Cesme travel guide, sights, tips & info

cesme (türkisch: Çeşme, Turkish for fountain) is one of the tourist paradises, its natural beauty, historical buildings, beautiful beaches and vibrant nightlife will give you many unforgettable experiences of your life.

Cesme has the best beaches in the world Turkey and is a great way to different Activities to enjoy. For adrenaline enthusiasts, there are many entertainment options in the area, such as sailing, windsurfing and diving.

Cesme travel guide

Tourists flock to Cesme every year, and each season has a different beauty. Cesme is a town in the western part of Izmir in the Aegean. Cesme district is surrounded by the Aegean Sea to the west and south, and borders Urla to the east and Karaburun to the north.

Arrive & Depart Cesme

Since there is no direct air service to Cesme, the transportation services are provided through Adnan Menderes Airport in Izmir.

Almost all major German and Turkish airlines fly to Izmir. Direct flights to Izmir cost from 70 to 300 euros, depending on the season. Detailed airport information about Izmir Airport are available on our partner site Airportdetails.de

airport transfer

collective transfer: The shuttle bus will pick you up at the airport and take you and other passengers to your hotel. You pay one price per person on the bus and the journey takes longer because you have to wait for other passengers at the airport and stop at several hotels. If you have booked a package tour with Hotel Transfer, you will also wait for other passengers at the airport and drive to several hotels on the way to the hotel.

Private transfer: Your own driver will pick you up at the airport terminal exit and take you directly to the hotel. Because you pay one price per trip, a private transfer for three people in the car is only slightly more expensive than one collection bus.

HAVAŞ bus: For 27 lira, HAVAŞ bus provides direct transportation from Izmir Adnan Menderes Airport to Cesme. Buses depart from Adnan Menderes Airport every hour, day and night.

Taxi: After turning on the taximeter, it costs about 350-400 Turkish lirato take a taxi to Cesme, and less than 100 Turkish Lira to Izmir Old Town.

Transportation from Izmir to Cesme: The transport distance to Cesme is 88 kilometers and the Cesme bus runs every hour. The Ceşme tourist bus from Izotaş costs around 20-30 lira per person. The bus that leaves from 6.30:22 in the morning runs until 30:XNUMX in the evening.

transport from Antalya to Cesme: There are buses that provide direct transportation from Antalya to Cesme. The journey to Cesme takes about five and a half hours and costs around 70-80 lire.

transport from and Istanbul to Cesme: There are bus companies from Istanbul and Ankara to Cesme. The bus fare from the European or Anatolian side of Istanbul ranges from 120 to 150 lira. If you take the bus from the European side of Istanbul, you will arrive in Cesme in an average of 11 hours. However, the bus journey from the Anatolian side of Istanbul to Cesme takes an average of 9,5 hours.

Car hire in Cesme

The prestigious major Internationals and Nationals Car rental companies have offices directly at the airport and their stands are located at the exit of the terminal.

There are also car rental companies in Cesme. From the airport you can take the dual carriageway to Cesme.

Just in Summer should be entered as early as possible Rental car Book as demand is always very high.

Hotel in Cesme

Çeşme is a popular resort in Izmir, popular with local and foreign tourists in summer, with beaches with blue Flagge, comfortable boutiques and luxury hotels and affordable accommodation.

Recommended hotels

boutique hotels

• Alavya*: Alavya is located in Çeşme, one of the tourist areas of Izmir and offers holiday opportunities in green nature. This is a hotel that operates on the concept of “Bed and Breakfast” and offers its guests unforgettable vacation opportunities.
• Villa Kore Cesme*: Villa Kore Çeşme is located in Ilıca district of Çeşme, the most popular tourist area of ​​İzmir, 90 km from Adnan Menderes Airport. The hotel is an hour's drive from important centers such as Alsancak, Güzelyalı and Bornova and welcomes its guests with a "bed and breakfast" concept.
• Destina Boutique Hotel*: Destina Boutique Hotel is less than 50 m from Beach Ilica is located in Cesme and offers a variety of facilities, including a seasonal outdoor pool, a garden and a terrace.

5 star hotels

• Radisson Blu Resort & Spa Cesme*: The beachfront Radisson Blu Resort & Spas / hot tubs Cesme has its own private beach and pier. The sea is getting deeper and deeper. The complex also features indoor and outdoor pools.
• Ilica Hotel Spa & Wellness Resort*: The seafront Ilıca Hotel SPA & Thermal Resort has a 300m long private sandy beach and 2 piers. The sea at the resort is fairly shallow.
• Boyalik Beach Hotel & Spa Cesme*: If you are planning the unique vacation of your dreams and want to make an early decision, Boyalık Beach Hotel & SPA awaits you.

Holiday home

In Cesme you will find many fully equipped apartments that can be booked through AirBnB.

