What to Buy in Trabzon: Local Delicacies and Souvenirs

Heading home from Trabzon, what should go in your suitcase? Answering the question of what to buy in Trabzon is also a way to get to know the city through its table and its craftspeople: Tonya's butter, Vakfıkebir's big round loaves, finely woven hasır bracelets and the Sürmene knife, named after the district where it is made. In this article, we've brought together Trabzon's local products and souvenir options. We've also noted honestly which ones truly belong to Trabzon and which come from neighboring provinces, so you'll know the story behind everything you buy.

What to buy in Trabzon: the short list

For those short on time, here's a quick summary first; you'll find the details below:

• Tonya butter: The first thing that comes to mind when people think of Trabzon butter, a delicacy with geographical indication status.
• Vakfıkebir bread: Bread known for its large loaves and registered with a geographical indication.
• Hazelnuts: Trabzon is a major hazelnut producer, especially of the geographically indicated Arsin foşa hazelnut.
• Hasır bracelets and filigree: Handcrafted jewelry that is the signature of Trabzon's goldsmithing tradition.
• Sürmene knife: A geographically indicated knife made in the district of Sürmene.
• Kemençe: The voice of Black Sea music, available as small souvenir models or as master-crafted instruments.
• Local textiles: Traditional products such as the Trabzon fanila, which received geographical indication registration in 2026.

Flavors for the table

Tonya butter

The butter of Tonya, a district in Trabzon's inland region, was registered in 2018 with a geographical indication as a designation of origin. Whether you spread it on warm bread at breakfast or watch it melt into a kuymak, it's a real treat. When buying butter, choose labeled products and sellers you trust; unfortunately, imitations of local products are everywhere.

Vakfıkebir bread

The bread that made Vakfıkebir, west of Trabzon, famous across Türkiye was registered with a geographical indication in 2018. It is known for its large, hearty loaves, and when paired with Tonya butter it becomes the star of the Black Sea breakfast. If you're curious about its story, take a look at our article on Vakfıkebir bread.

Hazelnuts and seasonal fruit

Most people associate hazelnuts with Giresun, yet Trabzon is also an important hazelnut producer, and Arsin's foşa hazelnut is among its geographically indicated products. Since the harvest begins in late summer, freshly roasted hazelnuts are easy to find in autumn. If you visit in autumn, you may also spot the geographically indicated Yomra apple at the market stalls.

A small note of honesty: although it bears Trabzon's name, the Trabzon persimmon (Trabzon hurması) is grown mainly in the Mediterranean region today; if you see it at local markets, think of it simply as a seasonal fruit. If you spot pestil and köme on the shelves, know that they are products of neighboring Gümüşhane. And Black Sea tea is most closely associated with neighboring Rize.

Too good for the suitcase: flavors to enjoy on the spot

Some flavors don't fit in a suitcase; they're meant to be eaten on the spot. The geographically indicated Akçaabat meatballs and Trabzon kuymak top this list. Akçaabat meatballs are made with ground meat, stale bread, suet, garlic and salt. Under geographical indication rules, the meatballs can also be sold frozen in suitable packaging, but nothing compares to eating them hot off the grill. The oven-baked rice pudding of Hamsiköy, a village in Maçka, is also geographically indicated and made with milk from cows grazing on the local pastures. Trabzon ice cream, registered in 2026, has now joined this list too.

For recipes and stories, check out our article on Akçaabat meatballs, our guide to kuymak and mıhlama, and for a fuller table, our guide to what to eat in Trabzon and our list of must-try Black Sea dishes.

Hasır bracelets and filigree: Trabzon goldsmithing

The jewel of any Trabzon souvenir list is the hasır bracelet. Made by hand-weaving fine gold wires, these pieces are registered with a geographical indication under the name Trabzon Telkariye ve Hasırı. The registration covers handcrafted bracelets, necklaces, earrings and rings made of 22-karat gold and 900-fineness silver. Filigree (telkari) is another craft in which fine wires are worked like lace; silver filigree jewelry and ornaments also make lovely keepsakes.

When buying hasır jewelry, choose reputable jewelers, ask about the purity of the piece and always ask for an invoice. Trabzon's jewelers themselves give the same warning about imitations on the market.

Sürmene knives, the kemençe and local textiles

The Sürmene knife bears the name of the Sürmene district east of Trabzon and has been protected by a geographical indication since 2018; only knives produced within Sürmene's borders may use the name. The range is wide, from kitchen knives to pocket knives. Remember that not every knife sold under the Sürmene name is genuine, so buy from a trusted seller. If you're flying home, pack the knife in your checked luggage, not your carry-on.

The kemençe, meanwhile, is the sound of Trabzon. Craftsmen still make kemençes in districts such as Vakfıkebir, Akçaabat, Tonya, Maçka and Sürmene; according to the masters, juniper and plum wood are prized for the job. For those who don't play, small decorative kemençes make a charming memento, while for a musician friend, an instrument crafted by a master is an unforgettable gift.

There's also news for those interested in local textiles: the traditional Trabzon fanila, knitted from raw cotton, received geographical indication registration in 2026. You may not find it in every shop, but if you come across one, it makes a gift that is both practical and full of story.

Where to buy: the bazaar, the Bedesten and Uzungöl

In the city center, the heart of shopping is the pedestrian street Kunduracılar and the historic bazaar it leads into. The restored Bedesten, with its cafés and souvenir shops, is also a lovely spot for a break today. Jewelers, nut shops and stores selling local products line up side by side in this area. For details, see our guide to the Trabzon bazaar.

At Uzungöl, in Trabzon's Çaykara district, you'll find local products such as honey, cheese and butter, as well as souvenirs, in the shops and stalls around the lake. We cover what to do around the lake in our article on places to visit in Uzungöl. A small tip: if you leave fresh products like butter and cheese for the last day of your trip, they'll arrive home fresher.

Shopping while sightseeing: easier with a tour

A guided tour is the easy way to both sightsee and shop without the hassle of planning. As Sümela Turizm, a Trabzon-based, TÜRSAB Group A licensed agency, we invite you to join a group tour, or we can plan a tour with a private vehicle just for you or your family; you can also add hotel pickup if you wish. On most of our tours, we leave free time for shopping and photos; how long each stop lasts is listed in the up-to-date program on the tour page. For those who want to explore the city center and its history, the Trabzon City Tour, and for those who want to breathe in the lakeside air, the Uzungöl Tour are great places to start.

You can see dates, prices and the program on the Trabzon City Tour page and book online. If you'd like a plan tailored to you or your group, message us on WhatsApp and let's plan the route together.

This article is the fourth in our Trabzon means… series. In the other articles in the series, we've covered what Trabzon is famous for, the story of Panagia Sümela, a city trip combined with a Trabzonspor match, the people of Trabzon through Temel jokes, and when to visit Trabzon.

Frequently asked questions

Will butter and meatballs bought in Trabzon survive the journey?

Products like butter and meatballs should be kept cool. Ask the seller for sturdy, leak-proof packaging, and use a cooler bag if you have a long trip ahead. Gifts like hazelnuts, jewelry and kemençes, on the other hand, are easy to carry.

What should I look out for when buying a hasır bracelet?

Buy from a reputable jeweler, ask about the purity and craftsmanship of the piece, and always ask for an invoice. Prices vary with the current value of gold and the workmanship, so it's a good idea to check a few shops before deciding.

Is there time for shopping on the tours?

Most of our tours include free time, but how long varies by tour and day. You can see the current program on the relevant tour page. On private-vehicle tours, we can plan shopping stops together.