Çeşme – The Longest Beach of the Aegean
Built as a trading town, today Çeşme is one of Turkey’s best tourist attractions, thanks to its ancient, unspoiled architecture, its perfect location making it easily accessible from Greece and, not lastly, thanks to its picture-perfect landscape. It’s also known as a top sailing destination, offering modern conditions for all those who come here for boating
General Info
This small town is positioned on the western most tip of Turkey and thus is used as a ferry port to link it with neighboring Greek island of Chios and even Italy. The name derives from the Turkish word for “fountain” and it's one of the popular Yacht Charter destinations for tourists coming from Turkey, Scandinavia and the United Kingdom.
This prolific stretch of beach which borders the waters of the Aegean is filled with fields of aniseed, sesame and artichokes. Many of the bays here are almost deserted, making this perfect for those Yacht Charter crews that seek solitude.
Travel & Arrival
The closest airport to this location would be Izmir’s Adnan Menders International which is less than 100 km east. The flights landing here belong to airlines such as Atlasjet, British Airways, Europe Airpost, Germanwings, Lufthansa, SunExpress, Transavia and Turkish Airlines. From here, a drive back to Çeşme would take a Yacht Charter party 30 minutes.
Renting a car is probably the best option as there is a highway leading directly to this town, the O32 as it’s known in Turkey, or the E881 as it’s known internationally. The other way for Yacht Charter crews to get here by land is via a shuttle bus, or occasional rides from Izmir itself. These are more convenient as they leave at any time of the day.
The nautical way of getting to Çeşme is via the extensive ferry system. Be aware though that there is only one, sometimes maybe two, ferry(ies) to Chios into Greece, depending on the season. Of course, for those who own their private boats, the port has a lovely new marina, with lots of modern facilities.
Avant & Apres Sail
Çeşme’s main attraction for every Yacht Charter enthusiast coming here is the small fortress (today restored into a weapon museum) which sits in the highest part of town, overlooking the main square. This is one of the most beautiful places in town, reminiscent of distant times in the past when it acted as a trading place for the Genoese and later the Ottomans.
A good idea would be to come here on a Sunday, as that is market day. Surely any visiting Yacht Charter tourist will have something to see and even buy. Close to that is the famous caravanserai built by Sűleiman the Magnificent which has been converted into a hotel since then. The old church of Agios Haralambos has also suffered a conversion, into an art museum this time.
The majority of restaurants, cafes and bars can be found along the promenade. The atmosphere gets rather lively, especially after dark, when temperatures drop to more bearable values. The locals boast their mastic flavored ice-cream to the Yacht Charter tourists and very tasty toasted sandwiches (kumru).
Events & Actions
There’s no doubt about it, Yacht Charter parties who come here, have only one thing in mind: sunbathing, as Çeşme offers the longest stretch of beach on the Aegean Coast. The white, sandy beaches, the turquoise waters and the great facilities make Çeşme a perfect Yacht Charter destination for many tourists, both foreign and domestic.
Water sports like sailing, kitesurfing (some of Europe’s best professionals can be found here) and diving are very popular. Many Yacht Charter sailors that drop anchor here also like to enjoy the Thermal Baths in Ilıca, a nearby town 5 km away, and the local health center. So popular is Çeşme in fact, that it hosts annually one of Turkey’s greatest festivals, the International Song Contest.