Travel tips for Turkey's Black Sea region

DW (English)

The region around the port city of Trabzon has many tourist attractions: from the Sümela Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, to the lush Firtina Valley.

Transcript

00:00I'm taking you on a journey through the Eastern Black Sea region of Turkey.

00:04But no, this is not a beach trip.

00:06We are going inland, where the real attractions of this region are.

00:11We're exploring a few places in the far northeast of Turkey,

00:15about a two-hour flight from Istanbul.

00:18Most international tourists have never been to this region,

00:22so I hope to show you some new things.

00:24Haydi, let's go!

00:30We take this beautiful road towards one of the region's highlights.

00:34It's highlands up in the mountains.

00:37These are green, verdant pasture lands that are full of snow?

00:44We definitely needed that four-wheel drive.

00:49Wow, this is amazing!

00:52I really didn't expect to find Elevit.

00:55This traditional highland area we're in, covered with snow.

01:00It's actually a little bit early for the snow here,

01:02but I'm really glad we did because it's absolutely stunning.

01:06We're in the Kaçgar Mountains.

01:09It's gorgeous.

01:10The region is part of the Pontic Alps,

01:12which stretch 1,000 kilometers along the Black Sea coast.

01:16For the best weather, come between May and early October.

01:19But now it's time for us to head down.

01:21We have a lot to see.

01:24About a 45-minute drive inland from the coastal city of Trabzon

01:28is one of the most spectacular sights of the region.

01:32Sumela Monastery.

01:36This Greek Orthodox monastery was built at an elevation of 1,200 meters into the rock face.

01:43Its construction started as early as 385 AD.

01:48It's a UNESCO World Heritage Site,

01:50and although we didn't get permission to film inside,

01:53I still wanted to come here and show you because it's really spectacular

01:57and one of the most important sites in the region.

02:03Now off to the Fırtına River Valley,

02:06known for its unspoiled nature and impressive Ottoman-era bridges.

02:13I head to Kafe Kalife in the town of Çamlıhemşin.

02:18For me, Turkey is one of the most amazing countries when it comes to food.

02:22There's so much diversity.

02:24You can always find something unique.

02:26And of course, every region has its specialties.

02:29Like muklama, made of local string cheese, fresh milk, butter, and herbs.

02:37This is the most famous dish of our region,

02:39a dish that can be made for breakfast, lunch, and dinner at any time.

02:44Today, I'm trying fried pickled beans,

02:48sarma, black cabbage stuffed with meat and rice,

02:51and I'm most excited to try the muklama.

03:02It's really good.

03:04You can tell that everything is very fresh and locally produced,

03:09and I could eat this all day.

03:15After a delicious meal, it's time for tea.

03:18The Rize district, where we are, is famous for it.

03:22The majority of tea in the country is grown in this region.

03:25The often rainy climate, which is humid as well, is perfect for growing black tea.

03:31Did you know that people in Turkey drink more tea per capita

03:35than in any other country in the world?

03:42With a typical Turkish tea kettle, the bottom kettle is used to boil the water,

03:46while the smaller upper one is used to brew a strong tea concentrate.

03:54Perfect.

03:57Sadly, parts of the Fırtına river valley have recently lost some of their protected status

04:03and might soon be further developed.

04:05Many in the region are protesting.

04:08Let's hope the natural beauty of this place won't be destroyed.

04:13I'm really excited for this last stop.

04:15We are back here at the Kalip Cafe,

04:17where Tulay has arranged an evening of dance and music from the Black Sea region.

04:22Let's go.

04:27Many women in rural Turkey cover their hair, not only for religious reasons.

04:32The women wanted to show me the traditional style of the Hemsin area.

04:36Does that look good?

04:38The dances of the Black Sea region, known as Horon, are legendary around Turkey.

04:43They're also famously complicated.

04:45I tried my best to follow the lead dancer who calls out all the moves.

04:58That concludes the end of our trip.

05:00I can't think of a better ending.

05:03I've had such a good time.

05:04I can't think of a better ending.

05:06I've had such a good time in this part of the Black Sea.

05:09Eating amazing food, meeting incredible people, learning so much.

05:13Which part of my trip did you enjoy the most?

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