Things to do in Cesme

• alacati: Alacati has colored glass and stone houses. In the center of Alaçatı are Ottoman houses that were taken from their Greek owners more than 100 years ago. Alaçatı should definitely be the first place in the destination, and here too one should enjoy the taste of vacation.
• Castle of Cesme: During the rise of the Ottoman Empire, Cesme was twice attacked by the Venetians in 1472 and 1501. The castle was built to prevent other possible attacks. It is a coastal castle from the Time by Beyazit. However, due to alluvial sediments, it is now located inland. There are six bastions on three sides of the castle and the castle is rectangular. The entrance fee is 12 TL.
• Marina by Cesme: Marina was opened in 2010 and can accommodate 400 yachts. Yachts and ferries go to Greece and Italy. In recent years the marina has been completely remodeled and is now home to many chic restaurants, cafes, bars and designer boutiques.
• Alacati Marina: The most exciting village concept on the Turkish coast is part of the pier. The model is an idyllic lagoon in Port Grimaud near Saint-Tropez. 
• Ancient city of Erythrai: Another place worth seeing is the ancient city Erythrai. Although a small town compared to other Ionian cities, it is famous for millstone, wine and timber production.
• archaeological Museum by Cesme: It is located in the Castle of Cesme. The museum was founded in 1965 as a weapons museum, but the high humidity of the metal parts of the weapons caused the weapons to be moved to other museums. Since 1984 the museum has turned into a multifunctional museum. It displays ceramic figurines, oil lamps and pottery from ancient, Roman and Byzantine times.
• Sigacik: Sığacık, about 88 kilometers from Cesme, is a must-see place with narrow streets and beautiful and friendly buildings. It is a settlement known as a fishing village.
• Chios: Chios, bordering on Cesme, belongs to Greece. The island is directly opposite Cesme and is about 8 kilometers from Turkey. The transport to Chios is also very convenient. It takes an average of half an hour to reach the island on a ferry chartered from Çeşme.
• quarantine island: The remote island is about 60 kilometers from Cesme. It can be transported to the island via Urla by land and sea. It is called the quarantine island because it was used to treat diseases in the past.
• kiddle Marina: Marina between Cesme and Alacati.
• Urla: Urla is located 38 kilometers from the center of Izmir on the road to Cesme. Because of its culture, this place became important in ancient times. The Bronze Age sites of Klazomenai and Limantepe are in the Ionian region. During the excavations there, evidence of the sculptural and cultural history was discovered, which is now exhibited in the Louvre, the Athens National Museum and the Archaeological Museum of Izmir.
• Ayios Haralambos: The ancient Greek church in the center of Cesme was built in the 19th century and fell into disrepair after the 1923 population exchange.
• Healing hot springs and mud bath Şifne: The hot spring is located on a small peninsula in Şifne Bay, accommodation and restaurants are also nearby. There is a large public medicine pool with benches. Water contains sodium, chlorine and calcium, and water at 38°C is radioactive. Water is very useful for people suffering from skin diseases such as rheumatism, gynecological diseases, urinary tract infections, gastrointestinal diseases and eczema.
• Windmills of Alacati: The windmill of Alaçatı has a long one History of 150 years. Located in windy areas, these windmills were once used to grind wheat. After the restoration of the mills at the entrance of Alacati, they were used for tourist purposes. There is no entry fee.

Activities in Cesme

• boat tours: The most popular boat trip organized today is the Donkey Island boat trip. These boats offer the opportunity to stop and swim in the areas included in the plan within certain time intervals.
• Scuba diving: Diving in the unique Çeşme Sea allows exploration of the underwater world and offers many opportunities for diving enthusiasts.
• Sailing: With the growing interest in sailing, sailing has become a popular sport. The Municipality of Cesme organizes a sailing week every year. You don't have to insist on just sailing week activities. Individual activities with or without training are organized at the training center at the desired time.
• Kite surfing: The beach Diamond is an ideal place for kite surfing, and parachutes are used instead of wind surfing. Kitesurfers from all over the world often visit it. Cesme usually offers from April until November Kitesurfing opportunities.
• Windsurfing: Windsurfing is an enjoyable water activity that can only be practiced when it is windy Weather performed and requires no waves. Alacati is one of the windsurfing regions in Turkey and around the world that mainly caters to local and foreign surfers from April to November.
• gyrocopter: A gyrocopter is a winged aircraft powered by a propeller and usually has only one passenger capacity. A bird's eye view of Alacati is an ideal activity. The average duration of Cesme gyrocopter activities is 1 hour, which can be extended upon request. Person and one flight hour is between 400 - 500 TL.
• Wine tasting and food tour: Stroll through the streets of Urla, visit wineries and taste Turkish cuisine from the Aegean.
• Gulet Boat Tour: Turkish gulet sails from Cesme harbor to islands with secluded bays, beaches and beautiful swimming spots.

