Things to Do in Gebze: 8 Places to Visit

Places to Visit in Gebze

• 3 Historic
• 1 Ancient City
• 1 Religious
• 2 Museum
• 1 Nature

🕌 Religious Buildings 1

i Photo: aachim3 (CC BY 3.0) · Source

5 🕌 Religious

Çoban Mustafa Paşa Complex

One of Gebze's main tourist sites.

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While you are in Gebze, you can also see the highlights of Kocaeli province. These places are in other districts.

• İzmit Clock Tower — The clock tower, the symbol of the city, was built in 1901 for the 25th anniversary of Abdülhamid II's accession to the throne; it is the most photographed building in Kocaeli.
• Pertev Paşa (Yeni Cuma) Mosque — A mosque in İzmit built by Mimar Sinan in 1579 for Pertev Mehmed Paşa; it is the most important Ottoman-era building in the city.
• Hannibal Monument — A monumental tomb and park in Gebze in memory of the Carthaginian commander Hannibal, who is believed to have died at ancient Libyssa in about 183 BC.
• Osman Hamdi Bey Museum and Eskihisar Castle — The house in the Eskihisar neighbourhood of Gebze where the painter and archaeologist Osman Hamdi Bey spent his summers in his last years; it has been a museum since 1987. The nearby Byzantine-era Eskihisar Castle controlled the entrance to the gulf.
• Kocaeli Archaeology Museum — The museum next to the historic railway station in İzmit displays the archaeological finds of the region, above all statues and reliefs from the excavations at Nicomedia.
• Seka Park — A park on the shore of the Gulf of İzmit, created on about 580 decares of land of the former SEKA paper factory; it has a paper museum, a pier, walking paths and performance areas.

Practical Information for Visiting Gebze

Suggested time

1-2 days

Best time to visit

Spring and autumn (April-June, September-October)

Places to visit

8 places

• 🍬

  Pişmaniye

  Pişmaniye, a sweet shared by Gebze and İzmit, is made by pulling sugar and flour into fine threads. Traditional producers in Gebze have been making this sweet for centuries.

• 🐟

  Marmara Fish

  Fresh fish from the Eskihisar and Tavşancıl shores, served grilled in seaside restaurants.

• 🍖

  Islama Köfte (meatballs on tomato-soaked bread)

  Islama köfte, prepared by serving meatballs on bread soaked in tomato sauce, is one of Gebze's popular street foods.

Culture, Local Products and Economy of Gebze

• 🏛️

  Legacy of Ancient Libyssa

  Gebze's ancient name was Libyssa, and it is known as the place where the Carthaginian commander Hannibal spent his final days. This historical connection is an important part of Gebze's cultural identity.

• 🎨

  Legacy of Osman Hamdi Bey

  Osman Hamdi Bey, a pioneer of Turkish painting and founder of the Istanbul Archaeology Museums, painted many of his famous works at his summer house in Eskihisar, Gebze. The painting 'The Tortoise Trainer' was depicted here.

Local Products

• Gebze Bayram Çöreği (Gebze festival bread) — Gebze Bayram Çöreği was registered as a protected geographical indication on 28 May 2021 (TÜRKPATENT registration no. 777). Product group: bakery and pastry products, dough products, sweets. Registered by: Gebze Chamber of Commerce.
• Pişmaniye — Gebze's traditional sweet pişmaniye is still produced using handmade methods.
• Industrial Products — With 1,384 companies operating in 10 organised industrial zones, Gebze is one of Türkiye's largest industrial centres.

Economy

Gebze is the most populous district of Kocaeli and one of Türkiye's largest industrial centres. More than 130,000 people are employed across 10 organised industrial zones. The main industries are automotive, chemicals, electronics and food. Gebze Technical University and the TÜBİTAK Gebze Campus contribute to R&D activities.

How to Get to Gebze

Gebze is 50 km from Istanbul and 45 km from İzmit. The E-80 (TEM) and D-100 (E-5) motorways pass through the district. Marmaray and the suburban train provide links to Istanbul. It is 30 km from Sabiha Gökçen Airport.

Get directions on Google Maps Getting to Kocaeli

Gebze: Frequently Asked Questions

Continue Your Trip

• 🍽️ What to Eat in Gebze Famous dishes and local products →
• 🗺️ Things to Do in Kocaeli The province's 12 best places and all its districts →

Other Districts of Kocaeli

• Başiskele 8 places Yuvacık Dam and Surroundings, Başiskele Coast and Başiskele Central Mosque
• Çayırova 5 places TÜBİTAK Gebze Campus, Çayırova Parks and Akse Village Historic Fabric
• Darıca 5 places Darıca Castle (Darıca Kalesi), Bayramoğlu Beach (Bayramoğlu Sahili) and Darıca Faruk Yalçın Zoo and Botanical Park (Darıca Faruk Yalçın Hayvanat Bahçesi ve Botanik Parkı)
• Derince 6 places Derince Port, Çene Suyu and Derince Coastal Park
• Dilovası 3 places Dilovası Organised Industrial Zone, Dilovası Coast and Liyssa Castle
• Gölcük 4 places Gölcük Naval Command and Naval Museum, Earthquake Museum and Memorial Park and Gölcük Seafront
• İzmit 11 places İzmit Clock Tower, Kocaeli Museum (Former Government House) and Pertev Paşa Mosque
• Kandıra 11 places Kandıra Castle, Kefken Island and Kandıra Beaches
• Karamürsel 7 places Karamürsel Coast, Karamürsel Bey Tomb and Yalakdere Valley
• Kartepe 10 places Maşukiye Village, Kartepe Ski Centre and Shore of Lake Sapanca
• Körfez 6 places Hereke Castle, Kaiser II. Wilhelm Pavilion and TÜPRAŞ Refinery