Travel Guide Çeşme

Just 80 km from Izmir, Çeşme (which is pronounced Tchesmé in French), is a favorite weekend destination for Smyrniots. For over a century, the Çesme peninsula has been filled with second homes. This small town, located on a peninsula, is not as quiet as it used to be but is still charming. Its Genoese citadel dominates the coast. Under a summer sky, there is nothing more enchanting than the old fortified walls of the small port and the ancient streets that climb the hill. In the small central square, the old inhabitants rest while smoking long cigarettes, gazing out to sea. Çeşme means "fountain" and the fact is that the area is full of fresh water springs. Initially, the village was located on a hill 2 km from the sea. It was the Genoese who fortified its port. It was not until the 16th century that the inhabitants moved to the coast. Çesme has beautiful sandy beaches. Altınkum beach, 10 minutes from Çeşme, gets its name from its golden-colored sand. The 3 km long Ilıca beach is ideal for surfing because of its waves. Besides surfing, there are many diving centers and water sports clubs. Five kilometers west of Çeşme, Ilica is a large seaside resort that developed in the late 19th century because of the quality of its thermal waters. Ilica offers a beautiful 1.5 km long beach that is very popular with windsurfers due to mild winds that blow almost constantly. Çeşme faces the Greek island of Chios. There are regular ferries to the island.