Çal Cave, located at an altitude of nearly 1,500 meters in Trabzon's Düzköy, is ready to host visitors for the 2018 tourist season.

The cave is the second largest in the world, and people have only explored around 8 kilometers of it. It draws tourists throughout the year thanks to its natural beauty, streams, waterfalls and ponds.Contributing to the regions tourism sector for 15 years, the cave has been dubbed a "hidden heaven" and also features a historical fortress.

Çal Cave divides into two very large spaces just 200 meters from the entrance. It features two wooden walkways stretching 150 meters and 400 meters respectively on the left and right. The stream flowing inside the cave is one of its prominent features.

Though the cave is underground, visitors often feel like they are at ground level while exploring its depths. Tourists are often taken aback by its vast size, especially visitors from Gulf countries.

The cave, which is also open in the winter, hosted around 2,743 in January and February of this year. Trabzon Municipality Mayor Orhan Fevzi Gümrükçüoğlu told Anadolu Agency (AA) that Çal Cave offers breathtaking views. Because the cave plays an important role in the region's tourism, the municipality took over its operation and maintenance last year, Gümrükçüoğlu said.

"Our expectations for this season are really high. We want to improve the cave's tourism potential and introduce it to the world," the mayor said.