Travel tips for Turkey: How to plan it?


Most tour organizers take Trabzon as the start or end-point of an integrated Eastern Turkey tour. Usually this involves an over¬night stay in Trabzon, visits to the Hagia Sophia and Sumela and the drive across Zigana Pass to Erzurum. For a one-day pee¬kaboo, this is about the best you can do. But don't pretend that you have then seen the Black Sea. Starting at Trabzon and moving on to the East, here are some possible varia¬tions:
A) 21 /2 Days
1. Walkabout Trabzon; Hagia Sophia; Sumela. Stay in Maçka.
2. Vazelon Monastery; Hamsikoy; Zigana; Bayburt.
3. Erzurum by noon. B) 3 Days
1. Walkabout Trabzon; Hagia Sophia; Sumela and back.
2. Akçaabat old quarter; town market; Siirmene (excursion to Dirlikkoy); Rize (Tea Institute); coast to Hopa (tea fields): Artvin.
3. Hamamli, Ishan, Oshki, Haho churches; on to Erzurum.
C) 3 Days
1. Walkabout Trabzon; Hagia Sophia; Sumela and back.
2. Surmene; inland to uzungol. Enjoy nature.
3. Across the Soganlı Pass to Bayburt; on to Erzurum.
D) 4 Days
1. Walkabout Trabzon; Hagia Sophia; Sumela and back.
2. To Rize as in B; up to (Çamlihemsin. 3. Excursion to Zilkale; back down to Hopa and Artvin.
4. Hamamli, khan, Oshki, Haho; on to Erzurum.
E) 4 Days
1. Walkabout Trabzon; Hagia Sophia; Sumela and back.
2. Akçaabat old quarter; town market. Surmene (excursion to Dirlikkoy); Rize (Tea Institute); coast to Hopa (tea fields); Artvin.
3. Ishan, Barhal. Stay in Barhal or return to Artvin.
4. Hamamli, Porta, Ardanuç; across the Yalmzçam to Kars.
F) 6 Days-Editor's choice.
1. Walkabout Trabzon; Hagia Sophia; Sumela and back.
2. To Rize as in B; up to (Çamlihemşin 3. Hike to Hemşin yaylas; overnight in the mountains.
4. Continued hike; rush back down in the afternoon; reach Artvin late.
5., 6. As in E , days 3-4.
G) 7 Days (minimum)--Sportsman's choice.
I.Walkabout Trabzon; Hagia Sophia; Sumela and back.
2. To Rize as in B; up to (Çamlihemşin. 3. To Ayder.
4. 5. Cross-Kaçkar hike to Barhal. 6. Barhal, Işhan, Oshki, Artvin.
7. Hamamlı, Porta, Ardanuç; across the Yalnızçam to Kars.
THEGRANDTOUR
You may get to Trabzon by air or a straight 15-20 hour drive. For a complete Black Sea tour, starting in Istanbul and moving toward Trabzon, choose one of the following as the first leg of the trip:
A) 3 Days
1. Bolu, Safranbolu, Kastamonu, Sinop (hard day!).
2. Lake Simenlik and beach; Unye For¬tress; Bolaman; Giresun.
3. Giresun fortress; inland to Yaglidere, or Kuşkoy, or Tonya. Late to Trabzon. B) 31/2 Days
1. Take evening boat. 2. Boat to Sinop.
3., 4. as above. C) 4 Days
I. Akçakoca, Zonguldak, Bartın Amasra.
2. Inebolu, Sinop. 3., 4. as above. D) 5 Days
1. Akçakoca, Zonguldak, Bartm, Amasra
2. Inebolu, Sinop.
3. Lake Simenlik, Unye, Bolaman, Ordu.
4. Inland to Şebinkarahisar; loop back to Giresun.
5. Giresun fortress; inland to Yaglidere, or Kuskoy, or Tonya. Late to Trabzon.