Uzungöl and Sümela Monastery: Two Icons of the Black Sea

The Black Sea region of Turkey is the country's most undervisited and, for many who make the effort to reach it, its most surprising. The landscape is entirely different from the Aegean or Mediterranean — wet, intensely green, mountainous, misty — and the two most celebrated sights of the region are as distinctive as the landscape that contains them. Uzungöl and Sümela Monastery are both within reach of Trabzon, and both repay the journey.

Uzungöl — The Mountain Lake

Uzungöl — literally "Long Lake" — is a glacial lake in the highlands above Çaykara, approximately 99 kilometres southeast of Trabzon. It sits at 1,090 metres above sea level, surrounded by spruce forests and backed by the dramatic peaks of the Eastern Black Sea range.

The lake's character changes dramatically with the weather and the season. In summer, when the mist clears, it reflects the surrounding peaks and forest with extraordinary clarity. In early morning or after rain, the valley fills with low cloud and the scene becomes something between a landscape painting and a Japanese woodblock print. In autumn, the surrounding forests turn amber and the atmosphere intensifies further.

The village of Uzungöl has grown significantly as a domestic tourism destination over the past two decades and now has a full range of accommodation, restaurants and facilities along the lakeshore. At peak times — summer weekends, public holidays — it can be crowded. Arriving early in the morning or staying overnight to experience the village before the day-trip coaches arrive significantly improves the experience.

What to do at Uzungöl: Walking trails around the lake and into the surrounding forest are the main activity. The path around the perimeter of the lake takes approximately 45 minutes. Longer trails into the highland valleys above the village require more time but offer increasingly dramatic scenery and, in summer, wildflower meadows. Horse riding is available from the village. The local trout, farmed in the cold mountain streams, is excellent and available at most restaurants.

Sümela Monastery — The Cliff Face Icon

Sümela Monastery is one of the most dramatically situated religious buildings in the world. Built into a vertical cliff face in the Altındere Valley, approximately 46 kilometres south of Trabzon, it appears from the valley below as an almost impossible structure — a complex of rooms, chapels and frescoed walls clinging to the rock at approximately 1,200 metres, with a sheer drop of several hundred metres beneath it.

The monastery was founded, according to tradition, in 386 AD by two Athenian monks who discovered a miraculous icon of the Virgin Mary in a cave on the cliff. The existing buildings date primarily from the 13th to 19th centuries, during which the monastery was expanded, rebuilt after fires and patronised by successive Byzantine and Ottoman rulers — an unusual continuity for a Christian institution through the Ottoman period.

The monastery was abandoned in 1923 following the population exchange between Greece and Turkey. The frescoes — some of extraordinary quality — were damaged by vandalism and weathering but significant sections survive. Restoration work has been ongoing.

The Approach: The monastery is reached by a forested path from the valley floor, climbing approximately 300 metres through dense vegetation. The walk takes approximately 30 to 45 minutes each way. The path is well-maintained but steep in sections. The view from the monastery complex — down the Altındere Valley and over the surrounding Black Sea highlands — is exceptional.

When to Visit: Sümela is open year-round but is best visited in the morning before the day-trip coaches from Trabzon arrive. Summer weekends can be crowded. The setting is particularly atmospheric in misty or overcast conditions — the cliff face and the forest take on a different character entirely when the valley is partially obscured by cloud.

Combining Both in a Single Trip

Trabzon is the natural base for visiting both Uzungöl and Sümela. The city has a well-developed tourism infrastructure and is itself worth a day — the Hagia Sophia of Trabzon (a Byzantine church decorated with frescoes, now a mosque), the Trabzon Museum and the old bazaar quarter are all worth visiting.

A practical two-day itinerary from Trabzon: Day one to Sümela (morning, before the crowds) and the Altındere Valley; day two to Uzungöl with time for a walk and lunch at the lake. Or combine both in a single long day if time is limited — the driving distance between the two is approximately two hours.

Why Choose AlaTourqo?
As a TÜRSAB #16222-certified tour operator, our Black Sea tours cover Trabzon, Uzungöl and Sümela Monastery alongside the Kaçkar highlands — with expert local guides and all logistics included.

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