Probably Russian tourists who would travel specifically in Yalov, practically no. It is understandable: the city is small, not particularly popular, and there will be no entertainment here. I also went to Yalov from Istanbul, in order to pass the time (2012 was very Turkish, I managed to see almost the whole country)))
From Istanbul to Yalova goes steam, the price of a ticket is 65 lir, you need to swim a little more than an hour. I grew up in the region without the sea, so any sea travels always make me very happy (especially since beautiful places are beautiful):
The port in Yalov is very cozy, immediately behind it begins the embankment, where the time of tourists begins:
Oddly enough, Yalova is very popular among the Arabs that the apartments buy here and rejoice in secluded beaches. There are not so many other foreigners here, although the sea is clean and much better than in Istanbul itself:
Active life in the city begins at sunset when heat falls. At this time, you can find local residents who are very colorful. They say, Ataturk loved Yalov because of her welcoming residents. True, now they are mainly engaged in selling souvenirs (which, by the way, they do not differ from other Turkish, so I do not advise you to buy anything), etc.
In general, Yalova is a milestone place where you can take a walk and relax from the crowd of tourists for Turkey. True, attractions here are not enough: a monument to Ataturku (where and without ataturk!):
Parabitis "Inkilab", which is somehow connected with the Turkish revolution and seems to be closed for visiting, but I still climbed it from above DONAZU:
Gesipasha Central Street with Baza Markets, Shops and Cafes:
Memorial to the victims of the earthquake:
And the so-called "walking house", which was a residence of Ataturk (photo, alas, not survived).
In general, everything. In the depths of the city there are a botanical garden and thermal sources that visitors praise, but there was not there, so I can not comment.
For me, in Yalov it is worth going to go only in order to sit on the embankment in the "Teas Bakhchesi", i.e. Tea Garden, drink tea and eat Balyk Emmec from the most delicious fish of the Black Sea in just a couple of lire.