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Complete Guide on What to do in Alacati, Turkey

Continuing a quest to discover unlikely destinations and sharing travel secrets with the world. There’s a reason you’re here, and it’s because you want to know more about what Alacati is. So, are you looking to escape for a little while? Be in a beautiful place, calm, refreshing, colorful? Alaçatı (pronounced Ala-cha-ti) is the place for you – just beware, this is only the perfect destination in off-season. Yes, that’s right, to truly enjoy this small slice of heaven, you have to go when the crowds leave. Otherwise, you’ll be stuck within a stampede of visitors.

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The best thing here is that locals really embrace coffee culture, not just coffee, drinking in general, relaxing in general, and doing nothing in general. It’s perfect for just shutting the world off for a few days.

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How to get there?

Alaçatı is in the province of Çeşme, located in Western Turkey and a short ride from the country’s third largest city of Izmir.

Most visitors get to Alaçatı through Izmir city. (&here’s a handy guide if you spend the day in Izmir) From the port city, you’ll need to hop on the train towards Kaymakamlik (which is also the last stop, and where you need to get off). The bus ride is around 50 minutes. Once you get off, you’ll need to take a bus to Çeşme for another hour out. The bus is only 8 TL and the scenery along the way is beautiful. Now the actual bus is tricky to find, it’s not right by the train station. You’ll find a busy gas station straight ahead; you’ll need to walk past it then around it to the right where you’ll find the buses parked. Here’s a link to Izmir’s railway map to help you plan your trip.

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Where to Stay

Although there are a ton of really beautiful rustic boutique hotels in Alacati, but here are our favorite places to stay.

Maizon D’Azur (same owners as Meydan)if you’re looking for a budget friendly location to spend your time in Alacati, Meydan and Maizon are perfect options. Meydan is much more central, but there’s a bar downstairs that can get rowdy at night. Maizon is perfectly quaint and quiet but in a hidden street and can get a bit dark at night. I loved my stay regardless! 

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Viento Hotelis for the more luxurious traveler. Another really beautiful hotel with a pool ready to jump into on a sunny day.

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Gaia Otelanother luxurious lodging location, but well worth it. Certainly where I’ll be staying the next time I visit Alacati. I’ll let the photos speak for themselves, but the staff, the décor, the vibe of this place is all you’ll really need while visiting.

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Our last suggestion is Hotel Pop Alaçatı because they have incredible decor and an outdoor pool and who doesn’t love pools? Alright, now that we’ve covered where you’ll be staying at this gem of a location let’s talk about all the places you can visit, and where you can get some really good coffee & food in Alaçatı. More or less, this is a pictorial ode to Alaçatı with sprinkles of things to see.

What to Do

There’s a whole lot of lounging. It’s all about wandering the cobblestone streets, checking out new establishments, looking at art, jewelry and mingling with locals, and best of all enjoying the fresh flowers and colorful street décor.

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Wind Mills – Probably the only “attraction” in town, these ancient windmills date back to the 19th century and overlook the entire village.

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Alacati Marketplace Mosque – you can also check out the Mosque right in the middle of town. I wasn’t able to get in, but it’s a great symbolic monument that will help you find your way around.

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Are you here on a Saturday? You have to experience a local Saturday market then! The whole town is out and about among street vendors selling everything you can think of.

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Now, speaking of markets, there’s an entire souvenir hub. It’s a covered space with about two dozen stalls selling clothes, jewelry, and little trinkets.

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Grab a taxi from city center, there’s a station right next to the Wind Mills and head to Marina Port. Alacati is most known for windsurfing, so the port is filled with surfing schools.

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There’s also many restaurants and cafes, but mostly yachts and anchored boats. Take a quick tour, or stop at Terrace Restaurant for some views on the other side!

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Afterwards, grab another taxi to Delikli Koy Beach, which is a little glimpse of Pamukkale (& if you’ve never been check it out. It’s beautiful limestone rock formations in Denzili) or you can get it right here in Alacati during the perfect day at the beach.

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The Cafes.

Straight & center, Kose Kahve takes the lead for being the most comfortable, approachable and delicious coffee shop. And the online community agrees, naming it the top coffee shop in Alacati.

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The Restaurants.

