Trabzon was founded around 756 BC by Greek colonists from Sinope, who hailed from Miletus. They called their new colony Trapezous, ancient Greek for "table", due to the topography of the central hill, squeezed between two rivers with steep cliffs on both sides. While the dominant language and culture in the city remained Greek, the colony attracted many settlers from the surrounding Caucasian, Anatolian and Persian peoples, creating a unique regional cultural blend that still leaves its traces today. Trabzon has been a major trade centre through history — for long, it was a main port-of-call on one of the main routes between Europe and Persia and beyond, which involved taking a ship across the Black Sea from Romania (and later Constantinople). After the Roman conquest, the city was given a new harbor and a paved road towards Persia. The road fostered trade and cultural exchange, and was used for attacks on the Persian Empire during the Roman and Byzantine periods. After a Turkmen attack on the city was repelled by a local force in the 1080s, the city broke relations with the Byzantine Empire and acted as an independent state. The Mongol sack of Baghdad diverted more trade caravans from Tabriz to Trabzon and the city grew in wealth from the taxes it could impose on trade between Europe, Persia and China. The city traded intensely with Genoa and to a lesser extent with Venice during the early renaissance, with some cultural influences going both ways. During this era, Trabzon was visited by many travellers, Marco Polo being among them.

In medieval times, the city served as the capital of the Empire of Trebizond ruled by the Komnenos family, which also provided several emperors to the Byzantine throne in Constantinople. The longest surviving rump Byzantine state, Trabzon was captured by the Ottoman Turks in 1461, almost a decade after the fall of Constantinople.

During the 18th and 19th centuries Europeans wishing to explore the Caucasus, Iran and the eastern domains of the Ottoman Empire used Trabzon as a point of departure or return. World War I left deep scars in the city; it lost many of its young male Muslims at the battle of Sarıkamış in 1914, its entire Armenian population in the genocide of 1915, and most of its Greek inhabitants during the population exchange of 1923. Closed borders with the Soviet Union meant that the city could only recover culturally and economically in the 1970s. Trabzon as of 2022 is a city under reconstruction, but offers many historical, cultural and natural sights. The city constitutes the largest urban metropolitan region of Turkey's Black Sea coast, with nearly 1 million inhabitants. Trabzon functions as the cultural capital of the Turkish Black Sea coast, and its inhabitants are very proud of their city and region.

Trabzon has just returned on the tourist radar, and the city is still investing in tourist infrastructure. Like a few other Turkish cities such as Istanbul and Izmir, Trabzon is culturally located somewhat in between Anatolia and Eastern Europe. In the case of Trabzon this is due to the Pontic Mountains, which used to form a cultural barrier. Coming from the Anatolian heartland, it feels like one is entering Europe, while coming from the Caucasus, Trabzon comes across as the first city with Middle-Eastern influences. Tourists who visit Trabzon come mostly from a few countries: nearby Georgia, Russia, the Netherlands, Germany, Greece, Azerbaijan, New Zealand and the Gulf states.

Trabzon experiences a mild, humid, and very cloudy oceanic climate, like most of the Black Sea coastline. However, Trabzon's sheltered location allows it to stay warmer and drier than most of the regions that surround it, especially in winter. This causes the city to show some characteristics of a humid subtropical climate.

Summers in Trabzon are warm, humid, and often mostly cloudy. Rain is frequent, but often light and brief, owing — as usual — to its sheltered location. This is generally a good time to visit, although high humidity does sometimes become a problem, especially at night.

Winters are cool with long stretches of northerly winds bringing temperatures down to slightly above the freezing mark, and rainy, or less frequently, snowy weather. These periods are bridged by mild to warm, clear days, caused by dry, southerly winds descending the mountains. This can raise the temperature to above 18-19 °C, creating almost summerlike conditions.

Spring and fall are both mild, but they differ in rainfall. Fall is the rainiest time of year, as Western European windstorms, some of which restrengthen in the Black Sea after hitting Europe, are most common during this time. Spring, on the other hand, is relatively dry and often the time with the most sunshine, even though one really shouldn't expect to see sunny skies at any time of the year when traveling to this region of Turkey.

The Eastern Black Sea Region has its own dialect of Turkish, more influenced by Greek and Persian than the Anatolian varieties. Because of the isolation of the coastal cities, the dialect retained archaic grammar and vocabulary that has been lost in other Turkish dialects. The most striking example is the restricted use of vowel harmony, one of the building blocks of all Turkic languages. This means that the local dialect can sound funny to speakers of 'standard' Anatolian or Istanbul Turkish. Much Turkish low-brow humor revolves around characters from Trabzon, but the locals don't appreciate the jokes that are made at their expense. The western districts of Trabzon province form a gradual transition area to Anatolian Turkish. This Turkish will be more easily understood for tourists who have studied the language.

