The following are some of the ways to get in touch with each other Rainy region of the world, where tea drinking is almost obsessive. This may sound familiar, yet the similarities between Turkey’s Rize and the UK end at a shared passion for tea. In fact, this corner of the country feels more like a mythical land, a fairytale mix of mist-shrouded mountains and dramatically plunging valleys cloaked in impenetrably deep, dark forests.
The dramatic landscapes have not attracted international tourists. Running between the eastern edge of the Black Sea and the rugged Pontic Alps, just shy of the Georgian border, it’s been a tricky spot to reach, historically (a bus journey of about 19 hours from Istanbul – though an airport opened in 2022, which cuts this to two hours).
Rize caught my attention when I was researching a book about the best road trips in the world. Google Street View allowed me to spend weeks exploring the world’s highways and country roads. When I reached Turkey, I noticed a long green belt running along its northern coastline and discovered a land of dense tea plantations, cliff-hugging roads, roaring rivers and wooden villages.
Curious to find out more, I convinced a friend to come on a road trip to the Fırtına valley, home to some of the region’s most spectacular scenery (as well as being its most accessible area – large swathes are serious wilderness and should only be visited with a guide).
Rize, the unassuming capital of the province, is also the name given to the city. We choose to spend more time in the mountains and less in the town. As we head east towards the Fırtına valley, our route is lined by the shimmering turquoise waters of the Black Sea on one side and rolling tea plantations on the other, where the steep hillsides are dotted with workers gathering leaves into wicker baskets strapped to their backs. Rize is Turkey’s top tea-producing area since the 1940s. Rize is the wettest part of the country, but the rain usually dissipates quickly in the summer, leaving only thin wisps on the hills.
After about 20 minutes, we reach the mouth of the Fırtına River. The name means “stormy”, and the waters of this river crash against the rocks. The further along it we drive, the more ferocious it becomes; the valley sides loom over us, their steep slopes blanketed in dense forests (apparently home to a growing population of brown bears).
After half an hour, we reach Çamlıhemşin. The town hugs the riverbanks, and is surrounded by mossy, steep cliffs. We stroll down its main street at sunset, past tea shops, bakeries, and shops selling local cheese and honey.
Dinner at the Restaurant Çamlıhemşin cafe-restaurant On the river we eat chargrilled chicken, white beans stewed in a rich tomato-based sauce and large pieces of bread. Our waiter tells us proudly that the bread is homemade with the help of Google Translate.
After dinner, we will be led to our accommodation by a series of hairpin turns. Dudi KonağıA towering stone house that clings onto the valleyside. Once one of the grandest private homes in the region, it was built in the early 1900s by the Tarakçıoğlu family, who made their fortunes in Russia. The 24-room guesthouse has restored timber panelling with carved stone fire places and rustic wooden furniture. The third floor is our room, where we can fall asleep listening to the soft croaking frogs and a nearby stream.
The next day, we head off deeper into the valley, towards the lofty, snow-capped peaks of the Kaçkar mountains. As we follow the river’s course, we pass thundering waterfalls, hidden in corridors of chestnut and beech trees, as well as stone bridges dating back to the Ottoman era.
Zil Castle, a fortress built in the 14th century that towers over the dense forest canopy is our first stop. Historians think it was built by the empire Trebizond. This was an offshoot empire of Byzantine that flourished along the Silk Road. Zil Castle guarded for centuries a crucial mountain pass which connected inland routes to ports on Black Sea. Zil castle watched over caravans that carried spices and silks, between Europe and Asia. The castle is a marvel of medieval engineering that has been preserved with stunning panoramic views.
We continue on and notice a new colourful addition to the landscape. Rhododendrons. These plants, bursting with bright purple flowers in early summer, are responsible for one of the region’s more unusual delicacies, The deli bal (or “mad honey”). This native rhododendron’s nectar contains a neurotoxin which slows down the heartbeat, has hallucinogenic properties and is said to have aphrodisiac qualities. The honey here is some of the most expensive in the world. With the land too steep and rugged for regular agriculture, beekeeping is big business here.
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Hemshins, an ethnic minority who originates in Armenia, have lived in the Black Sea Region since the 8th Century. The relative isolation of the region has allowed its unique culture, language and traditions to survive. Black hive beekeeping is an ancient custom that involves hoisting the hives into the branches of hornbeams trees so as to keep them out of reach of hungry bears.
As we edge out of the Fırtına valley, the road turns to a rocky track and snakes upwards into the Kaçkar mountains. We continue to head into the cloud cover until we are engulfed by thick mist. Elevit, our last stop, is a small mountain village that perches pretty on a plateau at high altitude. The people only stay here during the summer to take care of their livestock. They then move to the towns once the snow falls. It is still early in the new year, and the village seems eerily silent. The mist creates a mysterious atmosphere. Shuttered wooden chalets look ghostly through the fog; a blanket of technicolour wildflowers is glistening with a dewy glow.
Behind the fog lie the high peaks of the Kaçkars. An extension of the Caucasus, the range extends 620 miles along Turkey’s Black Sea coast, making them more than twice as long as the Pyrenees. It is possible to hike without a guide but it is not recommended. The area doesn’t have a clear set-up for day hikers. Paths through the rugged terrain don’t appear to be marked. Had we more time, we would sign ourselves up for a guided trek – offered by the likes of Montis The following are some examples of how to get started: Two Ararat – to explore the untamed wilderness of lofty peaks, glacial lakes and mountain pastures. But with our road trip set to continue over the border into Georgia, our exploration into the Kaçkars ends in Elevit.
We drive back to Çamlıhemşin with dusk casting an amber glow over the valley, the river below glinting like a ribbon of steel between the darkening trees. We finish the day by playing backgammon. tavla( ) in an dimly-lit, wood-panelled and cosy tea house. It feels like a workingmen’s club. The clients sip their tea in tulip-shaped glassware as the wooden counters move quickly across the board.
The owner asks what we think of his region.Güzel,” We tell him that he is beautiful. He smiles and nods. It is easy to see why those who live here are so proud of their home. Rize is not packaged for mass tourism, and that’s precisely what makes it worth exploring – a place that still feels wild, where ancient cultures live on, and the tea is always hot.
Accommodation is provided by Dudi Konağı (dudikonagi.com); rooms from €140 a night B&B
