Things to Do in Çaykara: 3 Places to Visit

Places to Visit in Çaykara

• 2 Nature
• 1 Attraction

1 📸 Attraction

Sultan Murat Plateau

A plateau area where a 3-star hotel stands and highland tourism has developed.

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2 🌳 Nature

Çaykara Plateaus

Extensive plateaus used by local people in the summer.

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i Photo: İhsan Deniz Kılıçoğlu (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Source

3 🌳 Nature

Uzungöl

A landslide-dammed lake at an elevation of 1,090 metres above sea level. Surrounded by pine forests and mountains, it is one of the most visited natural beauties in Türkiye. Walking trails and accommodation around the lake attract visitors throughout the year.

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While you are in Çaykara, you can also see the highlights of Trabzon province. These places are in other districts; Çaykara is about 75 km from the provincial centre.

• Sumela Monastery — A Greek Orthodox monastery in Maçka, within Altındere Valley National Park, at an altitude of 1,150 metres above Mount Kara; the first church was built in AD 365–395, and in 2010 the first service in 88 years was held on 15 August.
• Hagia Sophia — Located in the Fatih neighbourhood and regarded as the best-preserved surviving monument of the Empire of Trebizond, the building combines Byzantine provincial style, a Georgian onion dome and Seljuk stonework; today it is a mosque.
• Atatürk Pavilion — A four-storey pavilion (including its basement) with Western Renaissance influences, set in a pine grove at Soğuksu; it was built between 1890 and 1912 as a summer residence by the Greek-born banker Konstantin Kabayanidis.
• Trabzon Museum (Kostaki Mansion) — A mansion with Italian architectural influences on Zeytinlik Street, built between 1898 and 1913 by the banker Kostaki Teofilaktos; today it serves as a museum.
• Lake Sera — A landslide-dammed lake in the Derecik Valley in Akçaabat, formed on 21 February 1950 when rock broken away by excessive rainfall blocked the valley floor.
• Trabzon Castle — A castle on Byzantine foundations in the highest part of Ortahisar, stretching from the seashore to the hills behind the city; it has three sections: Upper Castle (Yukarı Hisar), Middle Castle (Orta Hisar) and Lower Castle (Aşağı Hisar).

Practical Information for Visiting Çaykara

Suggested time

2–3 days

Best time to visit

Summer months (June–September)

Places to visit

3 places

• 🧀

  Kuymak

  Kuymak, made by stirring cornmeal and Trabzon cheese in butter as they cook, is an indispensable flavour of Çaykara's plateau breakfasts.

• 🐟

  Alabalık (trout)

  Trout raised in Uzungöl and the streams around it, served grilled or fried in a pan. Freshly caught fish offers a gastronomic experience specific to the region.

Culture, Local Products and Economy of Çaykara

• 🏞️

  Uzungöl Tourism Culture

  Uzungöl has become an international tourism centre, especially thanks to the strong interest of Arab tourists. Accommodation and restaurants around the lake have become a meeting point for different cultures.

Local Products

• Hazelnuts — Hazelnuts grown on the slopes of Çaykara are the district's principal agricultural product.
• Honey — Flower honey collected on high-altitude plateaus, known in the region for its natural, unadulterated character.

Economy

Çaykara's economy rests on tourism, agriculture and livestock farming. Uzungöl attracts millions of visitors each year, and tourism forms the basis of the district's economy. Hazelnut production and beekeeping are other important sources of income.

How to Get to Çaykara

Çaykara is 75 km from Trabzon city centre. Uzungöl is reached from Çaykara by a 19 km road. Trabzon Airport is 85 km away. Regular minibus services run from Trabzon.

Get directions on Google Maps Getting to Trabzon

Çaykara: Frequently Asked Questions

Continue Your Trip

• 🍽️ What to Eat in Çaykara Famous dishes and local products →
• 🗺️ Things to Do in Trabzon The province's 10 best places and all its districts →

Other Districts of Trabzon

• Akçaabat 5 places Akçaabat Castle (Pulathane), Akçaabat Seafront and Akçakale (Livera) Castle
• Araklı 13 places Araklı Castle, Karadağ Plateau and Araklı Coast
• Arsin 4 places Arsin Coast, Arsin Plateaus and Arsin Coastal Park
• Beşikdüzü 3 places Beşikdüzü Seafront, Beşikdüzü Plateaus and Hodala Chapels
• Çarşıbaşı 2 places Çarşıbaşı Seafront and Çarşıbaşı Plateaus
• Dernekpazarı 2 places Dernekpazarı Plateaus and Solaklı Valley
• Düzköy 5 places Çal Cave, Düzköy Plateaus and Düzköy Waterfalls
• Hayrat 3 places Ziyaret Hill, Hayrat Plateaus and Solaklı Valley
• Köprübaşı 3 places Köprübaşı Plateaus, Madur Mountain and Harman Plateau
• Maçka 4 places Sümela Monastery (Sümela Manastırı), Zigana Pass (Zigana Geçidi) and Mağura Plateau (Mağura Yaylası)
• Of 5 places Solaklı Valley, Hıdırnebi Plateau and Of Castle
• Ortahisar 9 places Atatürk Square (Atatürk Meydanı), Excavation Site (Kazı Alanı) and Hagia Sophia Museum, Trabzon (Ayasofya Müzesi)
• Sürmene 6 places İssiporto Harbour (İssiporto Limanı), Halanik and Sürmene Kastel Castle (Sürmene Kastel Kalesi)
• Şalpazarı 3 places Ağasar Valley (Ağasar Vadisi), Şalpazarı Plateaus (Şalpazarı Yaylaları) and Şalpazarı Forests (Şalpazarı Ormanları)
• Tonya 5 places Karakısrak Hill, Fol Deresi Valley and Erikbeli Hill
• Vakfıkebir 3 places Vakfıkebir Castle (Vakfıkebir Kalesi), Vakfıkebir Shore (Vakfıkebir Sahili) and Vakfıkebir Plateaus (Vakfıkebir Yaylaları)
• Yomra 5 places Yomra Coast, Oymalıtepe and Yomra Plateaus