The Turkish Tea Belt

Forget Antalya, Ankara, Bodrum, Istanbul, and Izmir. Turkey’s Black Sea region is where you want to be. Unbelievably green, mountainous and flanked by the stunning coastline, Turkey’s Black Sea towns are villages are a hidden gem waiting to be discovered for those brave enough to stray from the traditional Turkey itinerary.

A decent halfway point between the two-continent mega-city and the Georgian land border, the cities of Trabzon and Rize feel a million miles away from the unchecked chaos of Istanbul. The pace is slower here - tea-drinking is an all-day activity, and the vast fertile landscape feels untouched despite the winding roads cutting through it.

Just next door to the fantastically average Trabzon Star Pension hotel you can acquire the thickest, strongest cup of Turkish coffee known to man. In the town centre, you can drink endless local tea and get to know the locals. Turns out, Trabzon is a real football town. Ask anyone about their 2021-22 title win - they’re obsessed. We ended up getting to know some locals, a group of Turkish mates who co-run a gym together, along with their Russian model friend who was preparing for a work trip to Egypt. Trabzon is lush, peaceful and welcoming, with just enough cosy and affordable options for remote working - if you are that way inclined.

Rize, just a one hour drive east, claims to be the home of Turkish tea. They’re probably right. Most of the nation’s tea is grown there - and it’s incredible. The town even constructed a massive, eight-storey monument in the shape of a traditional tea cup that overlooks the lush green terrain. Politics also touches the town, as the family home of Turkey’s long-time president Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and has long been a cornerstone of the ruling AKP party’s voter base. Perhaps a potentially controversial subject in the right crowd, Rize also used to be a part of the historical Georgian region of Chaneti (ჭანეთი).

It’s not dry or sunbaked—it’s wet, green, and unpredictable. The weather changes quickly, the sea is often rough, and the cities feel lived-in rather than polished. However you plan to spend your time in this part of the world, this region is truly stunning and worth a solid stopover to catch your breath in the lush surroundings and calm.