Çeçeva Haremtepe Tour

Eskitoğlu Waterfall

Eskitoğlu Waterfall opens the day with water falling over a rock face into a shaded pool, framed by dense forest that keeps the air cooler than on the coast. A short walkway leads close enough to feel the spray, and benches and viewing points let you pause without walking far from the parking area. It is an easy stop for most ages and abilities.

Paths beyond the main viewing point wind briefly through moss-covered rocks and smaller streams, which is where photographers tend to linger. Wear shoes with grip, because the ground can be damp. Our guide watches the time so the group moves on comfortably, and the green, unhurried opening sets the tone for the rest of the Çeçeva Haremtepe day trip.

The Botanical Park

The Botanical Park is the calm, organised stop between the waterfall and lunch. Paths run between beds of local plants and flowering shrubs across open, landscaped grounds, and there is enough variety to interest both casual visitors and anyone curious about the flora of the Black Sea region, one of the wettest and greenest parts of Turkey.

The group walks through at an easy pace, and shaded sections give a break from the sun after the waterfall. It is a good moment for family photographs and for children to stretch their legs. If you are asking what to see near Rize besides tea, this park is a pleasant answer and fits the rhythm of the tour well.

Lunch at the White Bean Restaurant

Lunch is a proper seated break at a well-known local restaurant that specialises in the region's white bean dish, called kuru fasulye in Turkish. It is cooked slowly in the style of this part of the Black Sea coast and is one of the most typical meals of the area. The dining room is relaxed, and you share tables with other travellers on the tour.

Lunch is part of the programme, so come with an appetite. If anyone in your party has dietary needs or allergies, tell our team when you book so we can pass the information on. The mid-day pause also resets the pace before the afternoon among the tea terraces.

Çeçeva Haremtepe tea gardens

The Çeçeva tea gardens, also known as Haremtepe, spread across terraced hillsides where tea bushes follow the contour of the slope in tight green rows. Rize is the heart of Turkish tea, and walking here shows how the crop is grown in a wet, hilly landscape. Paths run between the terraces at several levels, and in season you may see workers picking leaves by hand.

The upper paths give the widest views back over the layered green slopes, and they are where most photographs are taken. The air has a faint earthy scent from the tea plants. Our guide tells you about any entry details on the day. If you are asking when the best time to visit the tea gardens is, spring to early autumn is when the terraces are at their greenest.

Rize Tea Bazaar and the giant tea glass

The Rize Tea Bazaar closes the itinerary with a market built around the region's best-known product. Stalls sell loose and packaged tea in different grades and blends, along with honey, hazelnuts and other local goods, so you can pick up gifts to take home. The group has time to browse at its own pace before regrouping.

Nearby stands the oversized tea glass sculpture, a familiar symbol of Rize and a favourite photo stop. It ties together the tea theme of the second half of the day. After the photograph, the group returns to the vehicle for the drive back to Trabzon and drop-off at your hotel at about 17:00.