Next to old varieties of Turkish, there are some minority languages that are spoken, mostly in the rural communities to the southwest and southeast of the city. Romeyka is the most archaic Greek language spoken in current times; its speakers are concentrated in the Of-valley along the Solaklı River in the villages on the mountain slopes in Çaykara district and surrounding areas. There are also small pockets of Greek-speaking Muslim villages in Tonya and Sürmene districts. Most locals don't like being called Greek; instead they use the terms Rum or Romioi (meaning Roman/Byzantine) to describe their heritage. However, they are very proud of their language, and they are happy to use it to converse with Greek-speaking tourists. Speakers of Modern Greek are generally unable to understand the local dialect, while people that have an understanding of Pontic or Cypriot Greek, or those who have an advanced education in Classical Greek, are able to engage with locals in basic conversations. It is still possible to find Pontic Greek speakers in Trabzon city, and tourists should not be afraid to openly speak Greek in public spaces. It is more likely, however, to find a local who is fluent in German, Dutch, French or Russian.

English language courses are immensely popular among the young generation, but it is not yet as commonly spoken as in neighboring Georgia. There are small groups of Georgians and Ukrainians in the city.

One of the most remarkable languages in the Trabzon region, kuş dili, is whistled in several villages straddling the border of Trabzon and Giresun provinces. It is one of a few whistled languages in the world, and it is kept alive through a yearly festival in Kuşköy (Bird village).

Trabzon has long been touted as the "city of tale in the East". Its historical prominence, intellectual independence and trade relations with Italian city-states were elements that earned Trebizond a legendary mythical place in European literature until well after its economic and cultural peak when it functioned as the capital of the Empire of Trebizond in the 14th and 15th century (both Don Quixote and Picrochole wished to possess the city). The most renowned work of modern literature that describes the city is Rose Macaulay's The Towers of Trebizond. Travellers interested in classical history might want to read Xenophon's Anabasis, in which Trabzon enters as the first Greek city the soldiers encounter after their retreat from Persia. For those interested in the Renaissance trade relations of Trabzon, there is The Spring of the Ram, the second book from the series The House of Niccolò by Dorothy Dunnett, and The Burnished Blade by Lawrence Schoonover. Popular Turkish novels which feature the city are Pomegranate Tree by Nazan Bekiroglu and Aleko of Trebizond by Kadri Özcan. L'immortelle de Trébizonde, a French novel about the Armenian genocide by Paule Henry Bordeaux, has been republished, and Anyush is a publication by Martine Madden. Those attempting a round trip along the Black Sea could read Kéraban the Inflexible by Jules Verne; Turkish students recreating the journey concluded the trip was even more difficult a century later (virtually impossible since 2014). Those heading to Georgia might want to read about the myths of the Argonauts and their quest for the Golden Fleece; those heading west, to Samsun or Sinop, about the Amazons.

The Black Sea region, and Trabzon in particular, has an important place in the history of Turkish theater, photography and cinema. The Pontic Greeks of Trebizond were among the first groups in the Ottoman Empire to establish theaters, musical venues and photography studios as early as the 1870s, and they were soon followed by the Armenian and Turkish population of the province. The long history of the city - and that of the Pontus in general - had already led to the creation of musicals and operas in Western Europe, such as Offenbach's The Princess of Trebizond, which is still a popular play for theater groups around the world. The scenic pastoral environments surrounding the city, as well as the diverse local cultures and rich local folklore, has inspired many modern Turkish movie directors. Cinema from the region often addresses issues such as migration, isolation from modern society, dysfunctional or traumatized families, or mental health issues. Some notable films that have been recorded in the region are: Pandora's Box (about a woman suffering from Alzheimer) and Waiting for the Clouds (about an elderly Pontic Greek woman rediscovering her past) by Yeşim Ustaoğlu, Bal by Semih Kaplanoğlu (about a young boy in the mountains who has to learn to deal with grief), Cold of Kalandar by Mustafa Kara (about the struggle of a farmer hoping to strike gold during a strong winter), Zephyr by Belma Baş (about a youg girl who is abandoned by her mother), and Autumn by Özcan Alper (about the struggle of a former convict when he returns to his home soil).

