Things to do in Ordu: Boztepe, the coast, the highlands and a quiet evening

What kind of place is Ordu?

Ordu is a coastal province on Türkiye's Black Sea, with Samsun to the west and Giresun to the east. The provincial culture and tourism office calls it the "gateway to the Black Sea region". The city sits on the flat land where the Melet valley meets the sea, at the foot of Boztepe, with the mountains dropping steeply to the water behind it. The same office notes that hazelnuts dominate the province's farmland, so the low, bushy orchards you see on every slope are hazelnut trees.

The history goes back a long way. According to Türkiye's official Culture Portal, the area was ruled by Rome and then by the Empire of Trebizond (1204–1461) before Turkish settlement in the 14th century. Cape Jason in the Perşembe district is linked with the Argonaut legend, and the Kurul Kaya settlement, 13 km from the centre, dates back about 2,000 years.

This guide gives you a two-day frame for a first visit. If you are coming along the coast from Trabzon, our Black Sea route guide links the two cities into a five-day trip.

When is the best time to visit Ordu?

Expect rain in any month. Long-term figures from the Turkish State Meteorological Service (MGM) for the Ordu station, covering 1959 to 2025, are a useful planning tool:

Source: MGM, Ordu provincial statistics, 1959–2025.

What this means in practice:

• Summer (June to August): the warmest and driest stretch, and the best time for the highlands, the coast and cool evenings on Boztepe. The Perşembe highland festival is in July.
• Autumn: October is the wettest month of the year, but it is also when the woods around Ulugöl turn yellow and gold. Bring waterproofs and keep the day flexible.
• Winter: the coast stays mild, with average lows above freezing. Snow is for the highlands, especially Çambaşı. Days are short: December and January average only 2.5 hours of sunshine a day.

Boztepe: Ordu from above

A well-known local folk song, quoted on the Ordu Governorship's website, sums it up in one line: "Climb up Boztepe and look down at Ordu." According to the provincial culture and tourism office, Boztepe is about 450 m above sea level and 6 km from the city centre, with cafés, restaurants and wooded picnic areas. From the top you see the whole city, the harbour and the coastline.

Cable car or car?

Both work:

1. Cable car: the lower station is on the seafront in Atatürk Park. The line is 2,350 m long, was built by the Italian company Leitner and is run by the municipality. Eight-person cabins take about 6.5 minutes to reach the top station at around 498 m. Going up, the sea is behind you, so sit facing downhill for the view.
2. By road: a paved road climbs from the Selimiye neighbourhood, and there is a link from the Oğmaca–Yaraşlı ring road.

One tip: ride up during the day and come down after sunset, when the city lights come on below you. Cable car hours can change with the season and maintenance, so check the municipality's announcements on the day.

What to do on Boztepe

• The view and a glass of tea: sitting at one of the cafés and watching the Black Sea is the whole point.
• A walk: the metropolitan municipality has planned the roughly 600 m road along the top as a walking route, closed to traffic in a controlled way.
• Paragliding: the provincial tourism office features paragliding from Boztepe in its photographs. If you want to fly, book with a licensed operator and let the weather decide.
• The evening: our Ordu location is also on Boztepe, so after the sunset you can go straight to the pool, sauna or hammam without driving back into town.

In town, on foot

Back down in the city, the main historic stops are close together.

Paşaoğlu Mansion and Ethnography Museum

According to the provincial culture and tourism office, the mansion stands in the Selimiye neighbourhood, on the road up to Boztepe, and was built in 1896 for Paşaoğlu Hüseyin Efendi. Its stone came from Ünye, its timber from Romania, and a master builder came from Istanbul to do the work. With its garden it covers 625 m², and it has three floors. The wooden ceiling of the upstairs hall is painted with oil-on-paper patterns, with small landscape medallions in the corners, and the bathroom is lined with patterned tiles. The garden has a fountain pool and the original stone hearth. The state bought the house in 1982 and opened it as a museum in 1987, after restoration. Check opening hours before you go.

Taşbaşı Cultural Centre

This building in the Taşbaşı neighbourhood was built in 1853 as a church by the local Greek Orthodox community. It is a three-aisled basilica in cut stone, with one large apse to the east and two smaller ones beside it. Once also used as a prison, it has been a multi-purpose cultural centre since 10 April 2000. Depending on the events calendar you may be able to go in; if not, the outside is worth seeing. The surrounding streets are a protected urban conservation area, good for an unhurried walk.

Eskipazar Great Bath

If you are curious about hammam culture, stop here. The bath stands south of the Eskipazar Mosque, in the Eskipazar (Bayrambey) neighbourhood, and dates from the 16th century. It has the three classic rooms, cool, warm and hot, rough stone outside and dressed stone inside, under domes and vaults. Its restoration was carried out by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. We explain what each of those rooms is for in our Turkish bath glossary.

The seafront and Atatürk Park

Atatürk Park, where the cable car starts, and the seafront promenade make an easy late-afternoon walk. On windy days the shore feels cool, so bring a light layer.

Half a day on the coast: Cape Jason and Hoynat Island

Head west along the coast road towards Samsun and you reach the Perşembe district.

