# Private Trabzon and Sumela Monastery Tour

Canonical: https://tubostravelturkey.com/travel/private-trabzon-sumela-monastery-tour/
Site: Tubos Travel – https://tubostravelturkey.com/
Language: en
Also described in: de, fr, es, it, pt, nl, ru, zh-CN, tr, ar, hi
Categories: TRABZON, Turkey Tours
Last updated: 2026-11-04
Summary: A private one-day tour from Trabzon to Sumela Monastery, Hagia Sophia, Trabzon Castle and Hamsiköy, with hotel pick-up and lunch included.

## Overview

This Sumela Monastery tour takes one day from Trabzon, with pick-up and drop-off at your hotel. A licensed guide, a minivan with driver, lunch and entrance fees are included. The morning covers the Hagia Sophia and Trabzon Castle in the city. The afternoon climbs into the mountains to the cliffside monastery, with a stop at Hamsiköy for its clay-baked rice pudding on the way back.

## Tour highlights

**[Hagia Sophia](https://tubostravelturkey.com/travel/hagia-sophia-museum/):** Built between 1238 and 1263, the church combines late Byzantine frescoes with an opus sectile floor and Seljuk-influenced stone carvings.

**[Trabzon Castle](https://tubostravelturkey.com/travel/trabzon-castle/):** The fortress climbs a ridge between the Zagnos and Tabakhane valleys, in Upper, Middle and Lower citadels linked by medieval bridges.

**[Sumela Monastery](https://tubostravelturkey.com/travel/sumela-monastery/):** A Greek Orthodox complex built into a sheer cliff above the Altındere Valley, known for its cave church and biblical frescoes.

**[Hamsiköy](https://tubostravelturkey.com/travel/hamsikoy/):** Five connected neighborhoods on the slopes of the Zigana mountains, where the local rice pudding is baked in clay bowls.

## Itinerary

### Itinerary

Your guide collects you from your hotel in Trabzon and begins at the [Hagia Sophia](https://tubostravelturkey.com/travel/hagia-sophia-museum/), which was built under Manuel I Komnenos of the Empire of Trebizond. The building is now a mosque, so the visit falls outside prayer times, and the guide plans the stop around that. Next, the minivan takes you to [Trabzon Castle](https://tubostravelturkey.com/travel/trabzon-castle/), where the three citadels overlook the ravine bridges and Zagnos Valley. Lunch is at a local restaurant. In the afternoon the minivan climbs into the mountains to [Sumela Monastery](https://tubostravelturkey.com/travel/sumela-monastery/). Visitors reach the upper trail by valley shuttle and then walk to the cave church. On the way back, the group stops at [Hamsiköy](https://tubostravelturkey.com/travel/hamsikoy/) for a short walk and a taste of the clay-baked rice pudding. The tour ends with drop-off at your hotel.

## Included

Lunch at a local restaurant with a soft drink.

Comfortable minivan and experienced driver.

Professional tourist guide licensed by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

Entrance fees to the museums and sites.

Local taxes, parking and fuel.

Highway tolls.

## Not included

Optional tours.

Tips.

Flights or other travel to Trabzon.

## Details

Tours start between 9:30 and 10:00 am and finish between 4:00 and 5:00 pm.

Hotel pick-up and drop-off in new comfortable vehicles sized for the group.

Stops and pace are open to change with the guide during the day.

The price is confirmed on request, based on your dates and group size.

Bring a warm layer and a waterproof jacket, since the mountain air is cooler than the coast, and sturdy shoes for the Sumela paths.

Cancellation terms are in our [cancellation and refund policy](https://tubostravelturkey.com/cancellation-and-refund-policy/).

## Who this tour suits

This tour suits travelers who want Sumela Monastery in a single day and would rather not drive the mountain roads themselves. It fits couples and friends who like Byzantine architecture, and it works for families whose children can manage steep paths and a cliffside walk. Visitors interested in Black Sea food will like the stop at Hamsiköy. Anyone who wants Uzungöl should book a separate day, because the lake lies 99 kilometers southeast of Trabzon and is not on this route. Since the tour is private, the stops and the pace can be changed as the day goes.

## When to visit Trabzon and how to get there

The Black Sea coast gets rain in every season, so pack a light waterproof jacket whatever month you travel. Hamsiköy and the valley above Sumela sit higher than the city, and it is cooler up there. Flights to Trabzon are not included in the tour price. Many visitors fly into Trabzon Airport, which serves the city. Share your flight time and hotel name when you request a price, and we will confirm the pick-up time with you. The Sumela path and the Hamsiköy trails are best walked in dry weather, so the guide may adjust the afternoon if it rains.

## Frequently asked questions

**How do I get a price for this private tour?**

We quote each booking on request, since dates and group size change the price. Send us a message on WhatsApp at +90 544 674 42 28 with your travel dates, your hotel name in Trabzon and the number of people. We will reply with a quote for your group.

**Can we visit inside the Hagia Sophia at any time?**

No. The building is a mosque, so visits fall outside prayer times. Your guide checks the timing on the day and plans the stop around it. Cover your shoulders and knees, and remove your shoes where asked.

**Is the Sumela Monastery stop hard to reach?**

The monastery is cut into a cliff, and the upper trail has stairs and some uneven ground. Visitors reach the upper trail by valley shuttle, which cuts down the walking. If anyone in the group struggles with steps, mention it when you book.

**Is lunch included, and what about tips?**

Lunch and a soft drink at a local restaurant are covered. Tips and optional tours cost extra, so keep some cash for them. Let us know about any food allergies when you book, so the lunch stop can be planned around them.

