The cliche of Istanbul residents, we all come from somewhere in Turkey. So, my father comes from the Black Sea and my dear aunt still lives in Trabzon. Last July, we took the opportunity to explore this region, my sister, and my nephew, under the pretext of visiting my aunt.
One of the advantages of this trip was that we didn't have to stay in hotels and we had a car which made traveling easy!
Day 1:
We tried to use the time carefully on this short trip of 3 days. We flew to Trabzon in the morning, the flight is 1h 45m. Our first day was calm. We had a "welcome" meal at a typical delicious meatball restaurant on the coastal line. Then we made a small tour in Trabzon’s city center. We sat in at a “tea house”, or a “coffee house” - Turkey is full of those. No women were sitting here except us, but this was not disturbing. These places mostly dominated by men population and you might think that you are not welcome there. But most of the cases, no one cares. The bazaar of Trabzon is famous for its silversmiths. If you are interested in jewelry and silver decorative products, you can spend hours here. Besides, Ataturk's Mansion is a stop worth seeing, but it was closed the day we went.
Day 2:
We planned to have breakfast in Uzungöl, a small village where you can have a walk and paraglide, and to go to Borçka National Park from there. The road from Trabzon to Uzungöl takes approximately one hour and forty minutes. The roads are new and well-constructed. For this reason, driving is not very tiring in this region. I went to Uzungöl about 15 years ago. Uzungöl now is quite different from what I remember from my childhood visit. They have built a lot of apartments, and they did not consider the architecture so well. Oh and this bad architecture is what the Black Sea is famous for by the way. There was even a go-kart area within an amusement park for children in this small village. I think this park is newly established for activities for tourists who come here for a long vacation. All that did not match Uzungöl’s nature, which is still wonderful. We had breakfast in a place that overlooks the village. It was an average delicious breakfast. Since my aunt cooks the most delicious meals from this cuisine, I may be mercilessly judging the food I eat out. But Kuymak (Mihlama) was not delicious. Google "kuymak" please, it is corn flour cooked with fresh cream and a special type of cheese. We consume this mostly for breakfast. (Note: I recommend that you do not go without reading the guest comments of the restaurant you plan to dine.)
The road from Uzungöl to Borçka National Park takes two and a half hours. As you approach Borçka National Park, the road turns to a single lane mountain road. Therefore, it is useful to go with a careful and experienced driver. There are places where you can buy food and drink when you arrive at the lake. The scenery on the lake is incredible. You won't get enough of looking at it. If you are interested in rowing, you can rent a boat for 1 TL per minute and tour on the lake. There is a little queue, but it goes fast. It is also possible to walk around the lake for a while. If you wish, you can also camp here. Sleeping under the stars for a night here would be a great experience. Finally, you can go with your swimsuit and try swimming there! I did not see any sign that it was forbidden, but there was no one swimming on that beautiful summer day.
Day 3:
The next day we went to the Sumela Monastery and Hamsiköy. Trabzon - Sumela takes less than an hour. Sümela Monastery is still in the renovation, and I did not like the newly renovated parts. They gave the atmosphere of a boutique hotel in Alaçatı, meaning the old antique monastery now has an Egean feeling. Very sad. But walking to the monastery is quite enjoyable. Of course, if you wish, you can take the bus by giving 5 TL for a round trip. On our way to Hamsiköy – another small village famous for its rice dessert, we found a small horse farm. This was an hour-long break for us and a horse riding experience for my niece. Then we went to Hamsiköy and ate that rice pudding which is called “sütlaç” in Turkish. There was a lot of construction in Hamsiköy, the scenery is sad, the food is delicious. Besides, the grills are also awesome. Having lunch here will not disappoint you.
We evaluated the end of the day by having a picnic in the village where my father was born. Exploring this little village with my niece was quite relaxing.
This short trip encouraged me to plan a longer one. I hope to be able to return for more soon to walk in the wide beautiful tea plantations, visit tiny tiny villages in the mountains and enjoy the dark green view.
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