Where to Stay in Trabzon 2026: City Centre, Uzungöl and Kaçkar Base

The accommodation decision in Trabzon depends on what you’re visiting for. For the city’s Byzantine heritage (Sumela, Hagia Sophia, castle), staying in central Trabzon makes sense — convenient for airport, transport, and day trips. For the Kaçkar Mountains and the high yaylalar, staying in Çamlıhemşin or the mountain villages gives more direct access. Uzungöl village is worth an overnight specifically for the lake atmosphere.

For hotel specifics, see best hotels in Trabzon.

City centre

Central Trabzon is the practical base for the majority of visitors — convenient for the airport (7km), the Sumela day trips (organised tours depart from the city), the Hagia Sophia, and the castle.

Character: A functioning Turkish provincial city without resort infrastructure. The main commercial streets (Atatürk Alanı area) have hotels, restaurants, and the transport connections for day trips.

Best for: First-time visitors; those with limited time; anyone doing Sumela + Uzungöl as day trips; those flying in and out.

Price range: ₺500–4,000/night across the full range.

Uzungöl village

Staying overnight in Uzungöl gives the morning mist and the lake atmosphere after the day visitors leave — the village quietens substantially after 6pm.

Character: Mountain lake village; heavy domestic tourism infrastructure (large number of guesthouses and hotels built for Arab tourist groups, which dominate the market). The underlying landscape is beautiful; the tourist development is heavy.

Best for: Those who want the Uzungöl experience after dark; those combining with Sumela on the following day.

Price range: ₺600–3,000/night. Prices have risen significantly as Arab domestic tourism has grown.

Çamlıhemşin and Fırtına Valley (Kaçkar access)

Çamlıhemşin is 80km east of Trabzon — the main access town for the northern Kaçkar Mountains and the extraordinary Fırtına (Storm) Valley. Staying here puts you at the base of the mountain trails.

Character: A small river valley town with guesthouses serving trekkers. The Fırtına River flows through — one of Turkey’s fastest rivers, the basis for white-water rafting. The valley above town is wild and forest-covered.

Best for: Kaçkar trekkers; those wanting to explore the high yaylalar; those specifically interested in the Black Sea mountain culture.

Price range: ₺500–2,000/night (guesthouses and small hotels).

Area comparison

Area	Price/night	Transport hub	Character	Best for
City centre	₺500–4,000	Airport, tours	Functional city	Most visitors
Uzungöl	₺600–3,000	2 hrs from city	Mountain lake	Overnight lake experience
Çamlıhemşin	₺500–2,000	1.5 hrs east	Mountain trekking base	Kaçkar access

For hotel details, see best hotels in Trabzon. For activities to plan around your base, see things to do in Trabzon.