The first impressions of this town are the unaccustomed sights and sounds which are one of the real pleasures of travel. This was the impression as soon I walked in the main street of Alaçati.
What to do in Alaçati
Wander in Alaçati town
Even though this short trip was during the pandemic of Covid-19 and it was noticeable that few restaurants & stores were closed, but one thing will always be enjoyable is the architecture of this charming town.
The blue shutters on the whitewashed houses, the plants hanging out of the narrow windows, the colorful doors standing beautifully front of each home and the beautiful mopeds parked before the front yards make this town an absolute hidden gem in Europe.
Alaçati is the kind of beautiful beach town that would have you pulling out your phone every few minutes to Instagram something. The galeries, the cobblestones streets, the restaurants façades, café tables on the sidewalk, souvenir shops, the Turkish music, the colorful shutters and slow-food scene make it summertime's coolest spot.
Its traditional stone villas conceal a wealth of amenities, from high-end restaurants and discreet boutique hotels, to hidden courtyard cafes, art galleries, antique shops and designer boutiques.
Explore the 19th century windmills
They are made of stone dated from 1850 and represent one of the main symbols of the town. Such a fun place to wander around and enjoy a cup of tea at sunset and walk around to take pictures. Nevertheless getting inside the mills is not accessible, so I'd rather suggest getting here only if you have enough time because the views are so amazing.
Afternoon at the beach
Then there’s the sea. The area has some of the few sandy beaches on the Mediterranean. Swimming is all well and good, but the harbor area is one of the best wind- and kite-surfing venues in Europe. Lot of surf competitions take place each year here.
Shopping
There is a wealth of galeries, boutiques and souvenir stores full of accessories, handicrafts, souvenirs, fashion items and trending clothing. If you are fan of antiques, then you'll find many antiques stores and stands where you might find items dating centuries.
Where to stay
There are a ton of really beautiful rustic boutique hotels in Alacati, from budget friendly to luxurious hotels. One of the favorites is Alachi Butik Otel. It's an authentic hotel located in a private street within a 2-minute by walking to Alaçatı central bazaar. With a traditional architecture, fourteenth gorgeous rooms, organic food served from their farm toward your breakfast table, and a Turkish Hammam; all these make this hotel so incredible and overbooked most of the time . Make sure to make a reservation a while in advance.
Getting there
Turkish Airlines flies to Istanbul from, well, just about anywhere in the world and then you can catch another flight to Izmir which is a short flight and the rates are so incredible. The town is about an hour drive from Izmir. For this trip, I got to Alaçati from Bodrum which took me about four hours drive and the ride had some beautiful nature sceneries with many restaurants on the way where you can stop to have some snacks and Turkish coffee.
And here is a little tour in downtown Alaçati to give you a hint of how it really looks hoping that this short movie help you decide if you'll include this charming town next time you head to Turkey.
Don't hesitate to reach out with any question or information you may ever need to plan your next trip. And until I meet you in my next article/destination, stay safe.
Hoşçakal - Bye - Au revoir