2-Day Şavşat Itinerary: Lakes, Highlands and Quiet Villages

Şavşat, one of the Cittaslow members of Artvin, feels less like a destination and more like a quiet world hidden inside the mountains.

You move between misty forests, highland plateaus and mirror-like lakes, while wooden houses and slow village routines make it clear that people here live with the landscape, not on top of it.

From your first glass of tea to the last light fading over the valley, you simply realise that your steps, your thoughts and even your conversations have started to slow down.

With this 2-day Şavşat route, you will breathe the Black Sea’s pine-scented forests and warm your soul with a cup of Turkish tea.

8 Points

100 km

4 h

2-Day Şavşat Itinerary: Lakes, Highlands and Quiet Villages

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Day 1: Culture and Nature

On the first day of discovering Şavşat, wake up early for a delicious Turkish breakfast and warm tea. Sample local delicacies such as kuymak and corn bread, and sip from your tea while enjoying the green landscape of Artvin.

First, visit Tepeköy Traditional Life Museum to learn more about daily life and the culture of Black Sea region. The objects inside have been collected through donations from the locals, and more than 400 traditional items are on display.

After discovering how locals lived, you must now see the enchanted nature of Black Sea, adorned with wide highlands and bright lakes. Sahara Highland and Karagöl Lake will be perfect locations for a quiet day in nature.

Through short walks around the highland and the lake, you can take aesthetic nature photographs to capture and immortalise the moment. Especially Karagöl’s view, as it reflects the dense forest on its glass-like surface, creates a fairy-tale atmosphere that feels almost unreal.

In the evening, you have dinner at a local restaurant on the plateau, where you can try regional dishes such as black cabbage soup, corn bread, and fresh trout. Then, back to your accommodation in Şavşat and end the day with some time to relax and enjoy the mountain silence.

Day 2: History

For a refreshing start, you drive up to Balık Lake, a quiet mountain lake located in Pınarlı Village. Here, take an easy walk along the lakeshore, breathe the highland air and photograph the surrounding pine forests and hills. You can also find a calm spot by the water to sit for a while, enjoy the silence and have a small picnic.

Later in the day, visit Tibeti Church in Cevizli Village, a medieval Georgian church dating back to the 9th–10th century. You take your time to photograph the carvings and the village scenery. As you walk around the remaining stone walls and arches, you can see how the building stands as a silent witness to the area’s layered history.

Then, head to Satlel Castle, where the fortress remnants rise above the valley on a rocky hill. You walk up to the castle walls, explore the remains of the cistern and chapel and look out over the surrounding villages and green hillsides. This is a great place to end the day, as you watch the light soften over the valley, take your landscape photos and then return to Şavşat for a relaxed evening.

At dinner, taste a freshly baked cheese pide, a boat-shaped flatbread topped with local cheese and served straight from a stone oven. This dish is especially popular along the Black Sea coast and is a great choice if you want something filling but easy to share at the table.