Artvin is one of Turkey's most spectacular and least-visited provinces — a land of near-vertical mountains, ancient Georgian churches and monasteries clinging to cliffs above the Çoruh River. The Çoruh is Turkey's fastest-flowing river and one of the world's great whitewater rafting rivers, though major dams have now changed its character.
The Yusufeli canyon (currently being flooded by the Yusufeli Dam reservoir) and Kafkasör plateau high above Artvin city are landscapes of genuine drama, while the medieval Georgian monastery of Dörtkilise (Oshki) across the border-adjacent terrain is a remarkable Christian heritage site.
Known for: Çoruh River gorge · Georgian monasteries (Dörtkilise) · Yusufeli canyon · Kafkasör plateau · Kaçkar trekking
- Region
- Black Sea / Northeast
- Famous for
- Çoruh Valley & Georgian heritage
- Best seasons
- Jun–Sep
- Activity
- Rafting, trekking, heritage
Artvin on the live map
Explore Artvin and all of Turkey on the live intelligence map — tap a city node to fly in.
What Artvin is known for
The Kafkasör Highland Festival (June) features traditional wrestling, dancing and cattle festivals. Georgian medieval churches and monasteries — Dörtkilise, Barhal (Parhal) and Ishan — are extraordinary 10th-century monuments in forested mountain settings. Trekking routes connect the Kaçkar mountains across both Artvin and Rize provinces.
- Çoruh River gorge — dramatic mountain scenery.
- Georgian medieval monasteries — Dörtkilise, Barhal, Ishan.
- Kafkasör plateau — June festival, highland grazing.
- Kaçkar mountain trekking routes.
Getting around
Artvin is 2.5 hours from Trabzon by road. The city sits on a cliff above the gorge; a car is essential for the monasteries and highlands, as roads are winding.
On the platform
Artvin is joining Türkiye Gez as we expand into a Turkey-wide city intelligence platform. This guide is the launch foundation — live transport data, an interactive map and deeper neighborhood content roll out city by city, on the same architecture that powers Istanbul today.
Frequently asked questions
About Artvin
1The Çoruh River gorge, 10th-century Georgian medieval monasteries (Dörtkilise, Barhal), the Kafkasör highland plateau and Kaçkar mountain trekking.