This northeastern Turkish coastal city produces some of Turkey's finest black tea amid green mountains. Local bazaars sell fresh tea, honey, and regional specialties.
Rize, a coastal city in northeastern Turkey, produces most of the country's black tea, with tea gardens covering the green mountainsides. The city lies between the Black Sea and the Kaçkar Mountains, where you'll find stone bridges spanning the Fırtına Valley, mineral springs at Ayder Plateau, and wooden houses in mountain villages. As Turkey's rainiest region, the constant precipitation supports vast tea plantations and thick forests of beech and spruce trees.
Tea Production in Rize
Tea cultivation changed Rize's economy in the 1940s, making it Turkey's primary tea growing region. The combination of 2,000mm annual rainfall and soil pH levels between 4.0-5.0 creates good growing conditions for tea plants. At the Tea Research Institute, established in 1958, you can learn about cultivation methods and tea processing. Many local families maintain small tea gardens in their yards, and tea plants grow along city streets.
Weather and Best Time to Visit
Rize has mild temperatures year-round, with summer averages of 22°C and winter averages of 7°C. The region receives heavy rainfall throughout the year, with peak precipitation from October to December. Plan your visit between June and August for the driest weather and better conditions for mountain activities. The climate varies significantly with elevation - the coastal areas stay mild while the mountain peaks can experience snow even in summer.
Getting Around Rize
The new Rize-Artvin Airport, opened in 2022, connects the city with major Turkish destinations. Public buses run through the city center, while shared taxis (dolmuş) serve routes to surrounding villages. The coastal road connects Rize to Trabzon (66 km west) and Hopa (88 km east). Mountain villages connect to main roads via narrow paths, which can become slippery during rain.
Ayder Plateau and Hot Springs
At Ayder Plateau, 1,350 meters above sea level, you'll see wooden mountain houses and mineral hot springs. The springs maintain a temperature of 36-37°C throughout the year, and locals use them to treat joint pain and rheumatism. Several small family-run hotels in Ayder serve regional Black Sea dishes like muhlama (corn meal with cheese) and hamsi tava (fried anchovies).
Mountain Villages and Hiking
The Çamlıhemşin district contains several traditional mountain settlements. In Pokut village, you can stay in converted wooden houses and see morning clouds from above. The hiking trails connect various yaylas (highland meadows), passing through forests and streams. The Fırtına Valley, now a protected area, has old stone bridges and waterfalls like Palovit.
Local Food and Markets
Rize's cuisine combines Black Sea and mountain ingredients. Black Sea anchovy dishes appear on most menus from September to May. The corn bread (mısır ekmeği) and collard greens soup (karalahana çorbası) are common daily foods. At the central market, you can buy honey from Anzer plateau, made from more than 80 different highland flower species.
Festivals and Events
The GastroRize Festival in early July celebrates regional cooking with demonstrations of Black Sea recipes. During summer weekends, folk dancers perform horon, an energetic Black Sea dance, accompanied by the kemençe (a small three-stringed violin). The Formulaz race, where participants build their own vehicles for downhill racing, draws crowds in late summer.
