Black Sea port below the Kaçkar Mountains, at the heart of Turkey's steep green tea country.
Rize sits on the Black Sea coast at the foot of the Kaçkar Mountains, about 70 km east of Trabzon airport and 90 km from the Georgian border. It is the heart of Turkey's tea country — the steep green hillsides above the town are covered in tea plantations, and the drink is a matter of fierce local pride. You will be offered tea constantly, and it would be rude to refuse. Rize serves as the main gateway to the northern approaches of the Kaçkar range.
The town itself is not beautiful — it is a functional Black Sea port with concrete buildings climbing the hillside — but the setting is spectacular. The mountains rise sharply behind the coast, and on clear days you can see the snow-capped Kaçkar peaks from the waterfront. The Ziraat Tea Garden above town offers panoramic views over the coastline and the tea plantations, and is the best place to understand why this strip of coast is so green: it rains here more than almost anywhere else in Turkey. The Rize Castle on its rocky hill above the centre gives another vantage point over the city and coast.
From Rize, minibuses run south into the mountains toward Çamlıhemşin and the Ayder Plateau, which are the main jumping-off points for trekking in the Kaçkar range. The mountain villages above Rize are home to the Hemşin people, who have their own distinct culture and cuisine — try the local muhlama, a bubbling dish of melted cheese, butter, and cornmeal that is the perfect fuel before a mountain hike. The Rize Museum is the best place in the region to see Hemşin cultural artefacts.
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Getting There
The nearest airport is Trabzon (TZX), about 70 km west of Rize on the coast road. Turkish Airlines and Pegasus operate regular flights from Istanbul; the journey takes about two hours. From Trabzon airport, buses and dolmuş minibuses run east along the D010 coast road to Rize in about 90 minutes.
By bus from Istanbul, the journey is around 18–20 hours on overnight coaches operated by companies including Metro and Ulusoy. From Trabzon by bus it is about 90 minutes. The main bus station (otogar) in Rize is about 2 km east of the centre.
The Georgian border at Sarp/Sarpi is about 90 km east of Rize. Minibuses run from Rize to Hopa, from where you can cross on foot or by taxi to the Georgian town of Batumi.
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When to Go
Rize is one of the wettest places in Turkey — the mountains trap moisture from the Black Sea and it rains throughout the year, including in summer. This is why the tea grows so well. Come prepared for rain at any time of year, even in August.
The best time for the city itself is May to September, when the tea plantations are in full growth and the mountains above are accessible. July and August are warm but rarely hot, with temperatures around 25°C on the coast. For mountain trekking in the Kaçkar, July and August are the prime months when the passes are snow-free.
Winter is damp and grey. The city functions normally but the upper mountain roads close. If you are primarily coming to trek in the Kaçkar, plan for June to September.
