Places To Visit

Çeşme, which was under the control of the Ottoman Empire, was attacked twice by the Venetians, in 1472 and 1501, after which the castle was built against possible future attacks. Çeşme Castle was built in 1508 during the reign of the Ottoman sultan Bayezid II. Its commander was Mir Haydar, the governor of Aydın Province.The twin towers of the castle closest to the sea show architectural similarities with the northwest tower of the Genoese castle on Chios Island. Originally a coastal fortress, it is now located inland due to the filling of the sea.

Alaçatı Pazaryeri Mosque was started to be built by Yuhannis Halapes in the 1830s and opened as a church in 1874. It is known that the church was converted into a mosque right after the proclamation of the Republic. The building, which has three naves and a basilical plan, was built in masonry rubble stone technique. This building, one of the three large churches built for the Greeks, is the only church that has survived to the present day. The place of worship, which was named 'Pazaryeri Mosque' after it was converted from a church to a mosque, was preserved as a rich cultural heritage with the discovery of icons, religious depictions, altar section and statuettes during the restoration works. The restoration works started in 2009 by Alaçatı Municipality with the support of a grant from Izmir Special Provincial Administration were completed in July 2010.

If you want to visit a beautiful Aegean village that has managed to preserve its natural structure and authentic atmosphere until today, the first place you should visit is Germiyan Village, which is considered as the pearl of the Aegean. Located only 11 kilometers from Alaçatı, Germiyan Village, which you can visit with nature walks organized in summer, is one of the places where the slow food movement started. Germiyan Village, one of the most visited Aegean villages by gastronomy enthusiasts with its local dishes prepared with organic products, offers a pleasant day trip with its two-storey village houses, lush orchards, organic product farms, historical coffee houses where you can sip your coffee under centuries-old plane trees and clean Germiyan Beach. You can also participate in the Germiyan Village Festival organized every year in early October and buy organic products and have a good time with fun activities.

Another important symbol of Alaçatı is the historical windmills with stone architecture. The charming windmills, which have become the symbol of Alaçatı, were built in the mid-1800s and adorn postcards with the fascinating sunrise and sunset views they offer from their location. Today, some of them have been restored and serve as restaurants and cafes, and they have become one of the most visited touristic sightseeing areas of the town with the colorful flowers surrounding them. You can enjoy romantic dinners in the windmills accompanied by mesmerizing sunset views and take the best photos of your trip here.

Many priceless historical treasures from the Archaic, Classical, Hellenistic and Roman periods were found in the Ancient City of Erythrai, one of the 12 great Ionian cities founded in the Aegean region, where archaeological excavations have been carried out since the 1960s. Erythrai Ancient City, which is one of the invariable addresses of guided nature trips organized in spring and summer in Alaçatı, is among the places worth seeing with its historical treasures lying within the borders of Ildırı Village of Çeşme.Located only 16 kilometers away from Alaçatı and easily accessible by minibuses as well as tours, you can take a pleasant historical trip among the ancient theater, impressive walls and temples decorated with mosaics that have survived to the present day; you can take wonderful nature photos from the location of the city. You can see the priceless artifacts unearthed during the excavations in the Ancient City of Erythrai at the Çeşme Museum, which serves in Çeşme Castle.

It is another monumental architectural example in Alacati. Built in 1832, Aya Haralambos Church is a historical monument reflecting the Greek architecture in the region. The building was restored by Çeşme Municipality in 2012. After the restoration, it was put into service as a culture and art center. You can add Aya Haralambos Church to your route to discover the history of Alaçatı.

Alaçatı Square, which is the ideal place to start exploring Alaçatı, is one of the first places you should visit to take beautiful photos and take evening walks with its stunning view of stone mansions decorated with bougainvillea. The square is lined with quality restaurants where you can find many options from international cuisine to local delicacies, from fresh seafood to dessert and ice cream shops. In the spring and autumn months, you can take a relaxing trip among the stone houses decorated with colorful flowers in the square, where roadside cafes and entertainment venues are filled with tourists in the summer months.

Hacı Memiş Street, which brings together shops and stores of different concepts, has designers, antique shops, ceramic and glass workshops, as well as cafes and restaurants. We recommend you to visit Hacı Memiş, where restorations are careful not to disturb the natural texture, loud music is not heard, and you can eat in the courtyards instead of at the tables spilling out onto the streets.