Turkey: Trabzon
The city of Trabzon on the northeastern shore of the Black Sea was a major stop on the Silk Route and the gateway to Persia and the Caucasus. It was the capital of several sovereign states in history include a long period of the Empire of Trebizond for nearly 3 centuries. Given its location, it became a melting pot of cultures and people. The city sits on the foothills of the Eastern Pontic Mountains and its landscape is very hilly with a lot of ravines and valleys and vernacular architecture clinging to cliffs. The partly ruins Trabzon Citadel is in the heart of the city, with ancient bridges leading to other corners of it. There are many old mosques and churches all around, and walking around the city at sunset when lights start illuminating everything is fantastic.
