A day trip from İzmir to Çeşme and Alaçatı

Çeşme is a resort town at the western end of the Çeşme peninsula, about 85 km west of İzmir. Alaçatı, a neighbourhood of the same district, lies about 9 km east of Çeşme town. Both fit into one day from İzmir: Çeşme for its castle and museum, Alaçatı for its stone houses and windmills.

Getting there by car or bus

By car, follow the O-32 motorway from İzmir towards Çeşme. It is a six-lane toll road. The Alaçatı exit is the last one before the motorway ends at Çeşme. The drive from İzmir takes about 50 to 75 minutes, depending on traffic.

By bus, the company Çeşme Seyahat runs services from the Fahrettin Altay and Üçkuyular terminals in the south of İzmir. The buses serve Çeşme, Ilıca and Alaçatı. Tickets are sold online and at the terminals.

Çeşme: the castle and its museum

Çeşme Castle was given its present form in 1508, under the Ottoman sultan Bayezid II. It covers about 11,000 m² and has four towers. The castle houses the Çeşme Museum. Its halls show finds from the ancient city of Erythrai, at today's Ildırı, and from the Bronze Age settlement at Bağlararası. Amphorae, coins and Ottoman inscriptions are also on display.

Ferries to the Greek island of Chios leave from Çeşme harbour. The resort of Ilıca, about 5 km east of the town, is known for its thermal springs and a long sandy beach.

Alaçatı: stone houses and windmills

The old town of Alaçatı is a protected area of stone houses. Most were built between 1850 and 1900 from local volcanic stone. Today many of them are small hotels, cafés and shops along Kemalpaşa Street and the lanes around it.

On the market square, Pazaryeri Mosque occupies the former Greek church of Ayios Konstantinos. The stone windmills date from the 19th century and stand on a low hill above the centre. Alaçatı Bay, about 3 km south at the port, is a windsurfing area with shallow water and steady wind.

Visiting in November

The main windsurfing season runs from May to September, and a PWA World Cup event takes place every August. After the summer, beach clubs close and fewer businesses are open. Some restaurants and cafés stay open all year, but check hotels, surf schools and restaurants before you travel.

The Çeşme Museum keeps shorter winter hours from 1 October. The wind blows for most of the year, so a warm, wind-proof layer is useful. The cobbled lanes of Alaçatı are uneven and slow to walk on.

Bus timetables, museum hours and seasonal openings change. Check them shortly before your trip. The facts in this article were checked against official and published sources in November 2026.