Turkey Guide
The Black Sea coast
The monastery of Sumela
At the beginning of the Byzantine era a large number of monasteries sprang up in the mountains behind Trabzon. The most important and prestigious monastery – and today the best preserved – was Sumela, clinging to a cliff-face nearly a thousand feet above the Altındere valley, the sort of setting that has always appealed to Greek Orthodox monasticism. Despite the habitual crowds, often rainy or misty weather – and rather battered condition of the frescoes – Sumela still rates as one of the mandatory excursions along the Black Sea.
The name Sumela is a Pontic Greek shortening and corruption of Panayia tou Melas or "Virgin of the Black (Rock)", though some translate it – taking a few more grammatical liberties – as "of the Black Virgin". She has been venerated on this site since at least the year 385, when the Athenian monk Barnabas, acting on a revelation from the Mother of God, discovered an icon here said to have been painted by St Luke.
A monastery supposedly grew around the image as early as the sixth century, but most of what's visible today dates from the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, when Sumela was intimately linked with Trebizond's Komnenos dynasty, several of whose rulers conducted their coronations at Sumela rather than in the imperial capital. Over the centuries the icon was held responsible for numerous miracles, and the institution housing it shared its reputation, prompting even Turkish sultans to make pilgrimages and leave offerings.
Practicalities
Without your own transport, you have three ways of getting to Sumela from Trabzon: taxis from a rank signposted "Sumela Manastırı'na" on the south side of Atatürk Alanı, which charge 80YTL return for a carload of four people; a minibus to Sumela, from next to the taxi rank, for 25YTL per person return; or an organized tour, run at 10am daily by the Afacan and Usta travel agencies in Trabzon and costing 20YTL per person for a return minibus seat (you pay the admission fee), with a stop for tea thrown in en route.
Driving, it's 43km in all from the coastal junction of highways 010 and E97/885, 3.5km east of central Trabzon, to the main parking lot for Sumela; after 26km you turn off Highway E97/885 at Maçka to follow the Altındere valley upstream. This side road provides a stunning approach to the monastery; as you climb, the habitual cloud ceiling of these parts drifts down from the equally dense fir forest to meet you. In exceptional circumstances you may catch an advance glimpse of the monastery's faded, whitewashed flank soaring above the trees at the top of the valley, at an altitude of 1200m.
The monastery proper is linked to the valley bottom by the most commonly used, often slippery woodland trail (30min). Those with their own car may prefer to use the steep, initially paved track (no buses) that lurches up the valley for 3.5km to a point about level with the monastery; park where you can before a shed used by the restoration crew and cover the last ten minutes on foot. There's a third approach, less busy than either of these two options; about 1km along the cement drive, keep an eye out for a wood bridge over the stream – this path, going via an abandoned chapel, joins the more usual trail just below the monastery.
By far the best local accommodation option, an attractive alternative to staying in Trabzon, is the Kayalar Turistik Dinleme Tesisleri ( 
0462/531 1057, 
531 1054; Price: €25-31), about 3km before the admission booth. All rooms in this charming, rambling, wood-floored building have balconies and en-suite plumbing (some with bathtubs), plus there are a few family suites – and the inevitable trout farm/restaurant on site.
The environs of Sumela have been designated a national park (admission 6YTL per private car), which means a picnic area, a snack bar (the Çardak) and a full-on restaurant (the Sümela Sosyal Tesisleri), which, though not brilliant (chaotic service, bumped-up prices and mandatory ten-percent service charge), does have a lovely setting and a token nod towards regional cooking, with such dishes as lahana sarması (stuffed baby-cabbage leaves). Also on the Altındere valley floor are some basic but attractive bungalows (reserve on 0462/230 2179 or 531 1061) that can be rented for €15 per person. Further downstream, the valley teems with trout farms of variable quality – Sumela Çiftlik Restaurant, 2km beyond Maçka, comes recommended for good meze as well as fish.