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Voykit pocket guide · Türkiye (Turkey)
Rize
Spend 1–2 days in Rize as a tea‑region base; fly in, see the castle, museum and tea garden, then head to Ayder or Trabzon.
Rize is a small Black Sea city famous for tea production. The airport connects to Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir, and the town centre is walkable. Main sights are a free museum, 13th‑century castle and tea garden. Use one night for a quick base before heading to the Kaçkar mountains or Trabzon.
- Country
- Türkiye (Turkey)
- Best months
- May–Oct
- Avoid
- Nov–Mar (rainy, cooler)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- TRY
- Money
- Currency is the Turkish lira (₺, TRY). About ₺56 to €1 in late September 2026 — check; inflation was still in the double digits, so prices rise several times a year.
- Daily spend
- Budget ₺150–250 excl. bed · Mid ₺250–400 excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Turkcell, Vodafone and Türk Telekom sell tourist SIMs at airports (passport needed); they are dearer than in town shops — check.
- Emergency
- General 112
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 230 V · 50 Hz · Standard European two-pin; UK and US plugs need an adapter.
- Tipping
- Lokanta / simple café: Leave the coins or round up.; Sit-down restaurant: 5–10% in cash, even if the card machine does not offer a tip; check for a 'servis' charge first.; Taxi: Round up to the next ₺10–50.; Hamam: 10–15% to the attendant (tellak/natır).; Guide / driver day: €10–20 for a guide, €5–10 for a driver per day.; Hotel porter / housekeeping: ₺50–100.
- Water
- Tap water is treated and chlorinated but tastes of it; locals buy bottled or 19-litre dispenser water. Restaurants charge for bottled water.
- Toilets
- Western toilets in hotels, malls and restaurants; squat toilets (alaturka) in older mosques and bus stops. Public toilets (WC) cost ₺10–30 — carry coins or small notes. Most toilets have a bidet spray; paper goes in the bin in older buildings.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Tea (glass, local café) | ₺5–8 |
| Muhlama (cheese‑oatmeal dish) | ₺30–45 |
| Hamsi boreği (anchovy pastry) | ₺25–40 |
| Taxi 5 km (3.1 mi)Taxi 3.1 mi (5 km) | ₺70–90 |
| Dolmuş ride (city centre) | ₺5–8 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- RZV · Rize‑Artvin Airport
- Daily flights from Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir; 36 km (22 mi) east, taxi or hire‑car neededDaily flights from Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir; 22 mi (36 km) east, taxi or hire‑car needed
Typical fares
- RZV → Rize centre (taxi)
- ≈ ₺120, 30 min (check)
- Dolmuş Rize ↔ Çamlıhemşin
- ≈ ₺30 each way
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Town is compact; walk to most sights. Dolmuş minibuses run the main east‑west street; taxis for airport (≈30 km (19 mi)).Town is compact; walk to most sights. Dolmuş minibuses run the main east‑west street; taxis for airport (≈19 mi (30 km)).
See and do
Known for
- Tea cultivation
- Rize Castle
- Rize Museum
- Atatürk House
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Ayder Plateau | Dolmuş to Çamlıhemşin (≈45 min) then local minibus 15 min | ≈2 h total |
| Trabzon | Bus from Rize bus terminal, 73 km (45 mi), ≈1 h 30 minBus from Rize bus terminal, 45 mi (73 km), ≈1 h 30 min | ≈2 h |
Sleep
- Rhisos Otel
- Central, street‑noise possible; B&B double 3000 TL
- Grand 464 Otel
- Clean, comfy, central; B&B double 3000 TL
- Otel Keleş
- Value‑for‑money near centre; B&B double 2500 TL
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | Affedersinizaffedersiniz |
| Thank you | Teşekkür ederimteşekkür ederim |
| How much is it? | Ne kadar?ne kadar |
| Can I pay by card? | Kartla ödeyebilir miyim?kartla ödeyebilir miyim |
| Where is the toilet? | Tuvalet nerede?tuvalet nerede |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake; 'Merhaba' (hello) or 'Selamün aleyküm' in conservative areas; cheek kisses between friends of the same sex; avoid: Offering a hand to a conservative woman first — wait for hers
- Mosques: Covered clothing, headscarf for women, shoes in hand, quiet voice; avoid: Walking in front of people praying; visiting during Friday midday prayer
- Hospitality: Accept tea or at least a sip; bring sweets or pastries to a home; avoid: Refusing food repeatedly; showing the soles of your feet
- Politics and history: Listen; let hosts raise it; avoid: Opinions on Atatürk, the Kurdish issue, Armenia or Cyprus with people you just met
- Ramadan: Eat discreetly in conservative towns during the day; avoid: Eating, drinking or smoking in front of fasting people in small towns
- Gestures: A slight upward head nod with a tut means 'no'; avoid: The OK hand sign (can be read as rude) and a thumb between fingers
- Dress in town: Shorts are fine in Istanbul and resorts; longer clothes in the interior and east; avoid: Swimwear away from the beach
- Names: First name plus Bey (men) or Hanım (women): 'Ahmet Bey'; avoid: Using the surname alone
Scams and watch-outs
- Last dolmuş runs around midnight; plan taxi if late.
- Rize‑Artvin Airport shuttle discontinued; arrange transport.
- Tea garden may close in winter; check opening times.
Rize is generally safe; keep an eye on traffic when crossing streets, and store cash in small notes.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Rize yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Tea cultivation
- Rize Castle
- Rize Museum
- Atatürk House
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Rize, revision 5277503 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5277503
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Rize
Bu adrese lütfen
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- General112
US consulate in Istanbul; Turkish embassy in Ankara (check details).
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/rize). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.