Bumba Breakfast Club– hands down my favorite restaurant in all of Turkey. The bohemian vibes, trendy décor, excellent service and phenomenal food (was that enough adjectives to describe this glorious food experience? probably not). Get the traditional all you can eat Turkish spread! Thank me later.

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Newly wedded-couple owned Mudavim Pide Salonu delivers the freshest, made to order savory & sweet pide selections. It’s a little shop at the entrance of the town, but it’s a must stop!

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Sailors MeydanI loved eating at Sailors because of their location! You can find good food in many of Alacati’s restaurants but good food and a great vibe is hard to come by. Sailors is the center of town, overviewing the square with an outdoor terrace. If you’re going for a traditional Turkish dish, get the Manti (ravioli like dish with yogurt and tomato sauce), a tip from a foodie? Don’t order it fried, get it steamed.

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HoshaffHow many times is someone allowed to use the word trendy in a post? The food is delicious; the seating terrace is beautiful and cozy.

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The Nightlife.

Morahthis is a great place for a midday stop, but even better at night with live music, bands, great cocktails and a delicious pot of freshly made warm sangria. Honestly, you should stop by twice, the décor is wonderful and homey (very spring like) – you’ll want to snap some photos here in daylight.

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Goz Lounge – just another nightclub/place to hang out in the evenings. Cozy little setting and a winner with the locals.

Now, as we’ve talked about – Alacati is all about walking around, relaxing, lots of food and locals. If you need to get your tourist on, then you can do a day trip to Ephesus. The ancient Greek city is only 2 hours away and makes for a great little historical adventure.

Or you can continue to hang out in Alacati, make sure to wander at night, it’s a remarkable feeling.

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Comments:

  • December 8, 2018

    Such beautiful pictures!!! This post makes me want to go to Turkey!

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  • Erika van 't Veld

    December 9, 2018

    Wow what a beautiful place! I was just in Turkey in October, and I wish I had heard of Alacati before I went there. I guess that means I’ll have to return 🙂

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  • December 9, 2018

    Alacati is so quaint! I can imagine myself wandering along the cobbled streets, getting lost and stopping at one of the many cute cafes. And seeing the windmills is a must! The food looks amazing too! Turkeys is on my list but I will be adding Alacati too! Thank you for introducing us to this little gem!

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    • December 10, 2018

      Absolutely! As you said this little gem has been such a treat to discover & wander! Let me know when you visit 🙂

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  • December 9, 2018

    What a quaint little place! You did a great job capturing the allure of Alacati through your photos. I had never heard of Alacati before, but I absolutely want to visit now 🙂

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  • December 9, 2018

    This place looks absolutely beautiful. I love that there aren’t a lot of attractions; just wander the cute streets, eat and drink coffee. The limestone beach looks interesting, too!

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    • December 10, 2018

      I wasn’t sure how I would feel about the “no attractions,” but honestly it was the best part of discovering this city and meeting locals!

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  • December 9, 2018

    What a beautiful place. I kept having to remind my self that this place is in Turkey. I was in Izmir 30 years ago and I remember it as a luxurious port town where a lot of cruises docked. Perhaps that is how this town developed into such a lovely place. The food looks delicious. I could easily spend a few days exploring here.

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    • December 10, 2018

      Wow, I’m sure 30 years ago things were quite different! Izmir city remains a bustling port town though.

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  • shreyasaha1987

    December 9, 2018

    I really wish to go to Alacati after seeing the pictures of this post. You have nicely detailed what to do there, and food and the markets everything seem to be so attractive. The windmills are so instagrammable. The small town is like a gem of Turkey. I will definitely visit the place soon.

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    • December 10, 2018

      Thanks so much Shreya! Happy to hear that this post inspired you to visit 🙂

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  • December 10, 2018

    I hung on every word and photo of this post about Alacati. This is my kind of place. Loved the vibe, the food, the pace, the colors. Strolling, coffee, flowers? Sign me up! I can see why it would be such a popular destination in peak season. It looks like you planned the timing of your visit perfectly, so thanks for the tip on the best time to visit Alacati. You have certainly piqued my interest in a place not on my short-term bucket list. (It is now!)

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    • December 10, 2018

      Thank you so much Jackie for your kind words. I am so happy to hear that this trip has resonated with so many people. It truly was the perfect secret on the Mediterranean.

