Deciding what to see and what to let go on the Turkish coast during our short stay was very difficult. We couldn’t miss Oludeniz and Daylan, but Cesme appealed to us, because we are not into a big resorts and coasts full of all-inclusive hotels. Cesme for a short stop by the sea turned out to be a hit! What to see in Cesme and its surroundings? Few places to be found below!
Cesme – What to see in Cesme and its surroundings?
Cesme is a charming town with a small seaside promenade, but without the atmosphere of an extremely touristy town. There are plenty of beaches and beach clubs in the area, and Cesme itself is a great starting point. Despite the end of the season (beginning of November), we had no problems finding open restaurants in Cesme, and we really liked the evening atmosphere. In addition to the Marina and the seaside promenade, it is also worth visiting the castle from the times of the Ottoman Empire.
Alacati – What to see in Cesme and its surroundings?
Cycladic enthusiasts will be in love with Alacati, a town near Cesme! The old city of Alacati, which is deceptively similar to the towns of the Cyclades, is located inland. The streets are narrow, the houses are made of stone and often painted white, the shutters are colorful, and there are cats on every corner. The similarity to the Greek islands is not accidental, the village was founded in the 17th century by Greeks who left these areas during the Greco-Turkish war. The beauty of Alacati has been spotted and highlighted, with many boutique hotels, beautiful eateries and designer shops that often sell handicrafts.
Güvercinlik Koyu – Cleopatra Koyu – What to see in Cesme and its surroundings?
The southern part of the peninsula is full of estates that look like ghost settlements after the season. All because these are summer houses and at the beginning of November there was no living soul in this area, which means that we had the beaches practically to ourselves. Cleopatra Beach is located below such a housing estate and is probably quite crowded during the season. In November we had it to ourselves and after a few hours we were sharing the place with only few people.
The beach is sandy and sheltered by a cliff, which both gives it charm and protects it from the wind (the area around Alacati is loved by windsurfers, very windy!). There are small shops in the mentioned estates, after the season some are closed, some are open only few hours. We miraculously managed to buy snacks, so it’s worth buying already in the town!
Delikli Koy – What to see in Cesme and its surroundings?
Delikli Koy Beach is a stone’s throw from Cleopatra Beach, but it is completely different. First of all, it is a rocky beach with a lot of low white cliffs, but Delikli Koy is located in a much more open area. There is a small bar by the beach, of course closed after the season. Our observations show that this is a beach where wild camping thrives, even after the season we saw a camper van there, and photos from Google shows a lot of tents and vans.
Ephesus – What to see in Cesme and its surroundings?
The archaeological museum in Ephesus may not be located right next to Cesme, but being in the area, it is worth spending the two hours of driving to see this place. Ephesus in antiquity was one of the twelve Ionian cities founded probably in the 9th century BC, now you can admire the impressively preserved ruins of this ancient city. It is surprising how advanced Ephesus was, city sewage system or underfloor heating are amenities already present at that time. In Ephesus you can see the ruins of the Great Theatre, the Temple of Hadrian, the Stadium, the Library of Celsus and many, many more.
One should book a few hours for sightseeing, because the entire archaeological complex is really large, and there is no shortage of tourists willing to see this place (that’s why we recommend going after the season). Best time to visit would be in the morning or early afternoon, in the afternoon in November a large part of the ruins was already in the shade, and one of the most interesting and best preserved site which is enclosed was shut earlier than the outside part.
Local delicacies – what to try?
What to see in Cesme and its surroundings is covered and now it’s a time to discover what to eat! As you probably know – we love to eat, and Turkey is the best in this respect! You can read about all the Turkish delicacies in a separate post, but below we wanted to mention a few local delicacies recommended by our Turkish friend.
Bomba – the name is perfectly adequate to this local baking, because it is a real calorie bomb! Bomba is a small cake (taste bit like a cookie dough) filled to the brim with melting chocolate, heaven in the mouth! There are probably other versions of the filling, but chocolate is a classic and it was the only one we had the opportunity to try. The cookies are small, but they will satisfy the biggest sweet-tooth for a good few hours! We ate the best bomb in Alacati at the Kumrucu Kale pastry shop.
Boyoz – a round pastry originating from the Sephardic Jews, which reminded us a bit of puff pastry. It is especially popular around Izmir (supposedly these areas are the last ones where you can try it in bakeries). By itself, it doesn’t blow your mind, but as a base for sandwiches or with other additions, it definitely tastes great!
Cesme Kumru – A hot sandwich typical of the Cesme area, sold in many fast food outlets. Inside, there is grilled kaşar cheese (it has a great texture), tomato, sucuk (Turkish “salami”, which is more like colored luncheon meat), sauce and often a different type of meat. We were a bit worried if it would be tasty, but we were positively surprised!