**Can we add Uzungöl to this tour?**

Uzungöl lies 99 kilometers southeast of Trabzon, so it does not fit into the same day in this plan. Ask us about a separate private tour to the lake. Every tour is private, so the group chooses its route when it books.

## Summaries in other languages

- de: Eine private Tagestour mit Abholung und Rückbringung am Hotel in Trabzon. Am Vormittag stehen die Hagia Sophia und die Burg von Trabzon in der Stadt auf dem Programm, am Nachmittag geht es in die Berge zum Felsenkloster Sumela, mit einem Halt in Hamsiköy für den gebackenen Reispudding.
- fr: Un circuit privé d'une journée avec prise en charge et dépose à votre hôtel de Trabzon. Le matin couvre Sainte-Sophie et le château de Trabzon en ville, et l'après-midi grimpe dans les montagnes jusqu'au monastère de Sumela accroché à la falaise, avec un arrêt à Hamsiköy pour son riz au lait cuit au four.
- es: Un tour privado de un día con recogida y regreso a su hotel en Trebisonda. Por la mañana recorre Santa Sofía y el castillo de Trebisonda en la ciudad, y por la tarde sube a las montañas hasta el monasterio de Sumela, en un acantilado, con parada en Hamsiköy para su arroz con leche horneado.
- it: Un tour privato di un giorno con prelievo e rientro al vostro hotel a Trebisonda. La mattina copre Santa Sofia e il castello di Trebisonda in città, il pomeriggio sale tra le montagne fino al monastero di Sumela, arroccato sulla parete, con una sosta a Hamsiköy per il suo budino di riso al forno.
- pt: Um passeio privado de um dia com busca e retorno ao seu hotel em Trabzon. A manhã cobre a Santa Sofia e o Castelo de Trabzon na cidade, e a tarde sobe às montanhas até o Mosteiro de Sumela, encravado na encosta, com parada em Hamsiköy para o seu arroz-doce assado.
- nl: Een privétour van één dag met ophalen en terugbrengen bij uw hotel in Trabzon. De ochtend gaat naar de Hagia Sophia en het kasteel van Trabzon in de stad, en de middag klimt de bergen in naar het kloosters van Sumela, tegen de rots gebouwd, met een stop in Hamsiköy voor de gebakken rijstpudding.
- ru: Частная экскурсия на один день с трансфером от отеля в Трабзоне и обратно. Утром Айя-София и крепость Трабзона в городе, днем подъем в горы к монастырю Сумела, прилепившемуся к скале, с остановкой в Хамшикёе за запеченным рисовым пудингом.
- zh-CN: 为期一天的私人游览，从特拉布宗的酒店接送。上午参观城中的圣索菲亚大教堂和特拉布宗城堡，下午驱车上山，前往悬崖上的苏美拉修道院，回程在哈姆希柯伊停留品尝烤米布丁。
- tr: Trabzon'daki otelinizden alınıp bırakılmasını içeren, bir gün süren özel tur. Sabah şehirdeki Ayasofya ile Trabzon Kalesi gezilir; öğleden sonra dağlara tırmanılarak kayalıklara yapışık Sümela Manastırı'na gidilir ve dönüşte Hamsiköy'de fırında pişmiş sütlaç için durulur.
- ar: جولة خاصة مدتها يوم واحد مع استقبال من فندقك في طرابزون وإعادتك إليه. يشمل الصباح آيا صوفيا وقلعة طرابزون في المدينة، ويصعد بعد الظهر إلى الجبال نحو دير سومالا المعلق على المنحدر، مع توقف في حمشي كوي لتذوق حلوى الأرز المخبوزة في طريق العودة.
- hi: त्रेबीज़ोंड में आपके होटल से लेने और वापस छोड़ने वाला एक दिन का निजी टूर। सुबह शहर में हागिया सोफिया और ट्रेबीज़ोंड किला देखे जाते हैं, और दोपहर को पहाड़ों पर चढ़कर चट्टान से लटके सुमेला मठ तक जाया जाता है, लौटते समय हमसिकोय में बेक्ड चावल की खीर के लिए रुका जाता है।

## Images

- https://tubostravelturkey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/AdobeStock_274079590-1600x972-1.webp — AdobeStock_274079590-1600×972
- https://tubostravelturkey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Sumela_From_Across_Valley-scaled.jpg — Sumela_From_Across_Valley
- https://tubostravelturkey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/variant-2.jpg — Hagia Sophia Museum – Byzantine frescoes on the interior arch and dome of Hagia Sophia, Trabzon. Photo: Herbert Frank from Wien (Vienna), AT, CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- https://tubostravelturkey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Hagia_Sophia_Trabzon_Turkey_27813329644-scaled.jpg — Hagia_Sophia_(Trabzon,_Turkey)_(27813329644)
- https://tubostravelturkey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Trabzon_Kalesi.jpeg.jpg — Trabzon_Kalesi.jpeg
- https://tubostravelturkey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/castle-of-trabzon.jpg — castle-of-trabzon
- https://tubostravelturkey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/seyirtepe-butik-otel.jpg — seyirtepe-butik-otel
- https://tubostravelturkey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/16-1-hamsikoy-tarihi-doga-harikasi_603.jpg — Hamsikoy – Wide panoramic view of Hamsikoy village in a lush green mountain valley. Photo: Hamdigumus, CC0 (Wikimedia Commons)

## Sources

- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hagia_Sophia,_Trabzon
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sumela_Monastery
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walls_of_Trabzon
- https://www.kulturportali.gov.tr/turkiye/trabzon/gezilecekyer/hamsikoy

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