Getting to Know Rize
Rize is set on the eastern Black Sea coast, on the northern slopes of the Kaçkar Mountains, which rise above 3,000 metres only a few kilometres inland from the sea. As moist air masses hit these high mountains, Rize is the province with the highest rainfall in Türkiye; annual rainfall exceeds 2,000 mm. This climate makes possible the dense forests that cover the slopes and Türkiye’s tea cultivation.
Known in ancient sources as Rhizus, the city came under the Empire of Trebizond in 1204; it was conquered by Fatih Sultan Mehmet in 1470 and in Ottoman times was part of the Lazistan Sanjak. The inner part of Rize Castle above the city dates from the Byzantine period. Zilkale in Çamlıhemşin is an impressive medieval castle that guards the Fırtına Valley. The province is known for Laz culture on the coast and Hemşin culture inland; the migration to the highland pastures, the tulum and the horon are important parts of these cultures.
Tea cultivation was given legal footing in 1924 by Law no. 407 passed by the Grand National Assembly (TBMM); through the work of the agricultural inspector Zihni Derin, gardens were established with seeds brought from Batumi in 1937 and 1940, the first crop was harvested in 1938 and the first tea factory opened in 1947. Today Rize supplies most of Türkiye’s fresh tea production, and Rize tea has a registered geographical indication. Rize-Artvin Airport, opened in 2022 on land reclaimed from the sea at Pazar, is the second airport in Türkiye built on the sea.
When to Go
Rize has a mild Black Sea climate with heavy rain in every season. Averages for 1927–2025 from the Turkish State Meteorological Service:
| Month |
Avg. high |
Avg. low |
Rainfall |
Rainy days |
| January |
10.7 °C |
3.9 °C |
231 mm |
15 |
| February |
10.8 °C |
3.7 °C |
186 mm |
14 |
| March |
12.0 °C |
5.0 °C |
160 mm |
16 |
| April |
15.5 °C |
8.4 °C |
98 mm |
15 |
| May |
19.4 °C |
12.7 °C |
97 mm |
14 |
| June |
23.6 °C |
16.8 °C |
134 mm |
14 |
| July |
26.0 °C |
19.7 °C |
151 mm |
14 |
| August |
26.6 °C |
20.1 °C |
193 mm |
14 |
| September |
24.1 °C |
17.0 °C |
257 mm |
15 |
| October |
20.5 °C |
13.2 °C |
294 mm |
15 |
| November |
16.6 °C |
9.2 °C |
250 mm |
13 |
| December |
12.9 °C |
5.8 °C |
242 mm |
14 |
June to September is the best period. Ayder, Pokut, Huser and the other highland pastures are accessible in these months, and the highland festivals are held in July and August. The tea harvest takes place in three rounds from late May to October. September to January is the wettest period; take a raincoat with you in every season.
How to Get to Rize
By air: Rize-Artvin Airport (RZV) is in the Pazar district, about 35 km from the centre of Rize. Trabzon Airport is also about 75 km to the west.
By road: Rize lies on the Trabzon–Hopa coastal road, about 75 km from Trabzon. Ayder is reached from Ardeşen via Çamlıhemşin in about 1 hour. The Ovit Tunnel via İkizdere links the province with Erzurum. There is no railway in the province.
Rize Area by Area
- Rize centre: Rize Castle and the tea gardens, the Ziraat Botanical Tea Garden, Rize Museum and Atatürk House.
- Çamlıhemşin: the Fırtına Valley and its stone arch bridges, Zilkale, the Ayder, Pokut, Samistal, Huser and Elevit plateaus, Palovit Waterfall, Kaçkar Mountains National Park.
- Hemşin: the centre of Hemşin culture, and the registered Hemşin socks.
- İkizdere: Anzer Plateau and Anzer honey, the Cimil highland pasture, Mount Ovit.
- Ardeşen, Pazar and Fındıklı: where the Fırtına Stream reaches the sea, rafting and Laz culture.
- Çayeli, Derepazarı and İyidere: tea gardens, Çayeli koloti cheese and Derepazarı pide.
Suggested Itineraries
Day 1 – Rize centre: Views of the city and the tea gardens from Rize Castle, tea at the Ziraat Botanical Tea Garden; in the afternoon, watch production at a tea factory. Muhlama and black cabbage rolls in the evening.
Day 2 – The Fırtına Valley: From Ardeşen to Çamlıhemşin along the arch bridges; Zilkale and Palovit Waterfall, and a night in Ayder.
Day 3 – The highland pastures: From Ayder to the Huser and Pokut plateaus; sunset above the sea of clouds.
Day 4 – İkizdere and Anzer: Honey producers and highland flowers on Anzer Plateau.
Rize Cuisine
Rize cuisine is shaped by corn, black cabbage, anchovies and highland milk. The delicacies with a registered geographical indication are Rize muhlama, made with cornmeal and butter, Rize etli karalahana sarması (meat-stuffed black cabbage rolls), Rize kavurması, Rize pepeçurası (a dessert with grapes), Rize baston ekmek (baton bread), Rize simidi, Rize enişte lokumu (enişte Turkish delight), Derepazarı pidesi, Çayeli kuru fasulye yemeği (Çayeli dried bean dish) and Çayeli koloti peyniri. The products are Rize tea, Anzer honey, produced from the flowers of the Kaçkar highland pastures and counted among the most expensive honeys in the world, Ayder honey and Rize kokulu üzümü (Rize fragrant grapes).
Handicrafts
Rize cloth (feretiko), woven from linen or cotton, Hemşin socks with local patterns, Cimil socks and the İyidere pileki stone (pileki taşı) all have registered geographical indications.
Practical Tips
- Ayder and the surrounding highland pastures are very crowded at weekends and in July and August; book accommodation in advance.
- Rafting on the Fırtına Stream takes place in the summer months; choose licensed operators.
- Highland roads are narrow and winding; drive carefully in fog and rain.
- Anzer honey is very expensive and imitations are widespread; buy from producers with an analysis certificate.
Photo: BSRF (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Source 
