Few parts of Turkey are as geographically dramatic as Artvin. The city itself clings to vertiginous cliffs above the Çoruh River, while the surrounding province rises through forest, canyon and plateau to the Kaçkar mountains on the Black Sea divide.
This landscape is shared with the legacy of medieval Georgia: dozens of churches and monasteries, some still active, built between the 9th and 12th centuries in locations of extraordinary dramatic power.
- Region
- Northeast Anatolia / Caucasus
- Best months
- May–Oct
- Georgian border
- 40 km north
- Known for
- Rafting, Georgian monasteries
Yusufeli — canyon and rafting
The Çoruh River cuts a dramatic gorge through the mountains, and Yusufelisits at the deepest point. The river is one of the world’s premier white-water rafting destinations — Grade IV and V rapids draw kayakers and rafters from across the world.
Georgian monasteries
The Artvin region was the heartland of medieval Georgian kingdoms and contains a remarkable concentration of churches and monasteries. Dörtkilise (10th century) and İşhani (7th century) are among the most impressive — remote, atmospheric and largely unknown to international visitors.
Kafkasör plateau and the festival
Every June, the Kafkasör Kültür ve Sanat Festivali draws tens of thousands to the highland meadows above Artvin for bull wrestling, folk dancing, music and traditional games. The landscape alone — open plateaus surrounded by forested ridges — justifies the journey at any time of year.
Artvin in pictures
Frequently asked questions
Artvin
2Artvin is famous for white-water rafting on the Çoruh River, medieval Georgian churches and monasteries, the Kafkasör highland festival and spectacular mountain landscapes.
May to October for hiking, monasteries and rafting. The Kafkasör Festival takes place in June. Roads to the high plateaus may be snow-blocked until late May.