Yalova Travel Guide — Things to Do, Food & Hotels
central district and city in Yalova province, Turkey
About Yalova
Yalova means "plains of coastal mansions" - it's hemmed in by mountains but spreads along the shore. It stands at the point where the Sea of Marmara narrows into the Gulf of Izmit, so it's long been a ferry port on one of the routes between Constantinople and Smyrna, nowadays Istanbul and Izmir. In antiquity Yalova was known as Pylae (Greek: Πύλαι) meaning "gates", and attracted a cosmopolitan merchant population. But that was its downfall in the inter-ethnic strife of the last days of the Ottoman Empire. Turkey was defeated in the First World War and Smyrna was awarded to Greece, but Greece had greater ambitions and in 1920 marched on Ankara. They were thrown back by Turkish resistance under Mustafa Kemal, and in retreat carried out massacres and a scorched earth policy along the Yalova p
Top Attractions in Yalova
Explore the best things to see and do in Yalova:
- ★City Museum
- ★Ibrahim Muteferrika Kagit Museum
- ★Karaca Arboretum
- ★Yürüyen Köşk
Where to Stay in Yalova
- 🏨Grand Otel Karot
- 🏨Hilton Garden Inn
- 🏨Limak Thermal Boutique Hotel
- 🏨Lova Hotel Spa
- 🏨Ramada by Wyndham
Yalova Travel Guide Sections
Our comprehensive guide covers 11 sections including: