TRABAZON for scenic beauty
 

Hi
Need some info on Trabazon , about where to book my hotel/cottage

my preference is staying in the mountaneous region and not sure which area/city to stay

was thinking of Rize or Ozungol lake side in the green and scenic mountain

All suggestions needed

The scenic Black Sea Coast of Turkey stretches for 500 kilometers or more, starting at Karakum Sakarya and ends at the Georgian Border.

Each section has a different type of ecology and will appeal to different aesthetics, interests and sports.

Trabzon and environs include some not so ancient churches and the spectaculat Sumela monastery. To visit them you should look for lodging within Trabzon area.

Rize has three valleys leading up to different types of rivers and mountains, including Uzun Gol which was totally ruined by construction around the lake destroying
the area.and the lake itself.
One valley leading to Ovit mountain which has rocky, pebbly glacier remnants as well as meadows for Summer animal husbandry.

The third valley leads to Camlihemsin and Ayder plateau. These areas have become quite popular in recent years and have different types of logic, B&Bs, wood cabins, etc.

You can either pick Rize for lodging and visit each of the three valleys, one day for each; or you can find lodging at Uzungol or at Ayder to discover those areas in depth.
When I visited Ovit mountain, I did not notice any regular hotels at the Ikiz Dere valley except for one or two spas. The spas of this type are usually frequented by conservative moslem families and older people seeking cure for various ailments.


Third choice could be renting a car and starting at Trabzon, moving to Rize and then Hopa and then up to Borcka, possibly visiting Borcka Kara Gol and Macahel region, or moving South Southeast from Borcka towards Savsat for some old Georgian church ruins, a castle or two and Middle Earth scenery.

Please check my Western Black Sea trip reports at OTHERCHELEBI'S TRAVELS for the less well-known Western regions which has its own charm; canyons, waterfalls, and old Ottoman wooden houses.

My wife and I have a blog of our older visit to Eastern Black Sea at:

Trip to points at and between Hopa, Batumi, Camili,
Trip to Borcka Karagol, Artvin, Savsat to Ardahan
Yusufeli, Barhal, ?spir to Rize

By this time, you should know what interests you and can make a preliminary plan for your visit.

Any more questions will be welcome.