It is located in Altındere National Park, set amidst the rich flora and fascinating geomorphologic formations of the Altındere Valley.
The monastery is perched on the face of a cliff 270m above a deep gorge and it seems from the valley floor to be floating between earth and sky.
Surrounded by the ruins of the monks' dwellings, the monastery's main chapel is covered with brilliant frescoes both on the inside and outside.
It is an exceptional site not only for the singularity of its construction but also for its magnificence.
As to the construction of the Sumela Monastery, the legend says one day the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared in a vision to two Athenian monks and asked them to build a monastery in an isolated valley.
One of the symbols of Trabzon is the Uzungöl Nature Park located 95km from the city.
The park has a rich flora and stunning wildlife, and is an area of outstanding natural beauty.
There are accommodation facilities, picnic areas and trekking routes for visitors.
Besides natural wonders, Trabzon dazzles the visitors also with a cuisine of considerable charm that offers in the city restaurants many local dishes of great flavour found nowhere else in the world.