Excursions from Cesme

• Ephesus: The ancient city of Ephesus was founded in 6000 BC. Built and carried various civilizations. People who lived in the Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, Princely and Ottoman periods used this ancient city. There are rumors that the ancient city of Ephesus was founded by female warriors.
• house of Virgin Mary: The House of the Virgin Mary in the ancient city of Ephesus is a holy place for Catholics and Muslims in Bülbüldağı.
• Temple of Artemis: The Temple of Artemis, one of the seven wonders of the world, was built in 550 BC. built. It is estimated that the construction of the Temple of Artemis took about 120 years.
• Chios: The ferry runs daily from Cesme port to and from the Greek island of Chios. Organized day trips.
• Pamukkale and hierapolis: Limestone terraces sculpted by hot water, the ruins of the ancient city of Hierapolis, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A little further away but very worth seeing.
• Sirince: Şirince is a charming ancient Greek village, just like its name, located in Selcuk district of Izmir province. This village was called Kırkice, Kirkice and Kirkince in Greek times, later it was called Şirkince. Şirince is named after the governor of Izmir in the early days of the republic.
• Pergamon: Pergamum was an ancient Greek city near the west coast of modern Asia Minor in Turkey, about 80 kilometers north of Smyrna (modern-day Izmir). A UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the finest ancient archaeological sites in Turkey.
• Seal: The history of Old Foça (Eski Foça) can be traced back to ancient times and lies within the boundaries of the Foça district of Izmir. With the conquest of Fatih Sultan Mehmet in the 15th century, it is considered the historical face of Foça compared to Eski Foça and Yeni Foça because it reflects more history.

Beaches in Cesme

• Ilica Beach: At the end of the 19th century, Ilica was used as a place of refuge for the rich during the summer holidays, especially Izmir. Over time, due to the fondness of these wealthy people, it has been used for tourism purposes. Hot spring water bubbles up from the seabed and reaches Ilıca Beach, turning Ilıca into a natural hot spring bath. Ilica also has a mud bath that is known to cure rheumatism, metabolic diseases and gynecological diseases.
• Pirlanta Beach (Diamond Beach): This beach is about 20 minutes away from the center of Cesme and is often confused with Altınkum Beach. The main feature of Pırlanta Beach that you are after çiftlikköy achieve is that it is a nature reserve.
• Boyalık Koyu: It is one of the beaches closest to Ceşme. This beach is an average of 10 minutes between Ilıca and Çeşme. Although Boyalık Bay is not as calm as it used to be, with an average length of 5 kilometers, the beauty of the sea and the increase in shops make it a popular place for tourists.
• Altinkum Beach: When the weather gets warmer, people from Izmir and from all over the world and Turkey flock to this beach. This is because this beach has the best sand and water resources in the Aegean. As the name suggests, the beach with beautiful golden sand is located about 10 kilometers from the center of Cesme.
• beach of accum: Akum beach is about 88 kilometers from Cesme. It is one of the most beautiful beaches in Izmir. Many water sports can be practiced on the Blue Flag beach.
• Delikli Koy (Alacati Halk Plaji): Delikli Köy bathing spot is a getaway spot for those who want to stay away from the crowds of Cesme. The name of Delikli Köy derives from the shape of the perforations in the rock. From the high cliffs dominating the bay you can observe the natural beauty of the deep blue sea. It is not possible to reach the bay by public transport or private car. After reaching the coastal road, the nearest walking distance is from Alaçatı Port. The distance between Port of Alaçatı and Delikli Köy is 3,6 kilometers. There is no specific entrance fee.
• Cleopatra Bay: Cleopatra Bay, also known as Güvercinlik Bay, is located 12 kilometers from Alaçatı. Most people don't know that it is behind Yazlık Özpamir Sitesi and cannot be seen from the main road. This is the main reason why its natural beauty has not faded until today. Thanks to the fine sand, bathing in the sea of ​​this bay is very pleasant. The fact that part of Cleopatra Bay consists of sheer and high cliffs with a fine sandy beach alongside the cliffs reveals the natural beauty of the area. There are no cafes or restaurants here.
• Cesme Dalyankoy Bay of Chios: Chios Bay, known as the Pearl of Dalyan, is one of the most popular spots for its warm and calm sea. It is 4 km from the center of Cesme. Sakızlı Bay is an ideal place for fishing and cycling.
• Aya Yorgi Bay: One of the must-visit places is Aya Yorgi bay, 1 km from Cesme center. In different seasons of Cesme, this is the most popular area for various entertainment activities. 