Trabzon has its own musical culture, which stands apart from the rest of the country in rhythm, instrumentation and lyrical narratives, and has some Caucasian influences. Trabzon music is typically made to dance. Especially the 'Horon' circle dance has been a binding agent between the local people for millennia. The most popular topics of folk singers from Trabzon are melancholy for a lost childhood in the mountains, memories of a deceased friend or parent, or a doomed love affair (such as between a wealthy person and a peasant, or a Muslim and a Christian). Music from the region typically features prominently the local national instrument - the 'Kemençe' violin - and sometimes makes use of minority languages, such as Romeyka Greek or Laz. 'Karadenizli' (Black Sea) music is popular throughout the country, however, and local artists often collaborate with other Turkish artists, and musicians from the Pontic Greek diaspora in Greece. Some of the most popular artists from the region are Kazim Koyuncu, Volkan Konak, Apolas Lermi, Onur Atmaca, Ekin Uzunlar, and Adem Ekiz.

• 41.0051939.731571 Tourist office (Trabzon Turizm Bürosu) (one block to the east of Atatürk Alani square, down Camii Sk., just beyond Hotel Nur), ☏ +90 462 3264760. For general tourist information. The staff speak English very well and provide a wealth of information about Trabzon and its surroundings (pdf). Before doing anything in Trabzon, go to the tourist office. 

40.995139.78971 Trabzon Airport (TZX  ^IATA), ☏ +90 462 3280940, [email protected]. This has flights from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf, and Ercan in Northern Cyprus; few from Europe beyond occasionally from Germany. Domestic connections are excellent: hourly from Istanbul (IST and SAW) and at least daily from Ankara, Izmir and Adana. The airport has the usual facilities including car hire. Havaş shuttle bus runs downtown, otherwise walk to the coastal highway (westbound) for a dolmuş. (updated Jul 2025)

D010 is the six-lane coastal highway. From Sarp on the border with Georgia takes 2½ hours and from Samsun takes 4½ hours.

E97 is the inland highway, crossing the mountains to Gümüşhane and then east to Bayburt and Erzurum.

D915 looks like a short-cut on the map, going inland from Of to Bayburt to join E97. It's scenic but scary, take it slow, and don't attempt it in winter.

Buses from Istanbul run several times a day and take 18 hours via Gebze, Izmit, Samsun and multiple Black Sea coast towns. Several continue to Batumi in Georgia.

From Erzurum is 4 hours, ten per day; from Ankara they run hourly taking 12 hours. From Erzincan is 3 hr 30 min, from Adana 15 hr. Dolmuşes from Gümüşhane run hourly.

One bus a day is from Batumi, taking six hours via Sarp and Hopa. It has been known for the eastbound bus to give up at the border if the queue to cross is too long: walk across and pick up a dolmuş, see Batumi#Get in. Change there for Tbilisi and Baku.

Bus operators include Metro Turizm, Flixbus and Ulusoy.

40.996639.75232 Otogar the bus station is on Terminal Sk 3 km east of city centre. A free servis - shuttle bus - runs downtown. Otherwise walk north to the end of Terminal Sk to pick up a dolmuş on Devlet Karayolu Cd.

The center of Trabzon is walkable; most of its historical sights lie in an area of 1½ km by 500 m. This includes the area around central Meydan square in the east, the bazaar quarter in the center, and the historic walled city towards the west. If one is interested in taking in as many historical sights as possible, it is advisable to plan several walks around these different areas of the city. The historic city was built on a hill between two ravines (Zagnos to the west and Kuzgun to the east), thus there is a lot of height difference between neighbourhoods, and travellers should be prepared to climb up and down stairs and walk streets with steep inclinations. Car traffic has been limited through the historic neighborhoods, making it safer for pedestrians. Since the arrival of the coastal highway the city has been amputated from the sea. To alleviate this the city has started constructing a promenade along most of its 5 km-long western coast. With few restaurants or other facilities, it has yet to regain its historic attractiveness.

Notable locations outside the central zone are the Hagia Sophia to the west of the city and Boztepe tea garden overlooking the city towards the southeast. To get to these locations one best uses a minibus (dolmuş). There are dolmuş stops on Kahramanmaraş Street west off Meydan square.

There is also a small minibus station just southeast of Meydan, under the viaduct. For transport towards one of the villages towards the east of Trabzon and in Rize province, there is again a different dolmus station along the coastal road.

Detailed map
Around Meydan (Mapnik layer is the most detailed)

• 41.004339.73153 Local minibus station (Dolmuş gar) (to the south of central Meydan, under the viaduct). Buses to neighborhoods of Trabzon and surrounding villages. 
• 41.004139.73424 Regional minibus station (Dolmuş gar) (down the hill and to the east of central Meydan, west of the coastal road). Buses to villages in Trabzon and Rize provinces. 

