Ünye is a port and resort in the Central Karadeniz or Black Sea region of Turkey, with a population of 132,000 in 2022. It has few "sights" but you might break a journey along the coast here.
Understand
[edit]Ünye, known to the Greeks as Oinòe (Οἰνόη), is a small port backed by farmland growing hazelnuts. Down the centuries, a cavalcade of kingdoms and dynasties came and went without leaving much mark on the place. Like many coastal towns, it had a large population of Greeks and Armenians, but during the 19th century Ünye industrialised and drew in a Muslim population from the countryside. The earthquake of 1939 wrecked it so there's no sense of an "old town", but later that century tourism developed along the coast just north. This is entirely domestic tourism, as westerners preferred the better beaches and antiquities of the Aegean and Med coasts.
Get in
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Ünye is between Samsun (90 km west) and Ordu (62 km east) on the coastal highway D010, which nowadays sweeps south to bypass the city. By road from Istanbul is 825 km, 11 hours - follow E80 past Bolu to Samsun then join the coast road. From Ankara is 500 km, 6 hr 30 min via Çorum.
By plane, Samsun (SZF IATA) and Ordu-Giresun (OGU IATA) both have daily flights from Istanbul (both IST and SAW), less often from other Turkish cities.
Buses from Istanbul depart every hour or two and take 13 hours via Samsun, heading for Trabzon. Buses from Ankara take 8 hours. Local buses and dolmuşes ply from Samsun taking 90 min.
Bus lines on these routes are Metro Turizm and Flixbus.
1 Ünye Otogarı is the grubby bus terminal, 2.5 km east of downtown.
The harbour 2.5 km east of the bus terminal handles freight but has no passenger ferries.
Get around
[edit]Dolmuşes run north to the beach strip and southeast to the bus station.
See
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- 1 Grand Mosque (Büyük Cami) was built in 1610 and refurbished in 2013.
- Orta Mosque 100 m north was built in 1899 to serve the expanding population - "Orta" means middle or central. It was wrecked in the earthquake of 1939 and only rebuilt in 1954, in traditional style but not to the original plan.
- Saray Mosque a further 200 m north was built in 1720.
- 2 Cumhuriyet Meydanı between Saray Mosque and the pier is the former market square.
- 3 Heritage Museum, Aliçer Sk 2, off Hacı Emin Cd, ☏ +90 452 324 9092. Tu-Su 09:00-17:00. Small museum of local history.
- Ottoman mansions dot the slopes north of the centre. Some have been restored as hotels or residences but many are decrepit.
- 4 Ayanikola Church was Greek Orthodox, built in the 1860s on an itsy-bitsy tombola islet. Only the outline of its foundations remain, the reason to visit is to paddle across the 20 m tombola for the view and a picnic.
- 5 Ünye Castle is a ramshackle ruin from 1290 AD on a crag off D850, 7 km southwest of town. It's been closed for restoration for years.
- 6 Tozkoparan Caves are rock-cut tombs of unknown date. They're 1.5 km up the Kurna Creek road off the coast highway.
Do
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- Beaches are best along the north coast strip. They're grubby in town, and too narrow for comfort further east.
- Hamams are traditional Turkish baths. Both Cifte and Eski Hamam are closed in 2025.
- Football - sorry! Ünye 1957 Spor was formed by a merger of Ünyespor and Ünye Belediyespor in 2015, but it always depended on political patronage, so when the wind changed and ousted the mayor, that was the end of it. Their Ünye İlçe Stadium is still in use for other sports. Head to Samsun for top-tier soccer club Samsunspor.
Buy
[edit]- The historic covered market is closed for reconstruction in 2025.
- Lots of little stores downtown.
Eat
[edit]Downtown eating places are mostly near Grand Mosque. On the beach strip try the hotels.
Drink
[edit]Cafes serve alcohol.
Sleep
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- 1 Otel Güney, Belediye Cd 14, ☏ +90 452 323 8406. Basic but central, cleanliness varies. B&B double 1500 TL.
- Otel Çınar next door at Belediye Cd 19 gets better ratings.
- Otel Burak further along the street at Belediye Cd 6a scores well on cleanliness, but has small rooms and you have to struggle up the steps.
- 2 Yalihan Ari Hotel, Devlet Sahil Yolu 443, ☏ +90 452 324 2470. Clean quiet apart-hotel on the beachfront. No pets. Double (room only) 2500 TL.
- 3 Mavi Marin Hotel, Bahar Sk, ☏ +90 452 323 3232. Pleasant modern hotel on the beach strip. No elevator. B&B double 5000 TL.
- 4 Ramada Resort, Devlet Sahil Yolu 230, ☏ +90 452 323 1666. Slick spacious chain hotel on the beach strip. B&B double 4000 TL.
Connect
[edit]Ünye and its approach highways have 4G from all Turkish carriers. As of Feb 2025, 5G has not rolled out in Turkey.
Go next
[edit]- Ordu east is a larger port with a handful of mosques and museums.
- Samsun west is the largest city on this coast. It has a beach resort strip but is best known as the place where Ataturk launched the fightback to ensure Turkish sovereignty.
| Routes through Ünye |
| Akçakoca ← Samsun ← | W   E
|
→ Ordu → Trabzon |
Ends at  ←
|
N  S
|
→ Niksar (  W/E) → Tokat → Gaziantep
|