Daily Trabzon Tour from Istanbul – Sumela Monastery & Karaca Cave

Trabzon Day Trip from Istanbul by Air: Sumela Monastery, Hagia Sophia and Karaca Cave

Our daily Trabzon tour from Istanbul flies you to the Black Sea coast for a single, well-paced day of Byzantine churches, Ottoman mansions, mountain lakes and the cliff-side Sumela Monastery, returning to Istanbul in the evening. It is an ideal day tour for travellers who want to see north-eastern Turkey without adding extra nights to their trip.

Shore Excursion for Cruise Passengers in Istanbul

Arriving in Istanbul on a cruise ship? The Trabzon Tour is one of the shore excursions we regularly arrange for cruise guests calling at the port of Istanbul. Because it runs as a private tour, we plan the timing around your ship: your guide and driver meet you at the cruise terminal, and the programme is adjusted to your all-aboard time. Tell us how many hours your ship stays in port and we will confirm that the full programme fits comfortably. Send us your ship name and the date of your call in Istanbul and we will confirm availability.

• Trabzon Hagia Sophia, a 13th-century church famous for its frescoes
• Trabzon Castle, the Ortahisar old town and Gulbahar Hatun Mosque
• Ataturk Mansion and tea from a samovar on Boztepe Hill
• Sumela Monastery and the forests of Altindere Valley National Park
• Sera Lake and a scenic drive over the Zigana Mountains
• Karaca Cave with its colourful stalactites and stalagmites

Trabzon, ancient Trapezus, was the capital of the Empire of Trebizond ruled by the Komnenos dynasty from 1204 to 1461. Its Hagia Sophia, built in the 13th century, preserves some of the finest late Byzantine wall paintings in Turkey, while the Ortahisar Mosque was once the cathedral of the Komnenian rulers. Gulbahar Hatun Mosque honours the mother of Sultan Selim I, and the white Ataturk Mansion, set in gardens above the city, is where Mustafa Kemal Ataturk stayed during his visit in 1937. Boztepe Hill offers the classic panorama over the city and the Black Sea.

Sumela Monastery, founded according to tradition in the 4th century, clings to a steep rock face high above the wooded Altindere valley and is one of the most dramatic sights in the country. Beyond it, the road follows the old Silk Road route across the Zigana Mountains to Karaca Cave, a small but richly decorated cavern. This daily excursion from Istanbul includes hotel transfers in Istanbul, airport transfers in Trabzon, an English-speaking guide, entrance fees and lunch. Please note that the domestic flights between Istanbul and Trabzon are not included and should be booked separately; we will gladly advise on suitable departure times for this Trabzon day trip.