don't need more unless you're planning serious hiking and camping in the Kaçkar Mountains, which is a different story.
One practical tip on routing: start in Trabzon, not Istanbul. Fly into Trabzon first, do the north, then make your way to Istanbul at the end since you'll be flying home from there anyway. It saves you a transit day and avoids doubling back. If you need help planning your Istanbul days, my Istanbul 3-day itinerary covers exactly that.
Have questions about the Northern Turkey trip? Drop them in the comments below and I'll do my best to help you plan it.
