Warehouse by The Stay
Boutique Hotels · Alaçatı
For translating industrial architecture into a distinctive, art-led stay with verified 1 MICHELIN Key recognition.
İzmir
Çeşme
Places worth knowing on the Aegean peninsula.
Çeşme is a peninsula rather than a single town, and understanding that is the fastest way to plan it well. The coast is broken into bays and coves, each with its own temperament: Alaçatı inland with its stone streets and dining rooms, Ilıca with its wide shallow beach, Ayayorgi with its cluster of beach clubs, Dalyan with its fishing-harbour restaurants, and the town of Çeşme itself around the castle and marina.
Quick guide
- Best for
- Aegean dining, coves and beach clubs, windsurfing
- Best time
- Late May to mid-June, and September
- Getting around
- A car if you want the coves
- Where to stay
- Alaçatı, Ilıca or Çeşme town
Why Çeşme
The character comes from the wind. The meltem arrives most summer afternoons, which is why the peninsula became a windsurfing destination and why evenings feel a few degrees kinder than the rest of the Aegean coast. Water is clear over pale rock; the landscape is dry, low and treeless, punctuated by vineyards and gum-mastic scrub.
Food is the reason many people return. The Aegean kitchen here is built on herbs, olive oil, fish and mezze, and it is served late — most tables fill after nine. Alaçatı has the highest concentration of design-led restaurants and boutique hotels; Dalyan is where locals go for fish; Çeşme town is the most practical base for ferries and everyday errands.
Summer is the peninsula at full volume: beach clubs, DJ sets, reservations and traffic between Alaçatı and the coast. Late May to mid-June and September are quieter and, for most travellers, better. Winter is a different place entirely — small, local, and mostly closed.
Plan around geography rather than a list. Choose an area that matches how you want to spend your days, keep a car if you want the coves, and book dinner in advance in high season. Everything on this site is organised the same way: by area, by category, and by the small number of places we think are worth your time.
The Selected
The Selected Collection
Places in Çeşme we consider worth your time — across food, beaches, stays and nights out.
ASPC Alaçatı Surf Paradise Club
Water Sports · Alaçatı
For its longevity, breadth of watersports and multilingual teaching programme.
5masa Alaçatı
Live Music · Alaçatı
For turning a fixed-menu dinner, live music and stage performance into one deliberately structured evening.
Terakki Alaçatı
Restaurants · Alaçatı
MICHELIN Guide — Selected · 2026
A refined Alaçatı dinner address centred on contemporary Aegean cooking, an open kitchen and a cocktail-led bar, set within the town's characteristic stone architecture.
Before Sunset Beach
Beach Clubs · Ovacık
For treating Azmak Bay, sunset and music as one continuous day-to-night experience rather than separate parts of a beach visit.
Alavya
Boutique Hotels · Alaçatı
For combining a genuinely central Alaçatı location with intimate scale, distinctive stone-house architecture and a current One MICHELIN Key.
Browse by type
Browse by type
Every category we cover in Çeşme, from breakfast to beach clubs.
Selected Beach Clubs in Çeşme
A considered selection of beach clubs in Çeşme for swimming, long lunches, sunset drinks and slower days by the water.
Selected Restaurants in Çeşme
Restaurants across Çeşme that stand out for the quality of their cooking, service and overall dining experience.
Selected Stays in Çeşme
Hotels and other places to stay in Çeşme selected for their location, comfort, service and the quality of the stay they provide.
Selected Nightlife in Çeşme
Our selection of bars, cocktail spots and live music venues for evenings out in Çeşme and Alaçatı.
Where to go
Areas of Çeşme
Each part of the destination has its own character. Start where it suits you.
Alaçatı
Stone houses, narrow streets, restaurants, boutique hotels and a windsurfing coast make Alaçatı one of Çeşme’s busiest and most distinctive areas.
Ilıca
A long sandy beach, shallow water and thermal springs make Ilıca one of Çeşme’s most popular areas for a relaxed seaside stay.
Ayayorgi
A sheltered bay close to central Çeşme, known for calm water, beach clubs and a day that can easily stretch from swimming into sunset and evening drinks.
Dalyan
A quieter coastal neighbourhood north of central Çeşme, known for its fishing harbour, seafood restaurants and nearby swimming spots.
Central Çeşme
Çeşme Castle, the marina, old shopping streets and the waterfront all sit within easy reach of one another, making the town centre a practical base for exploring the peninsula.
Çiftlikköy
A quieter coastal area west of central Çeşme, known for seafood restaurants and easy access to Altınkum and Pırlanta beaches.
Ovacık
Open countryside, a long coastline and quieter coves give Ovacık a more spacious feel than the busier centres of Çeşme and Alaçatı.
Ildır
A quiet fishing village on the northern side of the Çeşme peninsula, where the ruins of ancient Erythrai overlook the Aegean coast.
Travel Guides & Inspiration
Plan Your Perfect Trip
Expert guides, local insights and curated itineraries to make the most of your time in Çeşme.
Family
Çeşme with Children: A Practical Family Guide
Where to stay, which beaches work best with younger children, whether you need a car, and how to plan easy summer days in Çeşme.
Çeşme guide
Things to Do in Çeşme: A First-Time Guide
Things to do in Çeşme: beaches, Alaçatı, Çeşme Castle, windsurfing, boat trips and Ildır, with practical advice for a first visit.
Çeşme guide
Çeşme or Alaçatı? How to Choose for Your First Trip
Çeşme or Alaçatı? Compare beaches, nightlife, walkability, accommodation and getting around to decide which base suits your trip.
Çeşme food guide
What to Eat in Çeşme: Aegean Food, Seafood & Local Specialities
What to eat in Çeşme: kumru, Aegean herbs, seafood, mastic and Çeşme melon, plus what is truly local and what belongs to wider İzmir.
Çeşme guide
Where to Stay in Çeşme: Alaçatı, Ilıca or Çeşme Town?
Where to stay in Çeşme: compare Alaçatı, Ilıca and Çeşme town for beaches, nightlife, walkability, families and travelling without a car.
Çeşme travel budget
Is Çeşme Expensive? A Realistic Travel Budget
What does a Çeşme trip really cost? A realistic 2026 look at hotels, food, beaches, transport, nightlife and daily spending.