Rize Castle stands on a steep rocky outcrop above the city centre, its walls visible from the waterfront. The original fortress dates from Byzantine times, though it has been rebuilt and modified in every era since. The climb up to the gates takes about fifteen minutes from the main square and the views from the top are worth the effort — the Black Sea coastline, the tea-covered hills, and the city compressed between them.
The castle interior holds a small municipal park and a tea garden where you can rest after the climb. The walls themselves are the main attraction; the interior structures are mostly modern reconstruction.