First of the Laz towns Population: 24,000
Market day: Wednesday
Is there any reason to stop in Çayeli, due east of Rize?
Not really, although if you need somewhere to spend the night it’s worth knowing that it does have one of the best hotels along this stretch of the Black Sea coast.
A quick stroll around town will show you a couple of buildings in what is shaping up to be a new Black Sea vernacular architecture which mixes wood panelling with half-timbering and is being retro-fitted to many official buildings. You’ll also see one of the small stone neighbourhood mosques with wooden minarets that are so much more aesthetically pleasing than the more bombastic main mosques.
Eating
Kuru fasuliye is very popular around here and two places, Hüsrev and the more stylish Lale Lokantası, battle it out for the bean-loving trade.
Between the otogar and the river there are a handful of fish shops, all with fish restaurants tucked up behind them. Palamut (mackerel) doesn’t come much fresher than this.
Sleeping
Transport info
There are lots of minibuses to Çayeli from Rize‘s waterfront minibus stands as well as many in the opposite direction from Pazar and points east.
