Armutlu is a coastal district in the southeast of the Sea of Marmara, north of the Gulf of Gemlik, and has been part of Yalova Province since 1995. It is known for its thermal springs, forested slopes and coves; the Armutlu District Governorship calls it “one of the rare places where tourism is lived in all four seasons”.
Armutlu at a glance
- Province
- Value
- Yalova (district since 6 June 1995, Decree-Law 550)
- Villages
- Value
- Fıstıklı, Mecidiye, Kapaklı, Hayriye, Selimiye
- Distance to Yalova city centre
- Value
- About 55 km
- Coastline
- Value
- About 16–18 km (Governorship 16 km, Culture and Tourism Directorate 18 km)
- Forest area
- Value
- 14,522 hectares
- Climate
- Value
- Hot, dry summers; mild, rainy winters
- Thermal spring temperature
- Value
- 57–73 °C
A short history
- According to the Yalova Provincial Culture and Tourism Directorate, the name Armutlu is thought to come from “Armoda” or “Armodies”, words meaning “fleet” or “one who watches over the fleet”.
- The same source describes Armutlu as a very old settlement founded by the Byzantines and says it became Ottoman territory in 1320.
- According to the Armutlu District Governorship, the first thermal bath in Armutlu was built in the Byzantine period, and the springs have been used ever since.
- Armutlu became a district of Yalova on 6 June 1995.
Nature: the Samanlı Mountains, forests and olive groves
The Samanlı Mountains are Yalova's main range. Armutlu sits on the westward foothills of Taz Dağı (867 m). Maquis and heath, olive groves and pine forests make up the vegetation, and the 14,522-hectare forest is described as “the lungs of the area”. The basin around Mecidiye, Hayriye and Fıstıklı is designated an organic farming area.
Coves and coastline
The Culture and Tourism Directorate lists Armutlu's main coves as Yılanlar, Ayazma, İskele, Dereağzı, Ahmetköycüğü and İğdealtı. There are more coves at the villages of Fıstıklı and Kapaklı. According to the Governorship, there is a sandy beach of about 4 km at Yılandar.
Historic sights in Armutlu
The main sights listed by the Governorship and the Culture and Tourism Directorate:
- Hacı Ali Paşa Mosque (town centre)
- The village bath (Köy Hamamı) and the historic bridge: restored and still in use
- The Old Mosque (Çarşı Camii) and an inscribed fountain
- The historic bath in the hot-springs area
- Armutlu houses: 24 registered examples of civil architecture
- The sarcophagus remains by Bülbül Creek: according to the Governorship, the most distinct trace of the past to survive to the present
Everyday life in Armutlu: shopping, health care, schools and local transport
Armutlu is a holiday destination, but it is also a district with its own municipality, district governorship, state hospital and state schools. For anyone weighing up a resort that shuts out of season against a town that lives all year, the short answer is this: the district's public services run all year. What changes with the season is the direct sea link, along with the businesses that follow the tourism calendar.
The district has its own state hospital under the Ministry of Health. Its institutional site lists an emergency clinic, specialist outpatient clinics, a radiology and imaging unit, a laboratory, a sterilisation unit, a home health unit, a smoking cessation clinic and a family health centre. The hospital is in the town centre, on Hospital Street, so staying in Armutlu does not mean driving to the provincial capital for the nearest emergency room. For treatment beyond that level, the hospitals are in Yalova city centre, about 55 km away, a journey the Yalova–Armutlu road brought down to roughly 30 minutes.
There are pharmacies in the town centre, working to a duty rota that covers nights and weekends. Armutlu Municipality publishes the current duty-pharmacy list on its own site, and checking it before setting off at night is the practical move.
According to the listings published by the district governorship, Armutlu has four state primary schools (two in the town centre and one each in the villages of Fıstıklı and Kapaklı), five state middle schools, one of them a religious vocational middle school, and one multi-programme high school. A public education centre also operates in the district. The schools follow the national school calendar, which is to say the district is a place with pupils, teachers and open classrooms through the winter. For higher education and a wider choice of schools, families use Yalova city centre.
Day-to-day shopping is done in the town centre, where the public institutions also sit. According to Yalova Governorship's district profile, the local economy rests largely on olive growing, fruit growing, fishing and tourism; olives, olive oil, grapes, figs, plums, peaches and cherries are the main local produce. For a bigger weekly shop and for specialised services, people go to Yalova city centre.
Travel within the district and towards the provincial capital is by minibus and bus; the lines are run by the local bus and minibus cooperative, on a coastal route from Yalova centre through Çınarcık, Koru, Esenköy and Fıstıklı to Armutlu. Departure times shift with the season, so check the operator's current timetable before you travel. At sea the picture is clear-cut: the direct İDO line to Armutlu is a seasonal line, planned by the operator according to season and demand; for 2026 the spring timetable was announced for 1 April to 28 June and the summer timetable for 29 June to 6 September. Road access, by contrast, runs all year: you arrive over the Osman Gazi Bridge or by the Yalova car-ferry links, then finish on the Yalova–Armutlu road. In short, Armutlu can be reached every day of the winter too; it is only the direct sea-bus option that may not be available in every month.
- District population
- What to expect
- About 40,000, according to Yalova Governorship's district profile.
