7 Best Sights in Trabzon, The Black Sea Coast and Lake Van

The heart of Trabzon's social activity is its pleasing central square, Atatürk Alanı, also known as simply Meydan. In Byzantine and Ottoman times, the camel caravans assembled here before heading across the mountains. Today the square is full of shady tea gardens and surrounded by restaurants and most of the city's hotels. Regular minibuses headed for the bus station and other local destinations leave from beneath the overpass at the southern end.

Trabzon's wealthy citizens once retreated to villas in the hills above town and Greek banker Konstantin Kabayanidis built this attractive white mansion, set in a small forest with nice views of the city below, in the beginning of the 20th century. Atatürk stayed here during visits to the city in 1930 and 1937, and the house became a museum in 1943. Much of the original furniture remains in place.

Trabzon's best-known Byzantine monument is this well-preserved 13th-century church that was converted into a mosque in Ottoman times. It sits on a bluff overlooking the Black Sea and inside, the highlights include wonderful Byzantine frescoes housed in the west porch: technicolor angels on the ceiling, Christ preaching in the Temple, the Annunciation, and the wedding at Cana—all executed in a style that shows strong Italian influences. Often overlooked is the graffiti of ships, carved into the outside of the apse by sailors for good luck. A shaded tea garden near the entrance is a popular place for breakfast. Some of the Byzantine-era frescoes in the central dome have been covered by white, umbrella-like fixtures because images are forbidden in mosques.

The pedestrian-only Kunduracılar Caddesi leads into the maze of the covered bazaar, which includes a 16th-century bedestan, or covered market, that has been restored and now houses several cafés and a number of gift shops. The bazaar predominantly sells inexpensive clothes to locals, but does have a small but appealing section of coppersmiths, who make a variety of bowls, trays, and pots. The city's largest mosque, the Çarşi Cami, was built in 1839 and is joined to the market by an archway.

Trabzon's Byzantine-era citadel was built on part of a hill formed by two ravines, and while not much is left of the building's former glory, the soaring outside walls and massive columns are still impressive (restored after the Ottoman conquest in 1461) and a testament to the fact that no army ever took Trabzon by force, though many tried. The only remaining part of the interior is the 10th-century church of Panagia Chrysokephalos (the Virgin of the Golden Head), which was the city's cathedral and where many of its rulers were married, crowned, and buried. The Ottomans converted it into a mosque, the Ortahisar Camii, in the 15th century.

Turkey's oldest, still-functioning hammam is thought to be Seljuk in origin. The name comes from the eight (sekiz) columns (direk) that support the dome of the hot room. It's a men-only affair, so women in search of a scrub will have to make do with the more modern Meydan Hamamı just off Atatürk Alanı.

The main attraction of the Trabzon Museum is the building itself, a 1910 mansion built for a local Greek banker. The grand rooms of the main floor have been restored and filled with period furniture. The basement holds a small collection of archaeological finds from the Trabzon region, while upstairs you'll find a collection devoted to local people and their culture. Unfortunately, the museum has been closed for renovations for several years and there is currently no expected finish date.