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  • December 10, 2018

    I’m missing my Italian home after reading this post. Turkey is somewhere I plan on visiting next year, and Alacati has made it on the list! Gaia Otel is perfect for me too, as I love boutique travel, and this looks worth every penny. Thanks for the railway map of Izmir too!

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    • December 10, 2018

      Gaia is really great, very authentic, and comfortable. So glad to have helped you plan your travels! Where in Italy are you from?

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  • December 12, 2018

    I heard about Alacati way after I visited Turkey and was slightly disappointed because I would have loved to include it in my itinerary if I had known about it. The town looks so charming! It is good to know that they really embrace the coffee culture there, and that they are laid back, relaxed and not in a rush! Sounds like the perfect place for a vacation, doesn’t it? I also love the Saturday market, so great to pick up some colorful and cute souvenirs!

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  • December 12, 2018

    These photos are STUNNING! You definitely gave me an itch to travel

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  • heryanto

    January 31, 2019

    hi… may i know what is the latest schedule for the cesme bus to go back from alacati ?

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  • February 22, 2019

    What a post! Alacati sure looks heavenly 🙂
    Thanks for the wonderful tips.

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  • March 5, 2019

    Beautiful! Reblogging this to my readers at sister site Timeless Wisdoms

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  • confettiandbliss

    March 25, 2019

    What an amazing adventure! These images are so stunning! I had to call my husband over to view them all again with me. A vacation to Turkey has been on our wishlist for such a long time!

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    • March 26, 2019

      I am so happy to hear that! This little town is truly a gem. Hopefully you’ll get to visit soon 🙂

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  • Hina Siddiqui

    March 26, 2019

    Stunning pictures. Each reflects the culture of this beautiful place. Really hope to visit this lovely city some day!!!

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  • March 26, 2019

    What an incredibly beautiful place! I loved looking through your pictures.

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  • Anjali

    May 23, 2019

    such a happy place! Could you tell me where these windmills are located exactly? Could not find them in google map.

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  • Anjali

    May 23, 2019

    Amazing article and great pictures Tayara. Im planning to visit Alacati june 1st week.
    Could you tell me where these windmills are located exactly? Could not find them in google map.

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  • Ernie

    June 22, 2019

    Wow! Stunning place! Thanks for letting us in on this beautiful place. Which time of the year is off season in Alaçati?

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  • June 25, 2019

    It looks amazing! A bit similar to my home town in the South of France but still different enough for me to wanna go!

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  • July 25, 2019

    I don’t have plan to visit Alcati on my next trip to Turkey. But this post made me think about it again. It looks so stunning!

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  • Rhia Raihanna Mohamed

    September 17, 2019

    May i know the exact place name for the fridge magnet shopping place?

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  • Jason

    October 17, 2019

    This place looks magical. Would you suggest it as a place to visit in winter as well?

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  • May 12, 2020

    Your photos are truly stunning and give a real taste for the place. Turkey is somewhere we’ve wanted to go to but it’s been a little unstable in the last couple of years.

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  • Carpediemeire

    May 12, 2020

    What a stunning place. Your photos are really inspirational. Great article.

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  • Sandra Ans

    May 22, 2020

    Ok, I love Turkey, but I have never ever heard about this place but WOW….. it looks amazing and incredibly beautiful! ♥ I really fell in love!
    You have made a tons of stunning photos, but how did you get shots without people (excepting on Saturday market and Nightlife)? 😀 It looks like, you have asked everyone to leave Alacati to make your photos! 😀 I would like to do the same!

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  • thevanabondtales

    May 23, 2020

    Wow gorgeous photos! Looks like such a lovely place to relax, eat and drink coffee!

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  • mohanaandaninda

    May 23, 2020

    What a lovely city! Love the flowers, the outdoor cafes, and the delicious food. Looks like place I’d like to spend some time walking around and relaxing 🙂

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  • May 24, 2020

    These are the most gorgeous photos! I hadn’t thought about traveling to turkey before, but now I’m really tempted! Thanks for sharing

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  • Lezaan

    June 19, 2022

    Wow thank you for this wonderful guide! My husband and I will travel to Alacati in July, now I am even more excited. Thank you! 💛☀️🌸

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Watcha think?