Today we are fortunate enough to have a guest post from blogger Jenny of
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About Jenny & Ian...
Jenny and her husband Ian are the travellers behind the A
Taste of Travel blog. They are avid travellers who have been fortunate to visit many
countries which they write about on the blog. A highlight of their travels was
an eighteen month gap trip which meant they could spend a couple of months in
one of their favourite countries, Turkey. Another couple of months was spent in
Croatia island hopping and driving up the coast. This year they are about to
head off on a four month trip which will take in Ireland, the Geek Islands,
Italy, Portugal, Israel and Jordan. Jenny loves Instagram so you can follow
their trip on the above social media accounts.
Alaçati is a Turkish town with a Greek history that today
blurs the boundaries of both. It’s a popular place for both tourists
and locals to enjoy lazy days by the beach and busy nights in the bars and
restaurants that line the cobbled streets. This way of life appeals to us…We
loved Alaçati and will definitely return.
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Greece or Turkey?
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History explains the conflict…
In the 1830’s a well known Turkish family reached out to the
Greek families on nearby Chios Island whose homes and livelihoods had been
destroyed by earthquakes and offered them work in the vineyards and olive
farms. Alaçati was built on a swamp and malaria was thriving in these
conditions, so the Greeks also helped build a channel to drain the swamp.
The workers set up a town…Alaçati, and built the traditional
Greek stone houses that still remain today. With its fertile soils
producing excellent vineyards and great wines, the town became and important
trading centre and flourished until after the Balkan War in 1914
when Bosnian and Albanian immigrants came to Alaçati. The Greeks
started to leave. In 1923 a formal ‘exchange agreement’ was signed
returning the Turkish Muslims in Greece to Turkey and the Orthodox Greeks in
Turkey to Greece.
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Wooden
houses, blue shutters and trailing bougainvillea in Alaçati
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What to do in Alaçati
Explore the town
As you walk around the town, you really do feel as though
you are in Greece. The old stone houses have been beautifully restored. Painted
shutters and doors are covered in rambling bright coloured bougainvillea. Many
of the homes have been converted to hotels whilst others are now
trendy boutiques, bars and cafes.
Explore the side streets that run off Kemal Pasa Street, the
main street of the town that is home to many of these bars and restaurants.
Wander up to the 19th century windmills that overlook the town.
At the Town Square turn into the side street and head
towards the mosque. Follow the winding street on the right hand side that will
take you past two of Alacati’s best restaurants and into the Haci Memis
Quarter. The old wooden homes and stone buildings have been restored and
are now fabulous antique shops, interesting boutiques and busy cafes and bars.
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Dinner at
Asmi Yapragi is a must!
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Aliçati’s
boys club!
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At night, the streets that were quiet during the day
are busy. There’s a party atmosphere in town as people head to the bars and
restaurants that spill onto the street.
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One of the
many bars in the town
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The Saturday Market
Every Saturday the farmers market comes to town. Vendors
come from far and wide bringing their locally grown produce to town. It’s large
market. It takes over several streets in the town. The produce is some of the
freshest produce I have seen, with sellers spending time
proudly displaying their wares. I watched one vendor as he hand
polished each tomato and stacked it neatly on display. There’s also a
textiles and clothing market at the back of the market but it is the fresh
produce that most come for.
The Fish Market
The daily fish auction is fun to see. Fish caught overnight
are bought to the market and expertly sorted into parcels of approximately one
kilogram. These numbered lots are then auctioned off to the highest bidder. Go
about 10.30 am to catch the action!
Go Windsurfing
Alaçati has been the home of windsurfing since the nineties
and is now one of the most important windsurfing centres in the world. The
strong winds that prevail here have bought windsurfers of all abilities to
its shores. Don’t worry about bringing your board to Alaçati, windsurfers can be
hired and lessons taken.
The Beaches
Being in the centre of the Cesme Peninsula, Alaçati is
surrounded by the water. Its beaches are all are within easy reach. To the
north is the sandy, Ilica Beach whilst beach clubs are found along the southern
shores. Our favourite was Klum Beach Club where clear waters and a
beautiful sandy beach encourage you to lounge all day on bean bags or rent a
shaded waterfront bed.
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Klum Beach
Club
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Wine Tasting at Urla
The Cesme Peninsula has become an important wine producing
area again returning to the days when the Greek workers were cultivating the
land. One winery not far from Alaçati is Urla Sarapcilik Winery, a stunning
modern winery that produces award winning bio dynamic wines.
The discovery of vineyards over 1000 years old on his property
motivated owner Can Ortabas to establish his own vineyards. Today Urla
Sarapcilik Winery is one of the leading vineyards in Turkey. The winery
is a beautiful modern building with an ultra modern production plant. There is
even a two room hotel in the building with stunning views over the
vineyard.
Visit Ephesus
You may be heading down the coast but if not, a visit to
Ephesus is not out of the question….you could be there in just under two hours!
If this is your only chance to see this UNESCO listed site, you may want to
take it! It took us about two hours to see the sights without a
guide. Don’t miss seeing the Terraced Houses which require a separate
payment. For us, they were the highlight of Ephesus.
Where to Eat
Two restaurants stand out from the crowd, both showcasing
the fabulous produce that we saw at the markets but in different ways.
Asma Yapragi
The display of fresh produce sitting on a table outside the
restaurant is more than enough to tempt you inside but the if you’ve done your
research on eating in Alaçati you will also know that this is one of the best
restaurants in town. We popped into make a booking and wanted to stay. Fresh
local greens, peppers and eggplants were being chopped and diced….I couldn’t
wait to try the dishes they were being cooked.
That night as we sat in the courtyard garden, the
anticipation grew. I didn’t realise that we would be returning to the
kitchen to choose our entree from the fabulous selection of meze dishes that
now covered the table. Traditional cooking at its best.
Even though this was a meal in itself, once I had seen and
smelt the slow cooked lamb, I knew I had to try it. I was not disappointed! A
superb meal.
My only disappointment that was they were booked out for the
following nights were were in Alacati. The restaurant is very popular,
especially in summer so make sure you make a reservation well ahead of time.
Babushka
Since our visit to Alaçati, there is a third restaurant that
I’d like to let you know about. Chef Olga Irez and her husband Özgür have
opened a restaurant called Babushka. I met Olga and Özgür at Özgur’s family
home in Sapanca where we spent a week with them and photographer David Hagerman
visiting the local markets, cooking and experiencing her delicious food.
Olga is an avid fan of using the fresh local ingredients and I’m sure the food
at their restaurant is just as good.
Where to Stay
Tas Otel
The first of the boutique hotels, the Tas Otel opened its
doors in 2001 and now there are over 100 hotels in the area.
The Tas Otel is still one of the best. Staying in this small
boutique hotel is like staying in a private home. Infact this 120 year old
stone building was once a private mansion. A peaceful garden surrounds the pool
and the outdoor tables are the perfect place to sit and enjoy the afternoon
tradition of tea and freshly made cake. The cakes are famous and all feature in
the beautiful cook book that is waiting for you in your room. They were the
reason I was back at the hotel by 5!
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