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RIZE
Rize
(75 km east of Trabzon) is built on a mountain slope covered
with tea bushes that look like puffy green pillows. Be
sure to see this typical Black Sea city's 16th-century
Islam Pasa Mosque and the remains of a Genoese castle.
From Ziraat Park you can take in a splendid panorama
of the whole area. A lightweight summer cloth of good
quality and printed with colorful patterns comes from
the Rize area. During the Summer Tea Festival you can
purchase the best blend of Black Sea tea. Mehmet
Mataraci Mansion is now an Atatürk Museum that
displays his personal belongings as well as
ethnographical artifacts from the region. Turning
inland after Ardesen off the road going east from
Rize, you come to the beautiful little town of
Camlihemsin straddling a rushing stream. Nearby is the
Firtina Vadisi (Valley of Storms) - ideal for canoeing
and the beautiful Zir Castle, and stone bridges from
Byzantine times. After walking around Ayder's rolling
meadows, you can relax in one of the many hot springs.
For those who like mountain climbing, this is the best
starting point for scaling the Kackar Mountains. This
emerald range is one of the best and the most
challenging for climbers in Turkey. The whole of the
Kackar Range constitutes the beautiful Kackar Daglari
National Park. In the mountains south of Rize, Anzer
village offers the world-famous and nutritious Anzer
honey and is a nice area for hiking and for its botany.
Ikizdere Canyon, between Anzer and Ikizdere Plateaus,
is a great spot for hang-gliding. At the same time you
get a bird's-eye view of the area. Near Rize, the
towns of Cayeli, Pazar, Ardesen, Of and Findikli all
enjoy a subtropical climate, lush green settings and
boast traditional chalets. The Camburnu coast is
covered with golden pine trees where many species of
migrating birds stop and it is a lovely area for
resting and picture taking.
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