- Most of Turkey's tea is grown on Rize's hillsides
- Ayder is the gateway to the Kaçkar Mountains
- The Fırtına Valley has Ottoman stone bridges and Zil Castle
- Rize-Artvin Airport opened in 2022 on reclaimed land
- Airports
- Rize-Artvin (RZV) or Trabzon (TZX), usually via Istanbul
- Best time to go
- June-September
- Type
- Province
Rize is where Turkey's tea comes from. Rows of tea bushes cover almost every slope between the sea and the mountains, and the whole province smells of tea in the picking season. Behind the coast, valleys climb to the Kaçkar Mountains, which reach almost 4,000 metres and are the finest trekking area on the Black Sea.
For UK travellers, Rize is the place for walking, mountain villages and Hemşin culture, with simple wooden guesthouses and a cooler summer climate. It belongs to the Black Sea region, next to Trabzon and Artvin. For general advice see our Turkey guide.
Things to do
- Tea gardens and factories – visit a tea garden, drink fresh Rize tea and, in season, see the picking. The city's tea garden on the hill above the centre has good views.
- Ayder plateau – a mountain village with hot springs, wooden lodges and waterfalls, the main base for the Kaçkars.
- Kaçkar Mountains – trails lead to high pastures, glacial lakes and, for experienced walkers, the summit of Kaçkar Dağı at 3,937 m.
- Fırtına Valley – a rushing river crossed by old stone arched bridges, popular for rafting in summer.
- Zil Castle (Zilkale) – a medieval fortress perched on a ridge high above the Fırtına Valley.
- Palovit waterfall – a tall waterfall on the way up to the Palovit plateau.
- Pokut and Sal plateaus – summer pasture villages with wooden houses above the clouds, reached by walking or off-road vehicle from Ayder.
- Anzer honey – a rare, expensive honey from the İkizdere district, prized across Turkey.
Where to stay
| Area | Why stay there |
|---|---|
| Ayder | Wooden lodges, hot springs and direct access to the mountains |
| Çamlıhemşin and Fırtına Valley | Riverside guesthouses near the bridges and Zil Castle |
| Rize city | Practical hotels and seafront, close to the airport |
Getting there
There are no direct UK flights. Fly to Istanbul and connect to Rize-Artvin Airport (RZV), which opened in 2022 on land reclaimed from the sea near Pazar, or to Trabzon (TZX), about 1.5 hours west of Rize city by road. From the coast, Ayder is roughly 1.5 hours inland up the Fırtına Valley. Minibuses run from Pazar and Ardeşen in summer, but a car or a tour is much easier.
Best time to visit
June to September is the season for the high plateaus and the Kaçkar trails. July and August are the busiest months in Ayder. Tea picking runs from around May to autumn. Rain and mist are common all year, so pack waterproofs.
The high pastures can be cloudy in the morning and clear by afternoon, or the reverse; build a spare day into any trekking plans.
Top attractions in Rize
Rize on the map
Frequently asked questions
Is Rize good for hiking?
Yes, it is the best hiking area on Turkey's Black Sea coast, from easy plateau walks around Ayder to multi-day treks across the Kaçkars.
Can you visit a tea factory in Rize?
Tea gardens and some factories welcome visitors, especially during the picking season. Ask locally or join a tour.
How far is Ayder from Trabzon?
Roughly three hours by road, so many people stay a night or two rather than doing a day trip.
Written by
Anna Beach, family & practical travel editor
Anna knows which beach has shade at 3pm and which car hire excess is a rip-off. She covers sun, islands, family trips and practical travel tips.
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