Çeşme

Last update September 30, 2026

Çeşme is located one hour west of Izmir and lies on a peninsula which has obtained a reputation as Europe’s windsurfing capital. The wind blows here continuously all throughout the year, and Alaçatı Bay, with its shallow and wave-free water, provides beginners with a lenient environment in which they can keep falling off their boards again and again until eventually they manage to stand up. Even if you’re not surfing, there’s a certain kind of pleasure in watching the boards glide across the bay from a café by the seaside.

The town of Çeşme manages to keep things more tranquil. The castle, dating from the 16th century, commands the marina, and within the castle the museum contains weapons and ceramics from the 1770 Battle of Çeşme as well as some older artifacts from the Bronze Age. After walking around the harbour, where yachts are lined up beside seafood restaurants, you realize why people from Izmir regard the entire peninsula as their weekend getaway. As for the beach, Ilıca extends for two kilometres with shallow water that is warmed by mineral springs under the seabed and remains suitable for swimming right through into autumn.

Alaçatı, which is only a short distance from Çeşme, is completely different in atmosphere. The cobbled streets run between the restored Greek stone houses, many of which are covered with bougainvillea, and since it was once a fishing village it now has a number of boutique hotels, upscale restaurants and a Saturday market which it is worth planning your trip around. Prices in the town are higher than in Çeşme itself and in return you get a settlement that looks as though it has come from a postcard, particularly around the old windmills on the hill above it.

If you place your emphasis on the beaches and windsurfing, visit between June and September, although the number of tourists and prices also reach their peak at the same time as the weather. If you would like to go to Alaçatı without having to cope with the summer crowds, late May or early October still offers warm days and less crowded streets. With the castle, the bays and the stone streets of Alaçatı, a few days spent here will allow you to properly explore the peninsula without feeling rushed.