- Health care
- What to expect
- Armutlu District State Hospital: emergency clinic, specialist outpatient clinics, radiology and imaging, laboratory, home health unit, family health centre. In the town centre, on Hospital Street.
- Pharmacies
- What to expect
- Pharmacies in the town centre; the municipality publishes the duty-pharmacy roster.
- Schools
- What to expect
- Four state primary schools, five state middle schools, one multi-programme high school and one public education centre (district governorship listings).
- Everyday shopping
- What to expect
- Done in the town centre; larger and more specialised shopping is done in Yalova city centre.
- Yalova city centre
- What to expect
- About 55 km. The Yalova–Armutlu road brought the journey down to 30 minutes.
- Local transport
- What to expect
- Armutlu–Yalova and village routes, run by the local bus and minibus cooperative.
- In winter
- What to expect
- Public institutions, the hospital and the schools stay open all year. The direct sea-bus line to Armutlu is seasonal; road access runs all year.
Note: the service and transport information in this section follows the published information of public institutions and of the operators themselves. Timetables, duty rotas and school details can change; check the relevant institution's current page before travelling or applying. Last checked: September 2026.
Things to do in Armutlu
For the sports, nature and family activities planned at Tor Thermal, see Activities.
- Thermal springs: the Armutlu hot springs are about 5 km from the town centre and are used all year. Water data: Armutlu Thermal Water.
- Hiking, camping, fishing and boat trips
- Eco guesthouses and horseback trails
- Villages and coves around Fıstıklı and Kapaklı
Tor Thermal in Armutlu
Tor Thermal is a living project in Armutlu, Yalova, that brings together thermal living, family privacy and the title-deed timeshare model. It follows an alcohol-free, family-focused concept, and its design includes separate thermal pools for women and men. The thermal pools are a planned service; the timing is shared in writing by your sales advisor. Location and access: Location · Istanbul to Armutlu.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Armutlu?
A coastal district in the southeast of the Sea of Marmara, north of the Gulf of Gemlik, about 55 km from Yalova city centre.
Which province is Armutlu in?
Yalova. It became a district on 6 June 1995.
Does Armutlu have hot springs?
Yes. According to the Armutlu District Governorship, the spring water is 57–73 °C, and the baths have been used since the Byzantine period.
What is there to see in Armutlu?
Hacı Ali Paşa Mosque, the historic bridge, the village bath, the Old Mosque (Çarşı Camii), the registered Armutlu houses, the sarcophagus remains at Bülbül Creek, the Armutlu hot springs, and coves such as Yılanlar, Ayazma and Dereağzı.
How do I get from Istanbul to Armutlu?
By İDO sea bus from Kadıköy and Yenikapı, or by road via Yalova. See the transport guide.
Is Tor Thermal a hotel?
No. Tor Thermal is a thermal and wellness living project in Armutlu, Yalova, offered under the title-deed timeshare model. In a hotel you pay for each stay. With a title-deed timeshare, the share for a specific usage period of an apartment is registered on the title deed in your name, and you use the apartment during that period every year.
What is it like to live in Armutlu?
Armutlu is a district with its own municipality, district governorship, state hospital and state schools. Everyday shopping and everyday health care are handled in the town centre; for a bigger shop and for advanced health care, people use Yalova city centre about 55 km away. The Yalova–Armutlu road brought that journey down to roughly 30 minutes.
Is Armutlu open in winter?
The district's public services, the hospital, the schools and the municipality, stay open all year, and road access is uninterrupted. What changes with the season is the direct sea crossing: the İDO line to Armutlu is planned seasonally. Some tourism businesses also work to the season.
Is there a hospital in Armutlu?
Yes. Armutlu District State Hospital is in the town centre, with an emergency clinic, specialist outpatient clinics, radiology, a laboratory and a family health centre. For advanced treatment, the hospitals in Yalova city centre are used.
Are there schools in Armutlu?
Yes. According to the district governorship's listings there are four state primary schools, five state middle schools, one multi-programme high school and a public education centre.
How does local transport work in Armutlu?
Travel inside the district and towards Yalova runs on the minibus and bus lines of the local cooperative. For ways to arrive from Istanbul, see Istanbul to Armutlu.
Sources
The information on this page is based on the public bodies and sources below.
- Armutlu District Governorship: Thermal Tourism
- Armutlu District Governorship: Historic Sites
- Armutlu District Governorship: Sea Tourism
- Yalova Provincial Culture and Tourism Directorate: Armutlu
- Yalova Governorship: Armutlu District
- Yalova Special Provincial Administration: Geography
- Armutlu Municipality: Sea Transport
- T.C. Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure: Yalova–Armutlu road
- Memurlar.net: Yalova–Armutlu road opened
- Armutlu District Governorship: Primary Schools
- Armutlu District Governorship: Middle Schools
- Armutlu District Governorship: High Schools
- Armutlu District State Hospital (institutional site)
- Armutlu District State Hospital: Contact and Directions
- Armutlu Municipality: Duty Pharmacies
- Armutlu Bus and Minibus Cooperative No. 4
- İDO 2026 Spring and Summer Timetable announced
- İDO: Timetables and schedules
- Armutlu Public Education Centre
Related pages
Last checked: 20 September 2026