Discover Elmalık

Elmalık combines a scenic hiking route with historical themes from several periods. This makes both nature and outdoor activity, as well as local history, relevant to planning a trip. The following highlights offer concrete points of reference for considering Elmalık as a travel destination.

Hiking and Landscape

The Höyüktepe–Elmalık hiking route is about 8 kilometers long and passes through an area with fresh forest air. The hike offers an opportunity for landscape photography. Its approximate length gives the tour a clear framework, while the forest air and photography describe its scenic character. As a main activity, the hike can thus be distinguished from the town’s historical themes.

Local History and Paper Mill

Yalakabad Kağıthanesi was founded in 1745 in the village of Elmalık in Yalova. It was the first paper mill in the Ottoman Empire to be documented in official records. Another turning point was Elmalık’s resettlement in 1924 following the population exchange between Turkey and Greece. Initially, 21 households arrived from Burhaniye; later, 81 migrant families followed from the city of Drama and from Yassıören and Demirciören. The chronology and the different places of origin give the settlement’s history concrete contours: it includes several groups of newcomers rather than a single arrival.

The historical periods also differ significantly: the remains of the church foundations date from the Byzantine period, the paper mill was founded in 1745, and the town was resettled in 1924. This makes it possible to understand Elmalık through more than one building or event. In Yalova, the Yürüyen Köşk was moved about 4.80 meters on August 10, 1930, to save the centuries-old plane tree next to the building.

Historical Traces in the Town and Surrounding Area

In Elmalık, there are remains of church foundations from the Byzantine period and worked fragments. Nearby, Elmalık Kalesi stands on 270-meter-high Bahçe Tepe. The castle site is about 500 meters south of Elmalık and Kirazlı, and north of Esadiye. Several towers remain; the walls are made of brick and rubble masonry. On the slopes opposite the castle site, you can see trenches dug by Turkish soldiers during the Turkish War of Independence.

Local Character and Trip Planning

Cut-flower production is one of the area’s local specialties, and its intensity can vary. It adds an agricultural perspective on Elmalık to the hiking and historical themes. When deciding on your trip, you can distinguish between the different highlights: the hike is an activity, while the history of the paper mill, settlement history, and historical traces provide the cultural focus. If you plan to visit the castle or archaeological remains, check current visitor access in advance.

Discover more destinations: Termal, Fıstıklı Köyü, Kirazlı Köyü, Çiftlikköy, Esenköy Belediyesi, Yalova, Altınova, Çınarcık

Go to the main travel overview: Yalova.