Fairyland in the country located between Eurasia and Europe

Rize, located next to the Black Sea and near Türkiye's northeastern border, is a little-known "fairyland" destination.

Rize attracts nature lovers who want to explore a place away from the hustle and bustle of the city. This coastal locality has some of the most pristine terrain in Turkey, surrounded by rolling hills. With high annual rainfall, Rize's mountain villages are a hot summer escape for many tourists.

The mountainous town of Çamlıhemşin is Rize’s most attractive spot, where nature remains largely untouched. Here you can find simple homestays run by locals and cafes run by young people who have left the city to live in the mountains.

From the Black Sea coast, the road to Çamlıhemşin cuts through a lush mountain valley, along the Fırtına River, where time seems to stand still in this highland region. The people of Çamlıhemşin make a living from forestry, beekeeping and cattle raising.

Visitors looking to experience local culture can stay in Çamlıhemşin’s traditional Karadeniz houses. Visitors should check out Puli Mini Hotel, a traditional Karadeniz house made of stone and weathered chestnut wood in the center of town. The house has many windows with direct views of the Fırtına River, allowing fresh air to flow in.

There are not many dining options around town. Visitors can dine with the locals. The town's usual breakfast is mıhlama, a mixture of melted cheese and cornmeal, served hot with bread. Alternatively, visitors can visit Puli Cafe, which serves creative dishes made with local ingredients such as tavada hamsili, a grilled anchovy pilaf.

About an hour south of the town center of Çamlıhemşin, yayla - a village on the high mountains, is also an ideal place to explore the indigenous life in the place known as "fairyland". The roads here are not yet developed, visitors have to travel by off-road vehicle. Fresh air, lush forests, and endless green grasslands are gifts that nature bestows on visitors. Waking up in the traditional houses here, visitors will greet the new day with the fragrant smell of baked bread, listening to the clear sound of cow bells outside in the pasture.

Traditional Turkish wooden houses on the Hazindak plateau, near Senyuva in Çamlıhemşin.

Meals of people in Yayla also revolve around dairy products such as fresh cream, cheese, butter. In addition, there is honey, jam, chicken eggs, bread and fruits from the garden. After a day of walking to explore the plateau, visitors can gather with the local family, enjoy simple food and sing all evening in a cozy atmosphere.

About 8 km south of Çamlıhemşin town center, Şenyuva village is famous as a retirement place for locals who once worked in the bustling city. Apo and Elif Taşkın, who were born in Rize and then left their hometown to work in Istanbul, returned to Şenyuva to live and opened a cafe here. Not only serving drinks, Apo and Elif Taşkın also devoted themselves to cooking dishes from local ingredients such as elderflowers, wild strawberries, and blackberries to serve tourists .

"The peaceful life in Rize suits us. We came here after getting married. Now we have a four-year-old son and a group of close friends who support the cafe business," Elif said.

A wooden house cafe in the village of Şenyuva. — A wooden house cafe in Şenyuva village.

She said that tourism in Rize is underdeveloped due to travel restrictions. However, thanks to that, the nature here is not affected much. From late May to October is a good time to visit the high mountain villages. Elif recommends staying in traditional houses to really experience the local culture and cuisine .

In addition, first-time visitors should book a local guide to explore the mountain climbing routes and culturally rich tourist attractions. Moreover, the guide also knows the weather conditions to ensure the travel schedule.

No More Lies, a street artist born in Rize, commented that the "essence" of this place is peace and quiet. Some of No More Lies' friends have visited Rize and just stayed indoors to enjoy the feeling of absolute peace and relaxation.

One of the main reasons why tourists love Rize is the villages perched high in the mountains. The street artist’s favorite village is Elevit Yaylası, which has no cafes and is a quiet place for locals to live. The villages of Amlakit and Hazindağ are also worth a visit to enjoy the unspoiled nature.

Meanwhile, the most famous village in the area, Ayder Yaylası, is gradually becoming overcrowded due to the increase in tourists in recent times.

"Some tourists come to Rize but do not appreciate the value of this place because of lack of knowledge about the local culture and nature. I think people who come to Rize should not travel by just passing through everything and taking a few selfies. They should spend time staying in the yayla, really breathing the air, absorbing the scent of nature, drinking water from the streams. Only then will they understand where they are and become part of this amazing natural world," No More Lies said.

Bich Phuong (According to CNN )

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