Trabzon has dozens of churches and mosques dating from the Byzantine period, the Empire of Trebizond and the Ottoman Empire. During the classical period the city at least had temples for Hermes (the god of trade), Apollo (sun), and multiple Mithraeum for the Persian-Greek god Mithras. A bronze statue of Hermes can be found in the basement of the Trabzon Museum. On the places of these temples, which were destroyed for the most part in the 3rd century, Christian chapels were built. The oldest surviving church is the 6th- or 7th-century Armenian church of St. Anna, which was built to the east of the Kuzgun (Tabakhane) valley because Armenians were not allowed to live inside the city walls. After the Ottoman conquest most churches within the walled city were converted into mosques. Many of these buildings retained some elements that hint at their Christian past. During the 18th and 19th centuries there was a boom in the construction of mosques and churches. Most of the historic churches and mosques of the city survived the first world war and the building frenzy of the 1970s onward. One of the most famous churches of the city however, the 19th-century Saint Gregory of Nyssa, which stood on the rocky outcrop at the former Genoese castle Leonkastron, overlooking both harbors of the city, was dynamited in 1930.

Church buildings

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• 41.003339.69611 Hagia Sophia, Ayasofya Cd 60 (3 km west, dolmuş marked "Aya Sofya"). 24 hr. The city's top sight, a Byzantine church built in the 1250s, with beautiful frescoes, arches and friezes. It became a mosque in 2013 whereupon pre-Islamic features were covered up, but most of these were uncovered in 2020. The free-standing bell tower was added in 1427; nothing remains of the monastery. Free. (updated Jul 2025)
• 41.006139.72332 St Anne's Church (Küçük Ayvası Kilise), Mısırlıoğlı Ar 7. 24 hours. Dinky little Greek Orthodox basilica from 6th / 7th century AD, one of the oldest buildings in the city. It fell out of use when the Greeks were deported and many frescos were painted over, but in 2021 / 22 it was all restored. Free. (updated Jul 2025)
• Office of the Chamber of Mechanical Engineers (Makina Mühendisleri Odası) is the imposing building facing St Anne's Church.
• 41.004539.71953 Fatih Mosque (Panagia Khrysokephalos), Fatih Cami Sk 1. The "Golden domed church of All Saints" was built in the 10th or 11th century on much earlier foundations - until the 4th century AD it was the scene of Mithras worship.In the Middle ages it was the city cathedral, and hosted coronations for the Emperors of Trebizond. It was converted to a mosque when the Ottomans took over in 1461. Restoration in 2017/18 uncovered more original features, and a raised glass platform enables you to see the fine late-Roman mosaic floor. (updated Jul 2025)
• 41.001139.72234 Yenicuma Mosque (Church of Saint Eugenius), Cami Sk 48 (off Yavuz Selim Blv). Built in the 13th century as a church dedicated to Saint Eugenius, the patron saint of the city. Eugenius was a martyr under the persecutions of Diocletian around 305 AD. His holy intercession supposedly saved the city from Turkish assault in 1224, but did nothing to halt the conquest by Mehmet in 1461. The church was thereafter converted to a mosque, which remains in use and is only open for prayer times. Free. (updated Jul 2025)
• 41.007239.73185 Santa Maria Church (Santa Mariya Klisesi), Sümer Sk. This is the only church in Trabzon that still has regular Roman Catholic masses. It was founded by Italian Capuchin monks expelled from Tbilisi in 1845, as part of a long anti-Catholic campaign by the Russian Tsars. (updated Jul 2025)
• 41.007939.71516 St John Exoteichos Church (Sotka Kilisesi), Haneci Sk 4. Former Greek Orthodox church founded in 1306 outside the city walls - exoteichos- but rebuilt in 1856 very much hemmed in by the city. It's now used as an annex to a primary school. The exterior is in good condition, no access to the interior, where the frescoes have been lost. (updated Jul 2025)
• 41.000839.73417 Kudrettin Mosque (St Philip Church), Kudrettin Cami Sk. Built as St Philip Church in 1302 and extended into a cathedral in 1461. It was converted into a mosque circa 1665. In 1968 this was rebuilt, so what you see now is retro-Ottoman. (updated Jul 2025)
• 41.007139.71848 Molla Siyah Mosque (Nakip Mosque), Mısırlı Sk 11. Built in the 11th-century as the Orthodox church of St. Andreas or Andrew, and converted to a mosque after 1461. It's still in use. (updated Jul 2025)
• 41.006839.72919 Yeni Kemerkaya Mosque (Kemerkaya Cami). Former church built in 1838 
• 41.006739.713610 Hızırbey Mosque (Hızırbey Cami). Ottoman mosque built in 1789 around a pre-existing church. 
• 41.002339.73511 Hüsnü Köktuğ Mosque, Yaşar Kaptan Çebi Sk 11. Closed. Used as a mosque since 1953, and some believe it was formerly St Elefterios Church, built by the Genoese in the 15th century. However it doesn't look it, and more likely that church was closer to the port and long ago demolished. However Hüsnü Köktuğ has a strong claim to be the city's ugliest mosque, with its jarring modern facade. In 2025 it's closed for reconstruction. (updated Jul 2025)
• 40.993739.717112 Küçük Fatih Mosque, Bahçecik Cami Sk. Built around the 12th / 13th century as St Akindynos Church, and converted into a mosque after the conquest of 1461. It's still in use. (updated Jul 2025)

