Rize Travel Guide: Things to Do & Best Time to Visit

Top things to do in Rize

Rize is a base for green landscapes, tea culture and mountain villages along the Black Sea coast and in the Kaçkar range.

• Tea gardens — Tea terraces cover the hillsides around the city; stop at a hilltop tea garden to sip fresh local tea with views over the Black Sea.
• Rize Castle — The remains of a hillside castle above the city, with a park and views across the rooftops to the sea.
• Ayder Plateau — A popular highland village in the Kaçkar Mountains, known for waterfalls, wooden chalets, hot springs and summer walks.
• Fırtına Valley — A wild, forested river valley crossed by old arched stone bridges, popular for rafting and photography.
• Zil Castle — A medieval stone castle perched on a rocky outcrop above the Fırtına Valley, surrounded by thick forest.
• Kaçkar Mountains — Trek between high pastures, glacial lakes and traditional yayla summer settlements with experienced local guides.
• Artvin region — Across the provincial border, explore deep river gorges, forests and lakes such as Karagöl near Şavşat.

Best time to visit Rize

Rize has one of the wettest climates in Türkiye, with rain possible in every season, which keeps the landscape famously green. Summers are warm and humid, autumns are mild, and winters are cool on the coast but snowy in the mountains, when many highland roads and plateau villages become hard to reach.

The best time to visit is from June to September, when the yayla plateaus open up, hiking trails are accessible and days are long. Late spring brings the first tea harvest and fresh green hillsides, while early autumn offers quieter roads and changing colours. Pack a waterproof layer whatever the month, as mist and showers can arrive quickly.

Getting from the airport

Rize–Artvin Airport is built on land reclaimed from the Black Sea near Pazar, between the two provinces, roughly 30 kilometres east of Rize city centre. It also serves travellers heading to Artvin, further east along the coast.

Airport shuttle buses usually connect with flights and run towards Rize and Artvin, and taxis are available outside the terminal. Car hire is a popular option, as a car makes it much easier to reach Ayder, the Fırtına Valley and mountain villages. Some hotels, especially in the highlands, can arrange transfers on request. The coastal highway makes the drive into Rize straightforward.

Where to stay

Choose between the city, the coast and the mountains depending on whether you want convenience or nature.

• Rize city centre — Practical for short stays, with hotels, restaurants, shops and easy access to the coastal road.
• Pazar and Ardeşen — Coastal towns close to the airport and the mouth of the Fırtına Valley, good for travellers with a car.
• Çamlıhemşin and Ayder — Mountain guesthouses and wooden chalets, ideal for hikers and nature lovers in summer.
• Artvin — A hillside city above the Çoruh river, suited to travellers exploring the gorges and lakes of the far north-east.

Travel tips

• Money: The Turkish lira is used everywhere. Cards are accepted in most hotels and restaurants, but carry cash for small shops, village guesthouses and highland cafés.
• Getting around: Intercity buses and minibuses (dolmuş) link coastal towns and some valleys, but a hire car gives far more freedom. Mountain roads can be narrow and winding, so drive carefully.
• Etiquette: Dress modestly in mosques and rural villages, remove shoes where required, and accept offers of tea, which are a key part of local hospitality.
• Weather and safety: Bring rain gear and sturdy shoes. Check weather and road conditions before heading into the mountains, and hike with a guide on longer routes.
• Language: Turkish is the main language and English is limited outside hotels, so a translation app and a few Turkish phrases help. Mobile coverage can be patchy in deep valleys.