Çeşme
An Aegean resort peninsula with Alaçatı's stone-house lanes and windmills, Çeşme Castle and turquoise bays; a windsurfing hot spot, with the ancient Ionian cities and Urla wineries nearby.
Çeşme & Alaçatı sits on the Çeşme Peninsula at the far western tip of Türkiye's İzmir Province, about 80 km from the city of İzmir and facing the Greek island of Chios across the sea. Çeşme is the peninsula's main port town, with a 16th-century Ottoman castle, a caravanserai and a yacht marina; 10 km to the southeast, Alaçatı was originally a Greek grape-growing town, and its stone houses, blue shutters and hilltop windmills have been turned into boutique hotels and restaurants, making it Türkiye's trendiest summer getaway. The climate is typically Mediterranean: June–September is dry and sunny, ideal for beaches and water sports, though July–August weekends are crowded and expensive. Steady summer northerly winds make Alaçatı Bay a world-class windsurfing destination, while Pırlanta on the west coast suits kitesurfing; the Alaçatı Herb Festival takes place in April, spring and autumn are good for ancient cities and wineries, and in winter many hotels and restaurants close. Activities fall into four groups: Çeşme town (the castle, old harbor, and seafood in the fishing village of Dalyan); Alaçatı (the old stone-house streets, windmills and the windsurfing bay); the beaches (Ilıca, Altınkum, Ayayorgi, Delikli Koy and others); and the eastern peninsula and day trips (the ancient city of Erythrai, Şifne hot springs, Germiyan village, Urla wineries and Clazomenae, and Sığacık's slow-city atmosphere and the ancient city of Teos). Getting there: from İzmir Airport or the city center, take a Havaş shuttle or intercity bus, about 1–1.5 hours to Çeşme; minibuses run frequently within the peninsula, but we recommend a rental car for the ancient cities and wineries. With a Schengen visa you can take a half-hour boat from Çeşme harbor to Chios. We suggest staying 3–5 days. Book summer accommodation in advance.
Top sights
- Alaçatı – A boutique resort town on the Çeşme Peninsula, with Greek-style stone houses, narrow lanes, bougainvillea and windmills on the hills. Its b…
- Ilıca Beach – Çeşme's best-known long sandy beach, with fine white sand and a wide shallow shore. Hot spring water rises from the seabed and warms the se…
- Çeşme Castle – A sea fortress built in 1508 under Ottoman Sultan Bayezid II. Its walls overlook Çeşme Harbor and the Greek island of Chios across the wate…
- Altınkum Beach – The 'golden sands' at the southwestern tip of the peninsula, a string of sandy coves with clear blue-green water. Some stretches remain nat…
- Alaçatı Windsurf Bay – A shallow bay south of Alaçatı. Steady summer north winds have made it a renowned European windsurfing destination, lined with surf schools.
- Pırlanta Beach – A long sandy beach on the windy west side of the peninsula, with strong winds and high waves. It is the main kitesurfing ground in Çeşme an…
- Aya Yorgi Bay – A small bay north of Çeşme town, with clear water and beach clubs along the shore. It is a swimming spot by day and the peninsula's famous…
- Delikli Koy – A natural cove on the south shore of the peninsula, ringed by rocks with emerald water. It is named after natural holes in the rocks and is…
- Çeşme Town Centre & Marina – An old town and yacht marina at the foot of the castle, linking a seaside promenade, fishing boats, seafood restaurants and shopping street…
- Çeşme Caravanserai – An Ottoman caravanserai built in 1528 beside the castle, with two-story stone arcades around a courtyard. It has been restored as a boutiqu…
- Ayios Haralambos Church – A 19th-century Greek Orthodox church, deconsecrated after the 1924 population exchange and now open as an exhibition and cultural events sp…
- Dalyan (Çeşme) – A fishing village north of Çeşme, where seafood restaurants line a narrow natural harbor. It is the peninsula's top choice for fresh fish a…
- Şifne Thermal Springs – A hot-spring town east of İlıca, with seaside mud baths fed by thermal springs, said to be good for the skin and joints.
- Germiyan Village – A traditional inland village on the peninsula, with stone houses and quiet mastic tree groves. It is known for family-style breakfasts and…
- Erythrai & Ildırı – The ruins of an ancient city, one of the twelve cities of the Ionian League, with a theater and acropolis overlooking a bay of small island…
- Urla Wine Route – A cluster of wineries in Urla on the eastern side of the peninsula. More than a dozen boutique wineries offer tastings and meals, reviving…
- Klazomenai – An ancient Ionian city by the sea in Urla, famous for a reconstructed 6th-century BC olive oil workshop where you can see how olive oil was…
- Sığacık – One of Turkey's first Cittaslow towns, where residents live within the walls of an Ottoman castle. Eat seafood by the harbor and browse the…
- Teos – An Ionian ancient city with the largest Dionysus temple ruins and a theater in the Greek world, scattered among olive groves and the coastl…
Where to eat
- Asma Yaprağı – A Michelin Bib Gourmand and Green Star restaurant on the outskirts of Alaçatı, where a chef team cooks Aegean home dish…
- Çark Balık – A family-run fish restaurant in the lanes of Çeşme's old town, listed in the Michelin Guide, serving the day's catch an…
- Fava Alaçatı – A stone-walled courtyard restaurant on Alaçatı's main street, famous for its local herb cold dishes and octopus, and a…
- Rumeli Pastanesi – An old Çeşme dessert shop founded in 1945, said to be the birthplace of mastic ice cream, run by three generations of o…
Itineraries
- North Aegean Ruins & Islands Road Trip – Drive south from Istanbul via Gallipoli, Troy, Bozcaada, and Assos to the charming town of Alaçatı.