Islamic architecture

[edit]

Much of the Islamic architecture in Trabzon makes use of Seljuk and local Pontic/Caucasian references, instead of Ottoman ones found in other Turkish cities. Baroque Revivalism was also quite popular, and still has some influence on new mosque constructions.

• 41.005939.72913 İskender Paşa Mosque, Meydan Cami Sk 15. 24 hours. Built by governor İskender Pasha in 1559, and extensively restored in 1882. Its medressah and graveyard have been lost. Free. (updated Jul 2025)
• 41.007539.723414 Bazaar Mosque (Çarşı Camii), Çarşı Cami Sk 4. This late Baroque mosque was built in 1839 by governor Hazinedarzade Osman Paşa in the midst of the market quarter. It's the oldest surviving mosque in the city. (updated Jul 2025)
• 41.003239.716115 Gulbahar Hatun Mosque, Şenol Güneş Cd 17. Founded in 1514 by Selim, then governor and later Sultan, in honour of his mother. Gulbahar Hatun (1453-1505) was originally a slave girl and became the concubine of Bayezid II; her tomb is here. The mosque was repaired in 1883. (updated Jul 2025)
• 41.000839.719216 İçkale Mosque (İçkale Camii). Built in 1470 this was probably the first mosque to be constructed in the city. It is a small mosque on the acropolis of the old town, near the former palace. It was restored in the 19th century. The minaret dates to the 1960s. 
• 41.003839.724317 Hacı Kasım Muhittin Mosque, Muhittin Cami Sk 9. Sturdy Ottoman mosque built in 1822. (updated Jul 2025)
• 41.00139.712318 Erdoğdu Bey Mosque, Kıble Sk 1. Built in its present form in 1577, this is no longer in use, replaced by a larger modern mosque adjacent. (updated Jul 2025)
• 41.005139.722719 Tabakhane Mosque, Uzun Sk 77. Daily 09:00-17:00. Built in 1987 in retro style on the site of an earlier mosque. (updated Jul 2025)
• 41.007839.720720 Pazarkapı Mosque, Zaferi Sk. First built in 1563, but entirely rebuilt in 1987. (updated Jul 2025)
• 41.003839.729521 Tekke Mosque (Tekke Cami). Ottoman mosque, built in 1591. 
• 41.004539.71322 Hamza Paşa Mosque (Hamza Paşa Camii). Ottoman mosque, built in 1745. 
• 41.007839.724423 Hacı Salih Mosque, Alacahan Sk 14. Ottoman mosque, built in 1860. (updated Jul 2025)
• 41.001339.727624 Tavanli Mosque (Tavanli Cami). Ottoman mosque, built in 1874. 
• 40.99639739.73526325 Ahi Evren Dede Mosque. Ottoman mosque, built in 1890 
• 41.0081139.7222226 Haji Yahya Mosque (Haji Yahya Cami). Small Ottoman mosque 
• 41.007839.717827 Hoca Halil Mosque Mosque (Hoca Halil Cami). Small Ottoman mosque first built in 1553. Rebuilt in 1896 and 1963. 
• 40.9972139.7481828 Hasan Ağa Mosque (Hasan Ağa Cami). Mosque built in 1548. This mosque lies outside the central core of the city, in the Değirmendere neighborhood to the southeast of the harbor. 
• 36.2037736.1633929 Semerciler Mosque (Semerciler Camii). Small Ottoman mosque, built in 1759. 
• 41.0066139.7229630 Müftü Mosque (Müftü Cami). 1967 reconstruction of an Ottoman mosque first built in 1753. 

