Aegean Coast

Çeşme

Çeşme is a peninsula at the western tip of İzmir, known for its wind and its clear shallow bays. The stone houses and surf schools of Alaçatı, the thermal-fed sands of Ilıca and the shallow water at Altınkum are its three distinct faces.

Alaçatı is Türkiye’s most developed windsurfing centre, and its steady, predictable wind suits beginners as well. The same town has become the region’s hub for boutique hotels and food.

Its proximity to İzmir makes Çeşme one of the busiest weekend-break destinations in the country.

Highlights

  • Alaçatı’s stone houses and market
  • Windsurfing
  • Ilıca and Altınkum beaches
  • Çeşme Castle
  • Ildırı and ancient Erythrai

When to go

June to September, with May and October also good for surfing.

Getting there

İzmir Adnan Menderes Airport (ADB) is 85 km, about an hour.

Other destinations in this region

Aegean Coast

Bodrum

Bodrum is not one place but a peninsula: whitewashed town centre, the marina at Yalıkavak, the fish tavernas of Gümüşlük, the jetty clubs of Türkbükü — each bay with its own character.

Aegean Coast

Marmaris

Marmaris lies in a sheltered bay ringed by pine-covered hills and has one of Türkiye’s largest yacht harbours.

Aegean Coast

Fethiye

Fethiye and its surroundings hold Türkiye’s most recognisable view: the enclosed lagoon at Ölüdeniz, Butterfly Valley, and the paragliders coming off Babadağ.