Ordu Cable Car Tour

Tirebolu Beach on the Black Sea coast

Tirebolu Beach opens the day's drive west along the coast, a stretch of shoreline where fishing boats sit pulled up on the sand and the road runs close to the water. The group steps out for a short break to stretch legs after the first leg of driving from Trabzon and to enjoy the sea air.

Waves roll in steadily along this part of the coast, and the beach is fairly quiet outside peak summer weekends. This is a simple opening stop, not a long one, meant to ease you into the day before the road climbs to the castle above Giresun. Sun protection is useful, because there is little shade on the open sand.

Giresun Castle above the town

From the coast the road climbs steeply into Giresun town, winding up to the castle that has watched over this stretch of the Black Sea for centuries. Stone walls and old defensive towers still stand along the hilltop, weathered but intact enough to walk around, and a visit to Giresun Castle is a pleasant, easy introduction to the town's history.

At the top the coastline unfolds in both directions, with the town's rooftops below and the sea stretching to the horizon. On clear days Giresun Island, the only island off this coast, can be seen offshore. The wind picks up at this height, so a light jacket helps. This is where the group usually pauses longest for photographs.

The Ordu cable car to Boztepe

The Ordu cable car is the centrepiece of the tour. Cabins lift passengers away from street level, over rooftops and gardens and up the hillside to Boztepe, giving a few unhurried minutes to watch the city and shoreline shrink below. Many guests find the ride the most memorable part of the whole day.

At the upper station a platform and seating areas open onto forested hills behind, the city below and the open sea beyond. Visitors often ask about the Ordu cable car opening hours, which depend on the season, so our guide plans the visit around the day's operation. The stop is longer than the earlier coastal breaks, and the guide tells the group when to rejoin the coach.

Kybele Chocolate Factory

Kybele Chocolate Factory changes the mood from scenery to taste. The group goes inside to see how chocolate is made, shaped and packaged on site, and the smell alone is a clear change from the sea air of the earlier stops. Staff explain the basics of the process, and there is usually time to look at finished products.

Ordu is better known for its hazelnuts than for chocolate, so the factory shows a side of the region that many visitors do not expect. It is a lighter, indoor stop that balances the active castle climb and the cable car ride. Bring a little cash if you want to buy chocolate as gifts or for the road.

Ordu Marina and the seafront

Ordu Marina closes the itinerary with an easy walk along the water, past moored boats and open promenade space where local people gather in the evenings. The pace slows on purpose after a day of driving, climbing and the cable car ride, and cafes along the marina give you a place to sit before the return.

This final stop completes the coastal theme that began at Tirebolu Beach in the morning and brings the group back to sea level after the height of the castle and the cable car. It is also a good place for a last photograph of the Black Sea. The coach then leaves for the drive back to Trabzon and your hotel.