• Archaeology Museum (Kostaki Mansion), Zeytinlik Cd 7. Closed. This fine mansion was built for the banker Kostaki Teophylaktos in 1889. It's been closed for renovation since 2018 with no news of re-opening. (updated Jul 2025)
• 41.005939.728133 City Museum, Kahramanmaraş Cd 14, ☏ +90 462 321 4769. Tu-Su 09:00-19:00. This exhibits city history from its Ancient Greek foundation to Ottoman times, plus local natural history and ethnography. Signage is only in Turkish. Adult 50 TL. (updated Jul 2025)
• Trabzorspor Museum, Hüsnü Aybay Sk 6 (opposite City Museum). Daily 09:00-17:00. History and trophies of Trabzonspor football club. (updated Jul 2025)
• 41.004739.720934 History Museum (Ortahisar Tarih Müzesi), Sarayatik Cami Sk, ☏ +90 462 321 9058. Daily 09:00-17:00. Restored mansion with photographs, documents and artefacts describing the city in the Ottoman and Republican periods. Signage is only in Turkish. Free. (updated Jul 2025)
• 40.979839.697935 Atatürk Pavilion (Atatürk Köşkü), Ata Cd 1, Soğuksu. Daily 09:00-19:00. The summer home of banker Konstantin Kabayanidis, built late 19th century. He left during the post-war population exchanges and from 1924 Atatürk stayed here on several occasions. It's been furnished to period with his memorabilia. (updated Jul 2025)
• 41.008939.719736 Silk Road Museum (Ipekyolu Müzesi), Devlet Sahil Yolu Cd 103 (Within Chamber of Trade and Industry.), ☏ +90 462 326 80 70. M-F 08:30-17:30. Exhibits connected to the silk road trade. Free. (updated Jul 2025)

Detailed map
The Bazaar (Mapnik layer is the most detailed)

Three of the historic caravanserai of the city have been restored. They are all near each other in the Bazaar district.

• 41.0078239.7236837 Bedesten. A former caravanserai. Restored and turned into an arts and crafts center. 
• 41.0072339.7239338 Taş Han. A former caravanserai. Restored. 
• 41.0078739.7246239 Alaca Han. A former caravanserai. Restored and turned into an arts and crafts center. 

• 41.0037139.7197840 City walls are best viewed from Zagnos bridge and park. They're sometimes called a castle or fortress but were simply the walls and towers of the ancient city perched on the crag. Masonry was continually recycled so they're a hotch-potch of Roman, Byzantine, Trebizond and Ottoman work.
• 41.000539.717841 Eugenius Aqueduct (Kemeri). In the south of Zagnos Valley Park there is a small late Roman/early Byzantine aqueduct. 
• 41.00839.734342 Kalepark Fortress (Güzelhisar). It is a former Genoese fortification called Leonkastron. You can get there by walking to the northeast from the eastern end of Meydan square. There is a tea garden just west of the fortress, but as of early 2022 this area is undergoing major renovations.  
• 41.002939.732243 Trabzon Bar Association. The former American consulate, squeezed in between Yavuz Selim boulevard southeast of central Meydan square. 
• 41.0047539.7308544 Office of the chamber of journalists. Small but quaint historic building on the central Meydan square. 
• 41.004639.720445 Former Trebizond Province Governors office. This historic building now houses a cultural center. 
• 41.004139.719946 Russian consulate. This large building is in the heart of the historic walled city. 
• 41.007739.728747 Former Phrontisterion (Kanuni Anadolu Lisesi). Now the Turkish high school Kanuni Anadolu Lisesi. This monumental building housed the main Pontic Greek school of higher learning until 1921.  
• 41.00439.726748 Trabzon Art House (Trabzon Sanat Ev (Eski Vali Konağı)). The former city governors mansion. 
• 40.992439.722349 Arsenal (Cephanelik). In the south of the Tabakhane valley lies the old armory. It is restored and now houses a restaurant. 
• 41.002139.727750 Nemlioglu Mansion (Nemlioglu Konak, Nemlioğlu Konağı) (Central). 
• 41.00639.724651 Ortahisar education directorate (Ortahisar ilçe milli eğitim müdürlüğü). Monumental building on Kahramanmaraş street. 
• 41.000839.720352 Trabzon Aquarium, Kuzgundere Cd 82, ☏ +90 561 611 4335. Daily 10:00-19:00. Large walk-through aquarium. Adult 250 TL. (updated Jul 2025)
• 41.000839.720353 Trabzon Botanical Garden, Çamoba, ☏ +90 462 224 6161. Daily 09:00-21:00. Peaceful colourful park above the city. (updated Jul 2025)