Bars, pubs and clubs in Cesme

Cesme is a popular destination for those looking to have a good time due to its unlimited entertainment options. There are many ways to have a good time and you can spend several weeks here without having to go to the same place twice. In the area you can have a good time where there are many entertainment places and beach clubs: Nar Bar, Göz Lounge, Cin by Göz, Tektekçi Alaçatı, Tius Cafe Bar, Nars Cafe Bar, Paparazzi, Fly-Inn Beach Club and Marina Yacht Club .

Eat in Cesme

If you come to Cesme which is famous for Kumru, you can taste the local flavor from special bread in the form of snack sandwiches. Even if you are tired of the hot summer weather in Cesme, famous for its mastic trees, you should definitely try the famous Cesme mastic ice cream.

Shopping in Cesme

You can shop for exquisite handmade jewelry at jewelry stalls in the Alaçatı district of Cesme. Many clothes and organic products are sold at well-established neighborhood markets at affordable prices. Anything you want can be found in the bazaar called Alaçatı Market.

There are a few small boutiques in Alacati selling unique items, Turkish brands, personal souvenirs, groceries and antiques. You can find interesting places on every street corner.

Izmir has big shopping streets and malls with international and Turkish brands.

How much does a holiday in Cesme cost

Since the costs vary greatly depending on the season and your own preferences, only the average costs are considered here.

Package tour with all inclusive 1 week

• from €600 in the off-season
• from €750 in high season
• from €900 in high season in a 4-star hotel
• more than 1100 € in the high season in a 5 star hotel

Hotel/Accommodation only:

• Budget hotel or guesthouse with Breakfast: €35 to €45 per day
• Mid-range hotel with all inclusive: €45 to €80 per day
• 5 star high-end hotel with all inclusive: more than 100 € per day
• AirBnB: own room from €25, own apartment from €50

Transport:

• Return flight from Germany to Antalya: €70 to €500, depending on the season and airline
• Single journey by bus: up to €1
• Havas Bus airport transfer: €5 to €10
• Taxi to the airport: €40 to €50. Private transfer from €35.
• Day trip, for example Ephesus: 50 € to 70 € incl. entrance fee and food

Eat, Drinks and other:

• Restaurant in tourist area, main course: €7 to €25
• Local restaurant, main course: €3 to €10
• Street food: Simit 50 cents, Rotary €1,50, corn on the cob 50 cents, Dürüm €1,50
• Glass wine in the restaurant: €3
• Glass of beer: €2,50
• Cocktails: from €8
• Bottle of water in store: 50 cents
• Groceries in stores: around 20% cheaper than in Germany
• Food at the bazaar: fruit and vegetables are 40% cheaper than in Germany

Total budget:

• Budget: €40 to €70 per day
• Mid-range: €60 to €100 per day
• High end: from €140 per day

Climate table, weather and the ideal travel time for Cesme

Cesme has a Mediterranean Climate & Environment with hot and dry summers and mild winters.

High season, June to September:

Most tourists come to Cesme in summer. The temperature is 30° during the day, the average rainy day is less than 1 day and the sea water reaches 25°. The coast of the peninsula is always breezy. September is the ideal weather for a beach holiday.

Low season, April and May:

The bathing season starts in May and the weather stays warm, 25 to 30° per day. It will rain in 1-2 days. The sea is warm enough for swimming with temperatures between 22 and 23°.

Off-season, October:

The bathing weather in autumn is better than in spring. It's 30° warm, the sea water reaches 24° and the rainy season doesn't start until the end of October or beginning of November.

Winter, long-term leave and Moving abroad

Together with the surrounding seaside resorts, Cesme is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Turkey for long-term winter vacations. Initially, wealthy residents from Izmir, Istanbul and other major cities of Turkey moved to Cesme. At the same time, more and more immigrants from European countries are coming to Cesme. With around 1.000 euros per person per month you can live a relatively luxurious life in Turkey and Cesme. The climate of the Aegean is pleasant in winter. During the day it is often 20° warm, at night the temperature rarely drops below 10° and it rarely rains.

Cesme in the past and today

The excavation of the archaeological site Çeşme Bağlararasi, which has been systematically explored about 2009 meters east of the port since 200, shows that in prehistoric times, at least until the middle of the 3rd millennium BC. dating back.

The Ottoman fleet was destroyed by the Russian fleet in the Battle of Cesme on July 5-7, 1770. This place has an important historical significance in modern times. After Cesme, to commemorate the fighting in the mid-19th century, the Cossack settlements east of the Urals were named after the usual Russian names.

By 1922, however, mostly Greeks lived on the peninsula. This situation changed in 1924 with the Greek-Turkish population exchange. In return, Turks from present-day Veria settled in Cesme.

Many Turks from Izmir and Istanbul own holiday homes in Cesme where they spend the weekends and most of the summer. Cesme has become one of the most popular holiday destinations, especially for locals and Turks abroad, and has been considered very unique since the turn of the millennium.

Frequently asked questions and answers about Cesme