Travel Guide Alaçati

Southeast of Çeşme. Declared a protected site, Alaçatı is THE sörf (windsurfing) spot in Turkey. The steady wind, the wave-free and shallow sea (up to 1.5 km from the shore) is suitable for both professionals and beginners. As for the village, it does not lack charm with its picturesque architecture: white stones and blue shutters, windmills on the heights, cobbled streets, craftsmen and ceramists... It is a reminder of its original Greek identity. In the past, it was inhabited by the drivers and gardeners of the bourgeois families settled at Çeşme. It was only in 2003 that a few people noticed the charm of the village and installed the very first tourist infrastructures. The result was not long in coming: it was crowded in the summer (the population multiplied by 7) and prices literally exploded, an unfortunate trend that contaminated the rest of the peninsula. A marina project, Port Alacati, on the seafront, continues the development of the town, and today hosts windsurfing championships which have a worldwide reputation. If for ten years Alaçatı attracted exclusively Turkish tourism, it seems that today this destination is opening up to a foreign population. For good reason, the village has become the place to be, both bobo and trendy. A kind of Turkish Saint-Tropez. Plan to stay there if you can spend your money without counting... For small budgets, a simple stroll in the pedestrian streets will be enough to enjoy without ruining yourself.