RIZE

Rize (75 km east of Trabzon) is built on a mountain slope covered with tea bushes that look like puffy green pillows. Be sure to see this typical Black Sea city’s 16th-century Islam Pasa Mosque and the remains of a Genoese castle. From Ziraat Park you can take in a splendid panorama of the whole area. A lightweight summer cloth of good quality and printed with colorful patterns comes from the Rize area. During the Summer Tea Festival you can purchase the best blend of Black Sea tea. Mehmet Mataraci Mansion is now an Atatürk Museum that displays his personal belongings as well as ethnographical artifacts from the region. Turning inland after Ardesen off the road going east from Rize, you come to the beautiful little town of Camlihemsin straddling a rushing stream. Nearby is the Firtina Vadisi (Valley of Storms) – ideal for canoeing and the beautiful Zir Castle, and stone bridges from Byzantine times. After walking around Ayder’s rolling meadows, you can relax in one of the many hot springs. For those who like mountain climbing, this is the best starting point for scaling the Kackar Mountains. This emerald range is one of the best and the most challenging for climbers in Turkey. The whole of the Kackar Range constitutes the beautiful Kackar Daglari National Park. In the mountains south of Rize, Anzer village offers the world-famous and nutritious Anzer honey and is a nice area for hiking and for its botany. Ikizdere Canyon, between Anzer and Ikizdere Plateaus, is a great spot for hang-gliding. At the same time you get a bird’s-eye view of the area. Near Rize, the towns of Cayeli, Pazar, Ardesen, Of and Findikli all enjoy a subtropical climate, lush green settings and boast traditional chalets. The Camburnu coast is covered with golden pine trees where many species of migrating birds stop and it is a lovely area for resting and picture taking.