embroideries, amulets, and with religion expressions put inside these small silver containers to br protected against evil's eye. On the other hand, women dancers wear colorful dresses and traditional hand painted head scarves including various motifs. Handicrafts Rize offers a rich variety of traditional handicrafts and handmade souvenirs to visitors. Some of them include: copper works, wicker baskets, butter churns, woven socks, shoulder bags, and spoon made of boxwood. Linen of Rize (Turkish: Rize Bezi) is a handwoven textile and is often used as part of the under layer of a dress. Kemençe is a traditional 3-stringed string instrument which is made in this province. Places of interest Sites in the province include: Pokut Yaylası - The most touristic yayla in Rize Province. Ayder - A yayla (high meadow) area with hot springs, hotels and restaurants, and from here you can climb up to higher and more remote meadows and villages. Çamlık - riverside area of forest park Fırtına Vadisi - the valley is now a protected site Gelin Tülü Şelalesi - a waterfall in Yukarışimşirli, Çamlıhemşin district. Palovit Şelalesi - a scenic waterfall in Çamlıhemşin district. Ovit - mountain pass on the Erzurum road in Ikizdere, , forest and mountain viewpoint The village and waterfall of Palovit, high in the mountains. Avup Dağı, the mountain between Rize and Çamlıhemşin, between Fırtına Deresı and Ortaköy Deresi. There are four Byzantine castles situated high on rocks on the mountainside including; Kale-i Balâ and Zilkale Huser Yaylası - Huser plateau is connected to Çamlıhemşin district of Rize. Huser Plateau, one of the highest plateaus of the Black Sea, must be visited with its unique view. Other buildings of note include: The watch tower, Kız Kalesi on the sea front in Pazar. Zilkale, "bell tower" near the village of Şenköy in the district of Çamlıhemşin Fırtına River bridges Notable people Davut Kavranoğlu, scientific adviser See also Kaçkar Mountains Limanköy, Çayeli Lazistan References External links Rize governor's official website Rize municipality's official website Rize weather forecast information Rize Tourism Guide Culture and travel Trabzon and Rize Rize photo gallery States and territories established in 1924 Tao-Klarjeti