Boztepe is the balcony of Trabzon, a green hill rising directly behind the city where locals have come to drink tea and take in the view for generations. From its terraces the whole of Trabzon spreads out below, tumbling down to the harbour and the Black Sea beyond, and on a clear evening the light on the water is beautiful. The hill is dotted with tea gardens and simple cafes where a glass of Rize tea costs almost nothing and buys you an hour of one of the best panoramas in the region. It is an unhurried, local sort of place, more about atmosphere than sights, and it pairs naturally with a visit to the nearby Ataturk Pavilion (Ataturk Kosku), a graceful white mansion set in gardens on the same slopes where the founder of the republic once stayed. Late afternoon into sunset is the time to come, when the city lights begin to flicker on.
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