The shoreline walkway
Lake views among green slopes.
Mustafa Özgen — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Sueda Tüzüner — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Hamdigumus — CC0 · Sueda Tüzüner — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Varvara Kless-Kaminskaia — CC BY-SA 4.0
Lake Sera is a small lake in a wooded valley near Akçaabat, west of Trabzon, ringed by a walkway, cafe and restaurant, and one of the most popular evening outings for locals and visitors from the Gulf. It combines closeness to the city with calm water and greenery, just 3 km from the Black Sea coast. The lake appeared suddenly on 21 February 1950, when huge rocks broke from the slopes of the Derecik Valley after heavy rain and blocked the valley floor. It took its full shape within 18 days, as local people watched. It is named after Sera, the old name of the town of Yıldızlı. It has shrunk over time through landslides and silt carried down by floods; the area became a nature park in 2010, and improvement work continues. A walkway follows part of the shore, giving views of the lake and green slopes from different angles. Paddle boats are for hire, and restaurants and cafes look over the water. Anglers fish for carp and river fish. After heavy rain the water can turn cloudy with silt, so it looks best after a few clear days, and it is calmest in the morning. The lake is about 12 km from central Trabzon and 7 km from the Hagia Sophia of Trabzon in a straight line. Minibuses run along the coast road to Akçaabat, or take a taxi. It gets crowded in the evening and at weekends, so choose the morning for peace.
Lake views among green slopes.
A calm spin on the water.
Tea and food at the shore.
Derecik Valley, Akçaabat, west of Trabzon
A huge rockslide in 1950 blocked the Derecik Valley after heavy rain, and water built up behind it within 18 days, making it a natural landslide-dammed lake.
Swimming isn't one of its activities. The bed is thick with silt and there have been drownings, so stick to walking and boats.