Edremit

Last update October 2, 2026

Edremit is situated at the head of its own gulf on the northern Aegean coast of Turkey, in the Balıkesir Province, with Mount Ida lying behind it — the same mountain that Homer lauded in the Iliad for its fountains and the game it supports. It is indeed the olive capital of Turkey, boasting nearly ten million olive trees covering the area and a tradition of olive cultivation that extends back for at least two thousand years. The town is completely modern and is well worth a brief visit to see the Seljuk Kurşunlu Mosque, which dates from the 13th century, although it is mainly a gateway to the coast and the mountain behind it rather than a destination in itself.

If you are aiming to stay in coastal towns with beaches, then Akçay and Altınoluk are the ones you should choose. During the summer the swimmers are attracted by the Blue Flag water and, when the heat subsides, the promenades are full of cafés in the evening. There are dolmuş minibuses that run continuously between the centre of Edremit and these coastal towns, so a car is not necessary for travelling between them. Further south, Ören has the better beach, even though its named ruins are in fact very limited.

There’s really good reason to lengthen your visit because of Mount Ida itself. The hiking paths go through forests that have a high content of oxygen and are visited by far fewer people than those on Turkey’s more well-known trails, and alpine flowers grow on its plateau which have no other place in the world. You can spend the afternoon at either the Olive Oil Museum in Adatepe or the Tahtakuşlar Ethnography Museum on the mountain’s slopes, combining history with the views. When you’re there in October, the olive harvest causes fresh oil samples, wild thyme, and regional honey to fill the local markets, and this makes it a better choice for souvenirs than anything you’ll find in a store.

It is better to buy your olive oil directly from a producer or at the weekly open market than from a supermarket, as Edremit Olive Oil has earned its good reputation in a honest way. In spring the trails are quieter and the hiking is more pleasant because of the cooler temperature; in summer the coast is the preferred option. Whether it is spring or summer, Edremit is most suitable as a base for a number of slow, relaxed days half way between the mountains and the sea, not a place you should rush through on your way to somewhere else.