• 41.005339.73082 Meydan. encircled by Atatürk Alanı. The central park has been renovated. There is a large statue of Ataturk which draws groups of demonstrators. But you can easily drink a relaxing tea under the trees, watch passers-by, eat on the sidewalk cafes or have a beer on one of the rooftop bars. 
• 41.004439.71823 Zagnos bridge & valley park. A park along the western side of the ancient walled city. With views on many historic mansions. Within the park one can also find a small open-air theater, a Byzantine aqueduct, and the "Trabzon Aquarium". 
• 40.998239.72974 Boztepe tea garden. Southeast of the center, on a hill overlooking the city. Offers great views during day and night. Until the 3rd century AD, a tall statue of Mithra stoodguarding the city on the hill, which was at that time named after the Persian-Greek god. It was replaced by a church and later a mosque. On the hill lies the Kızlar monastery, which is being renovated to house an arts center. 
• 41.003139.73145 Fatih Park. A public tea garden just southeast of Meydan near the Iranian consulate. Come here to relax or play a game of backgammon. 
• 41.004139.71586 Atapark. To the west of Zagnos bridge. It has a tea garden, Ottoman mosque, and the central public library. There is also a full-size model of a Serander, a timber structure typical of the Black Sea region meant to store food away from rodents. To the north of the park is the Varlıbaş shopping mall and the City Council building. 
• 41.004339.72187 Kuzgun / Tabakhane valley park. The new park along the eastern side of the city. Under construction. 

Detailed map
Boztepe Hill

• Football 40.99839.65061 Trabzonspor (Papara Park), Şenol Güneş Stadium (bus to Akyazı). They play soccer in Süper Lig, the top tier. They're Turkey's most successful team outside Istanbul and often qualify for European tournaments. As well as local support, they have big diaspora followings in Istanbul and Baku. The stadium (capacity 40,800) is named for Şenol Güneş (b 1952), former goalkeeper and manager of Trabzon and the Turkish national team. Trabzonspor women's team play at Mehmet Ali Yılmaz Stadium. (updated Jul 2025)
• 40.955739.8662 Yomra Climbing Gym (Yomra Tırmanış Duvarı), Hükümet Cd, Yomra, ☏ +90 462 344 0992. Sports complex with climbing and bouldering. For natural climbing try the Şahınkaya rockface in the western district of Düzköy. (updated Jul 2025)

Trabzon city has been left without a beach since the construction of the coastal highway. However, there is a small public beach called Kaşüstü Plajı at Yomra town, some 10 km east of Trabzon. Larger public beaches can be found at Akçakale, 25 km to the west, and at Kalecik, 25 km to the east of the city. The water of the Black Sea is not suitable for swimming during the colder months of the year. Also, these shingle beaches don't offer the comfort or facilities that one finds in the Turkish riviera. The nearest beach holiday destinations are Giresun to the west and Batumi to the east. Within the city are 4 historical bathhouses (hamams). Two of them have retained their function and are open to the public. The central Hamam is continually operational for both sexes, while the 'Eight columned bath' in the lower part of the old town has specific days for male and females.

• 41.005239.72993 Central Hamam. Try a traditional Turkish bath (hamam). The men-only Hamam is right next to Efes Pub; the women-only Hamam is just around the corner. A really great authentic Turkish experience, and the people are very nice and will walk you through everything. 25 TL for a bath (including a scrubbing and massage) at the women's hamam, and you should also tip your masseuse. 
• 41.008239.71874 Sekiz Direkli Hamam. Another historic hamam, to the west of the bazaar quarter. 
• 40.9686739.842095 Kaşüstü Municipal Family Beach (Kaşüstü Belediye Aile Plajı). The nearest public beach, some 10 km east of the city center. 
• 41.08237339.5025686 Akçakale Beach (Akçakale Plajı) (W 24 km). 
• 40.958340.03047 Kalecik Beach (Kalecik Plajı) (E 25 km). 
• 41.05139.53748 Aquapark. Outdoor swimming pool with large slides between Akçakale and Akçaabat. 
• 41.000439.77999 Mehmet Akif Ersoy Indoor Swimming Pool. Olympic-size swimming pool. Not for small children.  

