Uzungöl's neighbors on the Eastern Black Sea
Uzungöl rarely stands alone on an itinerary. Its location in Trabzon province puts it within easy reach of some of Turkey's most striking Eastern Black Sea sights, and most visitors build a two- to four-day loop around Trabzon that includes at least one or two of the destinations below.
Sümela Monastery — the essential pairing
The single most common companion to an Uzungöl trip is Sümela Monastery, a Greek Orthodox monastery built directly into a cliff face in the Altındere valley, south of Trabzon. Founded in the Byzantine era and rebuilt across centuries, it's one of Turkey's most dramatic historic sites — a multi-story complex of frescoed chapels and monks' quarters clinging to sheer rock, reached by a climbing forest path.
Sümela sits roughly on the route between Trabzon city and Uzungöl, which makes combining the two straightforward: many day tours from Trabzon visit Sümela in the morning, continue on to Uzungöl for lunch and lake time, and return to the city in the evening. If you're planning independently, allow two to three hours at Sümela (including the walk up) on top of the drive time to Uzungöl.
Ayder Plateau — a bigger day (or two)
Further east, in neighboring Rize province, Ayder is another high-altitude plateau famous for its own scenery, wooden chalets, thermal springs, and waterfalls. It's a different kind of yayla experience than Uzungöl's lakeside setting — more open highland pasture, with its own hiking trails into the Kaçkar Mountains. Ayder is a few hours' drive from Uzungöl over winding mountain roads, so most travelers treat it as a separate day or an extra overnight rather than a same-day add-on, often as part of a longer Black Sea loop that also touches the Kaçkar range.
Trabzon city
As the region's transport hub, Trabzon city itself is worth a few hours beyond just being a gateway. Highlights include the Hagia Sophia of Trabzon (a Byzantine-era church turned museum), the atmospheric old bazaar district, and the Boztepe hill viewpoint overlooking the Black Sea coastline. Since nearly every Uzungöl trip starts or ends in Trabzon, it's easy to fold in a half-day of city sightseeing at either end.
Şekersu and Demirkapı yaylas
Closer to Uzungöl itself, the high pastures of Şekersu and Demirkapı sit a short drive above the lake and make an easy half-day add-on rather than a separate destination. Both are covered in more detail on our things to do page.
Distance and time overview
| Destination | Approx. distance from Uzungöl | Approx. travel time | Best paired as |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sümela Monastery | ~55–60 km | 1–1.5 hours | Same-day combo |
| Trabzon city | ~99 km | 1.5–2 hours | Start/end of trip |
| Şekersu / Demirkapı yayla | ~10–20 km | 30–45 minutes | Half-day add-on |
| Ayder Plateau (Rize) | ~150+ km | 3+ hours | Separate day/overnight |
Suggested multi-day loop
A common structure for a first-time Eastern Black Sea trip looks like this:
- Day 1: Fly into Trabzon, explore the city and Hagia Sophia museum, overnight in Trabzon.
- Day 2: Drive to Sümela Monastery in the morning, continue to Uzungöl for lunch and the afternoon, overnight lakeside.
- Day 3: Morning at Uzungöl (boardwalk, mist, mosque reflection), afternoon yayla trip to Şekersu or Demirkapı, drive back to Trabzon or onward toward Ayder.
- Day 4 (optional): Extend to Ayder Plateau for a highland finale before flying out of Trabzon.
Smaller detours worth knowing about
Beyond the headline pairings, the region between Trabzon and Uzungöl has a handful of smaller stops that fit naturally into a driving itinerary without adding much time. The coastal town of Of, passed en route from Trabzon, is a good spot for a coffee break or fuel stop before the road turns inland and starts climbing. Along the Çaykara stretch, roadside stands sell local honey and dairy products directly from producers, often at better prices than in Uzungöl village itself. For travelers with an extra day, the wider Trabzon countryside also holds smaller, less-visited yaylas beyond Şekersu and Demirkapı, though these generally require local knowledge or a guide to find comfortably.
Choosing what to prioritize on a tight schedule
If your trip only allows a single day beyond Trabzon city, Sümela Monastery paired with Uzungöl is the highest-value combination — it captures both the region's signature historic site and its signature natural one in a single loop. Ayder is worth reserving for travelers with at least three to four days in the region, since reaching it, exploring it properly, and returning eats into time you'd otherwise spend at Uzungöl or Sümela. If forced to choose only one beyond Uzungöl itself, most first-time visitors get more lasting value from Sümela Monastery, given how directly it fits into the same travel corridor.
If you'd rather not plan the logistics yourself, guided Uzungöl tours commonly bundle Sümela Monastery and Uzungöl into a single well-organized day, handling transport and timing for you. For the drive itself, see our how to get to Uzungöl guide.