More than eighty percent of Turkey's tea is produced in Rize province. Green tea gardens covering almost every hill, every slope and valley of the city are an inseparable part of Rize's identity. Many visitors to Rize focus on natural scenery and miss one of the region's most authentic experiences, the tea culture tour. Here's a comprehensive guide for your Rize tea tour:
Brief History of Rize Tea
Tea entered Turkey with the Republic period. Rize's climate (abundant rainfall, cool, acidic soil) offers ideal conditions for tea cultivation. Today, about 200,000 families in Rize make a living from tea production; ÇAYKUR (General Directorate of Tea Operations) and private companies process in hundreds of factories.
Tea Garden Visit
You don't need to go far from Rize city center; you'll see tea gardens on both sides while driving on the roads at the city's outskirts. Some of the most photogenic tea gardens are in the Güneysu and Derepazarı districts on the Rize-Trabzon highway.
Best Visiting Time
Tea harvest is done in two periods per year:
Tea Factory Visit
Various factories affiliated with ÇAYKUR in Rize accept visitors during certain periods. Especially during harvest, by visiting factories you can witness firsthand the stages tea goes through from field to cup:
How to Brew Proper Tea?
One of the most important things you'll learn in Rize is proper tea brewing:
At Almara Bungalow, your breakfast basket each morning includes Rize tea sourced from local tea factories. Our guests say there's nowhere like having tea against the pine view.
Related Pages
- [Black Sea local cuisine guide](/blog/karadeniz-yoresel-yemekleri)
- [Rize bungalow vacation guide](/bolge-rehberi/rize-bungalov)
- [Rize bungalow prices](/odalar)
Almara Bungalow Editorial Team
Content carefully prepared by local guides and nature enthusiasts who know the Rize and Çamlıhemşin region best.