• Black Sea Theatre Festival Mostly (but not exclusively) groups from countries around the Black Sea participate in this festival.
• International Painting Festival Promoting painting in the wider area of Trabzon.
• Kadirga Festival (third week of June, Kadirga Yaylası, southwest Maçka district) The largest and oldest folk festival of Turkey. On the Pontic Alps near the Gümüşhane province border. Locals, European Turks and Pontic Greeks meet on the mountain pastures to celebrate their shared culture in folk costume, music, dance and cuisine. On other summer pastures (yayla's) there are similar (but smaller) festivities.
• Sultan Murat Festival (Sultanmurat Şenlikleri) After the Kadirga Festival this is the largest folk festival of Trabzon. It is held in the end of August on the Sultanmurat yayla, 25 km southwest of Çaykara village.
• Ramadan The Islamic holy month (called Ramazan in Turkish) is very visible in Trabzon. While most liquor stores and restaurants close during the day, in the evening it can be hard to find a free spot on the many sidewalk cafes surrounding central Meydan square.
• Assumption Day (August 15, Sümela Monastery) Every year since 2010 the Greek Orthodox patriarch has led a 'divine liturgy' at the Sümela Monastery (Moní Panagías Soumelá) in Maçka district, south of the city. Because of the size and location of the monastery, only a few hundred people are allowed to join the liturgy. In Maçka village screens are set up for other pilgrims.
• Kalandar (Calendar Night, 13–14 January) In some villages in Maçka, Tonya, Sürmene and Çaykara districts, similar to Pontic Greek Momogeroi, the "old-new year" of the Julian calendar is celebrated. The tradition goes back to pre-Christian Dionysian rituals. Locals wear traditional clothing, or guise themselves as the 'village doctor', a herder and his sheep, the demons Karakoncoloz or Momoyer, or (less frequently) as the blackfaced 'Arab traveller' Haji Firuz/Arápis. It is similar to trick-or-treating festivities in other European countries, such as Halloween or Sint-Maarten. Youths go house to house, singing songs and collecting sweets or ingredients for a shared meal around a campfire. In the recent past, Trabzon welcomed Pontic Greek cultural organizations to participate in the festivities, but since 2019 the national Turkish government has denied visa applications to these groups.
• A historically important festival in Trabzon was Epiphany on January 6. Thousands of Christians and Muslim onlookers gathered at Kalmek point, the place where the city protrudes the most into the Black Sea, to see the Christian ceremony. With the departure of the Greek Orthodox population, this tradition was lost to the city.

• 40.999239.760610 Cinemaximum. The movie theater at the Forum shopping mall. Mainly shows blockbusters with Turkish subtitles. 
• 41.004839.72811 Royal Sinema. The main cinema near central Meydan square. Also offers blockbusters with Turkish subtitles. Next door to Lara cinema, which mainly shows dubbed movies. 
• 41.004739.716112 Avşar Sinema. This cinema is in the Varlıbaş AVM shopping mall north of Atapark (just to the west of the western city walls). Blockbusters with Turkish subtitles, but offers a slightly larger choice. 
• 41.003139.716913 Trabzon state theater (Trabzon Devlet Tiyatrosu). Trabzon was one of the first Ottoman cities to house a theater, and in 1912 it was the first city in the empire outside Istanbul to have an opera house. The state theater of Trabzon still offers quality plays. Even though virtually all plays are in Turkish, the powerful performances can still move tourists. 
• 41.0060339.7312614 Hamamizade İhsanbey Cultural Center (Hamamizade İhsanbey Kültür Merkez). A culture center with (amongst other things) a theater hall. It is one of a few interesting works of modern architecture in the city. 

Trabzon is well known in Turkey as a destination for nature tourism and outdoor sports activities. The mountainous districts in Trabzon and neighboring Giresun and Rize provinces offer plenty options, but most areas are hardly developed for (international) tourism. However, this is also what makes the region attractive to adventurous travelers and Turkish families fleeing the hordes of tourists in Istanbul or the west coast. The beauty of Trabzon really lies in its alpine nature and remote, independent village life; Waking up in a traditional timber shed by the sound of cowbells and the scent of morning dew drawing the endless flower fields into your bed. Having fresh milk, corn bread, eggs and cooked green vegetables and spring water straight from the tap. To have this experience, you have to leave Trabzon, leave Uzungöl, and move higher up the mountain slopes, to the villages with their typical architecture and beautifully ornamented timber mosques, or even higher, where there are 'open air mosques', similar to the very first mosques in the world. Even though the people here are devout, they are not conservative in the traditional sense. It is normal for men and woman to mingle, make jokes, etc. Sufism has had a strong influence on these remote districts, and many people still grow up speaking minority languages like Romeyka Greek, Laz or Hemsin Armenian. As the region has grown in popularity amongst foreign tourists during the past two decades, the amount of trash left behind in nature has likewise increased. If you are planning to spend time in the mountains, you could consider taking extra waste bags with you.