Sitting on the Black Sea coast in northern Turkey, Ordu is a port city with a rich history. With a pleasant seafront and winding narrow lanes, Ordu boasts a village-like ambience and is known as the hazelnut capital of the world.

Things to do

Ordu’s most prominent feature is the city’s position on the Black Sea, complemented by kilometres of beautiful coastline ideal for swimming, boat trips and water sports. Even in the colder months, which are usually bright and clear, the city’s promenade is a blissful place to enjoy a stroll and take in the views of sea and mountain.

Overlooking Ordu from the western end of the seafront is Boztepe hill. Standing at 548 metres, the hill offers stunning views over Ordu and the surrounding countryside, as well as out to sea.

Take a ride on the Ordu Boztepe Gondola, an aerial lift line that transports you to the top of the hill in just 6.5 minutes. One of Ordu’s most enjoyable and popular activities is to journey to the top of Boztepe and enjoy dinner with a view at one of the many traditional restaurants.

Ordu is famous as the world’s largest producer of hazelnuts and no visit to the city is truly complete without sampling the delicious treat. One of the most popular ways to enjoy hazelnuts in Ordu is whole and dipped in chocolate. Many bakeries also offer hazelnut baklava, a must-try for if you have a sweet tooth.

Getting around

Ordu is a fairly small city that can be covered mainly on foot or by using local taxis if you prefer. If you’re flying into the nearby Ordu-Giresun Airport, the best way to get to the city is by taxi, which takes around 20 minutes.