Things to Do in Espiye: 7 Places to Visit

Places to Visit in Espiye

• 1 Historic
• 1 Ancient City
• 3 Nature
• 2 Attraction

1 🏺 Ancient City

Andoz Castle

A castle built by the Genoese to guard Zefre Harbour. It is the most important historic structure in the district.

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2 📸 Attraction

Çımaklı Village

Çımaklı village, where traditional Black Sea architecture has been preserved, with its wooden houses and natural beauty, is an attractive destination for photographers and nature lovers.

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i Photo: Zeynel Cebeci (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Source

3 🌳 Nature

Espiye Coast

The Espiye coast on the Black Sea shore offers a quiet holiday setting, with small coves and fishermen's shelters.

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4 🏛️ Historic

Zefre Harbour

A harbour in Espiye, described as an important port of the Silk Road.

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5 🌳 Nature

Yedi Değirmenli Cave

A cave formed by a karstic spring, where the water flowing out drives seven mills.

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6 📸 Attraction

Espiye Kent Forest

A city forest created on an area of 385 hectares at an altitude of 600 m above sea level, opened on 3 February 2007.

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7 🌳 Nature

Karaovacık, Yaşmaklı ve Ağaçbaşı yaylaları

Plateaus where various festivals are held in June and July.

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While you are in Espiye, you can also see the highlights of Giresun province. These places are in other districts; Espiye is about 35 km from the provincial centre.

• Giresun Island — An island of 40,000 m², about 1.6 km off the coast; together with Kefken Island it is one of the two islands in the Black Sea belonging to Türkiye.
• Giresun Castle — A castle on the top of the peninsula north of the city, probably built in the time of Pharnaces I, King of Pontus (2nd century BC); its central tower and southern walls still stand.
• Zeytinlik — A historic neighbourhood at the foot of the castle with mansions built in the mid-19th century by merchants selling hazelnuts to Europe, using materials brought from Europe; the houses are placed so as not to block one another's light or views.
• Giresun Museum (Gogora Church) — A basilica in Zeytinlik built in the mid-18th century by the Greek Orthodox community; it was used as a prison between 1948 and 1967 and has been an archaeology and ethnography museum since 1988.
• Kuzalan Nature Park and Blue Lake — An area at Dereli, 45 km from Giresun, declared a nature park in 2013; its five turquoise lakes with travertine steps formed by the Göksu Stream, the largest 30 metres across, recall Pamukkale.
• Kümbet Plateau — A highland pasture at Dereli, 52 km south of Giresun, at an altitude of 1,640 metres; together with the surrounding summer settlements (oba) it is known for camping, hiking and highland festivals.

Practical Information for Visiting Espiye

Suggested time

1 day

Best time to visit

Summer months (June–September)

Places to visit

7 places

• 🧀

  Kuymak

  Kuymak, made by cooking maize flour, butter and fresh cheese in a copper pan, is an essential part of Espiye's breakfast tables.

• 🐟

  Hamsi Tava

  Fresh anchovies (hamsi) coated in maize flour and fried. This dish reflects Espiye's fishing tradition and is a favourite in the winter months.

• 🍚

  Dible (Lahanalı Pilav, cabbage pilaf)

  Dible, made by cooking collard greens and maize flour together with rice, is one of Espiye's traditional dishes.

• 🍽️

  Espiye pidesi

  It is said to have a history of about 100 years and is notable as the first pide registered in the region.

Culture, Local Products and Economy of Espiye

• 🏡

  Karadeniz Köy Mimarisi

  The traditional wooden houses, serender (grain store) structures and stone walls preserved in Espiye's mountain villages are important examples of the Black Sea architectural tradition.

• 🌰

  Fındık Hasadı Geleneği

  The hazelnut harvest, carried out in August and September, is Espiye's most important social event. Hazelnuts gathered by traditional methods form the basis of the district's economy.

Local Products

• Espiye Fındığı (Espiye hazelnuts) — Espiye is one of Giresun's major hazelnut-producing centres. The district, known for its quality hazelnuts, has a say in the hazelnut trade.
• Doğal Bal (Natural honey) — Espiye honey, made from flowers in the Black Sea forests, is known for its organic character.

Economy

Espiye's economy is based on hazelnut farming and fishing. Hazelnut processing plants and the fish market are the district's main economic activities. Small-scale livestock farming is also practised.

How to Get to Espiye

Espiye is 35 km from Giresun city centre. It lies on the Black Sea coastal road (E70). Ordu-Giresun Airport is about 55 km away.

Get directions on Google Maps Getting to Giresun

Espiye: Frequently Asked Questions

Continue Your Trip

• 🍽️ What to Eat in Espiye Famous dishes and local products →
• 🗺️ Things to Do in Giresun The province's 11 best places and all its districts →

Other Districts of Giresun

• Giresun Central District 4 places Giresun Castle, Zeytinlik Neighbourhood Historic Houses and Giresun Island
• Alucra 11 places Çakrak Church, Alucra Plateaus and Kelkit Vadisi Manzaraları
• Bulancak 11 places Bulancak Castle, Sis Dağı Plateau and Pazarsuyu Waterfall
• Çamoluk 5 places Çamoluk Plateaus, Kelkit Valley Views and Yenice Waterfalls
• Çanakçı 2 places Çanakçı Streams and Çanakçı Plateaus
• Dereli 8 places Kümbet Plateau, Karagöl Nature Park and Bektaş Plateau
• Doğankent 2 places Aksu Valley and Doğankent Plateaus
• Eynesil 5 places Eynesil Shore, Eynesil Plateaus and Historic Stone Bridges
• Görele 7 places Kuşköy (Kuş Dili Village), Görele Castle and Kırkharman Church
• Güce 5 places Ağaçbaşı Plateau, Güce Plateaus and Güce Streams and Valleys
• Keşap 6 places Keşap Coast, Armutdüzü Village Greek Churches and Halkalı Şahin Rock
• Piraziz 6 places Piraziz Coast, Bendehor Castle and Pir-Aziz Tomb
• Şebinkarahisar 5 places Şebinkarahisar Castle, Atatürk House Museum and Meryem Ana Monastery
• Tirebolu 9 places Tirebolu Castle, Tirebolu Castle (Tripolis) and Tirebolu Coast
• Yağlıdere 7 places Hacı Abdullah Halife Complex, Yağlıdere Valley and Yağlıdere Plateaus