• Cape Jason (Yason Burnu): the provincial tourism office lists the peninsula as a first-degree archaeological and second-degree natural conservation site, right by the sea on the Samsun–Ordu road. Its church, built in 1869, has been restored and opened to visitors, and the office describes it as the only peninsula on the Black Sea coast with a church on it. It is traditionally linked with the Golden Fleece and the Argonauts. In summer you can watch both sunrise and sunset from here, and there are picnic areas, places to eat and parking nearby.
• Hoynat Island: a small island in Perşembe, next to the Hoynat tunnel. Remains of a castle and a cistern led to its registration as a second-degree archaeological site in 2004. Gulls and cormorants live here, and the tourism office describes it as the only place in Türkiye where European shags nest. Bring binoculars.
• Kurul Kaya: a historic settlement 13 km from the centre, now open to visitors.

Put the coast in the afternoon and you can be back on Boztepe in time for a swim or a sauna.

The highlands: Çambaşı and Perşembe

Ordu's other face is in the mountains. The provincial office notes that oriental spruce spreads east of the Melet river, with spruce, black pine, beech and chestnut in the forests; the highland pastures, called yayla, sit above them.

Çambaşı Yayla and ski centre

According to the Culture Portal, Çambaşı is in the Kabadüz district at 1,850 m. You reach it on the paved Ordu–Kabadüz–Çambaşı road: the highland is 58 km from the city centre and the ski centre 54 km, and the source says the road is open all year. The ski centre has two chairlifts, 1,753 m and 1,104 m long, and 11 runs with a combined length of 17,275 m. People come for cool air, walks and picnics in summer, and for skiing in winter. In winter, still carry snow chains and check the forecast before you set off.

Perşembe Yayla and its meanders

Perşembe Yayla lies 17 km from the town of Aybastı, at about 1,500 m, and was declared a tourism centre in 1991. Its best-known sight is the stream that loops back and forth across the flat meadow. The provincial office says a highland festival is held every July, with competitions, folk dancing, concerts, wrestling and horse races, and that the area suits picnics, off-road trips and paragliding. Festival dates are announced each year, so check before planning around them.

Ulugöl in autumn

Ulugöl Nature Park, in the Gölköy district, covers 26.5 hectares, 63 km from Ordu and 14 km from Gölköy. It has three lakes formed by landslides, one large and two small ones edged with reeds. The tourism office singles out the autumn colours. If you go in October, prepare for rain.

A two-day plan

Two things to keep in mind: rain is possible in any season, and the highland roads are long. Leave your highland day flexible so you can move it to the clearer day.

How to get to Ordu

• By air: Ordu-Giresun Airport, in the Gülyalı district, was built on land reclaimed from the sea and opened on 22 May 2015. Anadolu Agency's report on the opening described it as the first airport in Türkiye and Europe built on the sea. A route calculation with OpenStreetMap data puts the drive from the airport to Boztepe at about 23 km.
• From Trabzon: follow the coast road west via Giresun. The same route calculation gives about 180 km by road between the two city centres. Allow half a day with stops.
• Getting around: the town-centre sights are close together and the cable car takes you up Boztepe. You need a car for the highlands and Cape Jason.

End the day on Boztepe: our Ordu location

Our Ordu location is inside Radisson Blu Hotel Ordu on Boztepe, within walking distance of the Boztepe cable car station. It is open all year, and you don't need to be a hotel guest. Inside you'll find:

• An indoor pool looking out over the Black Sea: for a slow swim or a rest by the water after a day out.
• A Finnish sauna and a steam room: we explain the difference between dry and humid heat in our sauna, steam room and hammam guide.
• A Turkish bath: the Ordu location has a single hammam. Please ask the location before your visit how women guests can use it.
• Massage and body treatments: our therapists come from Thailand and Bali. See the options on our massage page. Therapist options vary from location to location; please call the location.
• A gym: our trainers put together personal programmes for cardio, strength and flexibility.

Robes, slippers and towels are provided; bring a swimsuit for the pool. Our hotel pool guide covers the usual pool rules. There is no online booking system: opening hours and the WhatsApp line are on the location page, or you can use our booking page. Staff speak English. At weekends and on public holidays, book during the day.

Moving into the heat

After a highland walk or a wet day in town, take your time getting into the sauna and the hammam. Harvard Health Publishing advises staying in a sauna no more than 15–20 minutes, avoiding alcohol before and after, cooling down gradually and drinking water afterwards, and says people with uncontrolled high blood pressure or heart disease should check with their doctor first. If you are pregnant, also ask your doctor before using a sauna, steam room or hot hammam.

The next stop on the Black Sea

If your trip continues east to Trabzon, our Radisson Blu Trabzon location on Boztepe is also open all year, and its Turkish baths are separate for women and men. Our Uzungöl location is seasonal and is closed at the moment. You'll find all our Black Sea locations on our Black Sea spa page, and if you are planning a winter trip, read our guide to Trabzon and Uzungöl in winter.

What to pack

• A rain jacket or a small umbrella: Ordu averages 9 to 15 rainy days in every month.
• Comfortable shoes with grip: for the Boztepe walk, the slopes around Taşbaşı and highland paths.
• A warm layer: it is cooler on the hill and in the highlands than on the coast, and Çambaşı is at 1,850 m.
• Binoculars: for birdwatching at Hoynat Island.
• A swimsuit: if you want to use the indoor pool.