Cunda

Last update September 30, 2026

Cunda is the biggest of the twenty-two islands administered from Ayvalık and is linked to the mainland by a causeway, even though the inhabitants generally do not refer to it by its official name of Alibey. After the establishment of the republic, the authorities promoted that name, but it never became widely used. The island previously had a large Greek community, and this history can be seen all around: in the stone houses with coloured shutters, in the cobblestone streets which suddenly curve, and in Taksiyarhis Church, which was rebuilt in 1873 and is now a museum containing tin toys, steam models, and old chronometers.

The church of Ayios Yiannis, which is situated on a hill above the old town, has now been turned into a library by the Koç Foundation, and merely the view from that vantage point is enough to make the short climb worthwhile. Near the water, in the harbour, the day really takes place with fishermen’s boats leaning against the quays and restaurants along the shore serving the daily catch together with meze. If you’d like to have something more typical of this coast, choose sea bass marinated in lemon or sardines wrapped in vine leaves and request an outdoor table so that you can watch the water while you are eating.

Food shopping around here is like doing sightseeing. The olive oil presses offer their products directly from the source, the island’s dairy farm produces fresh lor cheese every day, and lokma, which are sweet fried dough balls, are sold hot on the pier. If you’re driving, the journey to Şeytan Sofrası, or Devil’s Feast, is worth the detour just to see the sunset; the hilltop has a view stretching across the Ayvalık islands and the Aegean, and the locals claim that the rock formation located there has the devil’s footprint, no matter what you may think of that.

If you want to visit the island without having to deal with the daytime crowds, you can spend a full day there or stay over in one of the old Greek houses. Should you be able to rent a car, do so because parking becomes difficult in the older streets and the true charm of the island lies in moving between the harbour, the churches, and having a good meal without feeling the need to rush any of these things.