Middle East - Anthony Ham [504]
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TRABZON
0462 / pop 400,000
Trabzon is one of those ‘love it or hate it’ kind of places. Its slightly seedy port-town character puts some people off, while others appreciate the city’s cosmopolitan buzz. Arguably the Black Sea coast’s most sophisticated city – sorry, Samsun – Trabzon centres upon the whirl of activity on its main square. Beeping dolmuşes hurtle anticlockwise like a modern chariot race, while local students team headscarves with Converse All Stars, beneath a giant screen showcasing the city’s beloved Trabzonspor football team.
Orientation & Information
Modern Trabzon is centred on Atatürk Alanı (also known as Meydan Parkı), uphill from the port. There are cafés and restaurants to the west, on Uzun Sokak (Long Lane) and Kahramanmaraş Caddesi (Maraş Caddesi for short), where you will also find banks with ATMs, exchange offices and the PTT. The otogar is about 3km from the centre.
The helpful tourist office ( /fax 326 4760; Camii Sokak; 8am-5.30pm daily Jun-Sep, 8am-5pm Mon-Fri Oct-May) is south of Atatürk Alanı. There’s a Georgian consulate ( 326 2226; trabzoncons@gul.net; Pertev Paşa Sokak 10) and, west of the centre, a Russian consulate ( 326 2728; rusconsultrb@ttnet.net.tr; Şh Refik Cesur 6, Ortahisar).
Sights
Without doubt, Trabzon’s star attraction is the 13th-century Aya Sofya ( 223 3033; admission TL2; 9am-6pm Tue-Sun Apr-Oct, 9am-5pm Tue-Sun Nov-Mar), 4km west of town and reachable by dolmuş from Atatürk Alanı. Marvel at the vividly coloured frescoes and mosaic floors.
Another draw is the Atatürk Köşkü (Atatürk Villa; admission €1.25; 8am-7pm May-Sep, 8am-5pm Oct-Apr). This beautiful 19th-century mansion is set high above the town and is accessible by bus from the northern side of Atatürk Alanı.
The ancient bazaar is west of Atatürk Alanı, accessible by the pedestrianised Kunduracılar Caddesi, which cuts through the lively district’s tightly packed streets. Further west, Ortahisar is a picturesque old neighbourhood straddling a ravine, not to be confused with the Cappadocian village.
SUMELA MONASTERY
Of all the dreamy spots in eastern Turkey that make you feel like you’re floating through another time and space, Sumela (admission TL5; 9am-6pm), 46km south of Trabzon, wins the time-travel prize by a long shot. Carved out of a sheer cliff like a swallow’s nest, this Byzantine monastery features superb frescoes (partially damaged by vandals). Some of them date from the 9th century.
The monastery is in the Altındere Vadısı Milli Parkı (Altındere Valley National Park), which you must pay TL3 to enter (plus TL8 for private vehicles). If you’re visiting by public transport, try and catch a dolmuş from Trabzon at around 8am to avoid the midmorning flow of tour groups.
You can also visit on a tour (TL20) from Trabzon; contact Eyce Tours ( 326 7174; www.eycetours.com).
Sleeping
Many of the cheapies off the northeastern corner of Atatürk Alanı and along the coastal road double as brothels.
Hotel Nur ( 323 0445; Camii Sokak 15; s/d 40/60; ) A long-standing, but often overly popular, travellers’ favourite, the Nur has amiable, English-speaking staff and small, brightly painted rooms. The lounge is good for getting the travellers’ lowdown on going to Georgia.
Hotel Anıl ( 326 7282; Güzelhisar Caddesi 12; s/d TL50/80; ) A promisingly flash reception lures travellers in, and the rooms in pink and yellow are actually good value; even the downstairs rooms have views.
Hotel Nazar ( 323 0081; www.nazarhotel.net; Güzelhisar Caddesi 5; s/d TL70/100; ) Look beyond the flagrant photoshopping in the brochure (flower gardens in central Trabzon? Yeah right), and the Nazar is a smart business-class option.
Otel Horon ( 326 6455; www.otelhoron.com; Sıramağazalar Caddesi 125; s/d TL90/125; ) Inside the aubergine-coloured walls, any shortcomings in