This is the only monastery-unfortunately not so well preserved- that I saw that had mural ecclesiastical paintings at the outside walls. This s the place that creates the impression tha tyou are closer to God.A must see!!!!

The whole Blacksea region do not attract many foreigners but it is certainly worth going there. I liked Trabzon a lot. I stayed Zitas Hotel at Macka. It is a highly recommended hotel at a high point of a mountain with wooden houses, great view, fresh air and other facilities. The second day I visited Sumela Monastery. There are two... More

"Perched on a cliff" is a bit of a cliché but there is no other way to describe the Sumela Monastery. Set amongst beautiful mountains, but only a short drive from Trabzon, this is an essential day trip if you're in the area. The Metro and Ulusoy bus companies arrange tours for TL25 each which take you up to the... More

The Monastery form in the 13th century. Monastery complex - Rock Church. several chapels, kitchen, student room, guesthouse, library..... Frescoes - biblical scenes.

We had some extra time in the Trabzon area, before John's flight. We were very glad that we visited, and highly recommend that others do so! The hike up from the giftshop area was challenging and we sweated a bit in the moist air. The sweat was worth it, to see the gnarled trees on the steep, misty slope. The... More

An impressive place in a magical surrounding. Please note that if you travel here in winter, there is a challenging hike to the monastery.

Sumela Monastery is about 30kms from the city of Trabzon. I don't know how to do it on our own, so we let our hotel arranged the transport for us. It's a shared van with about a dozen of us costs TL20 to and from the base of the mountain. From the base where there are restaurants amidst the flowing... More

A former Greek Orthodox monastery, now an outdoor museum, this 1700 year old landmark is outstanding. Built into what seems to be an inaccessible cliff on a mountainside, the monastery is huge in proportions. There are rock chapels with beautiful frescoes dating to the 1700s, kitchens, storage rooms, housing, classrooms, and library among other areas. An aqueduct was constructed to... More

We went to Sumela on a day trip (via local tour company) from Trabzon, taking about an hour either way. For the last few km, the bus winds through increasingly scenic mountainous valleys, covered in pine forests, interspersed with fast-flowing streams. I am told that usually it is very cloudy and foggy, making the experience more eerie, but we had... More