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Rarely does a place live up to
its name, but the resort of
Cesme, meaning ‘fountain’,
more than matches the elegance
and beauty of some of the most
famous fountains in the world.
The many springs in the area
feed the crystal clear and
radiant blue sea like a fountain,
and the surrounding landscape of
sesame, artichoke and aniseed
fields provide the sea with a
magnificent frame, and whose
attractiveness is topped off
with sporadic areas of fig and
gum trees. A small port town, it
is dominated by a 14th Century
Genoese fortress and has
scattering of 16th Century
Ottoman trading structures, as
Cesme was part of the Silk Road
for caravans travelling across
Anatolia from Central Asia and
the Middle East.
Despite its untouristic past,
Cesme has grown significantly in
popularity in recent years and
is now a lively resort with a
good helping of restaurants,
cafes, bars and nightclubs which
can be found along its
promenade.
The main draws of this resort
are the fine, golden sanded
beaches around the peninsula,
and Cesme is an important centre
for festivals and concerts.
It is also famous for its mastic
flavoured ice-cream and even its
toasted sandwiches.
Things to Do & See
in Cesme
If
you’ve travelled a long way to
Cesme, you’ve probably come for
the fantastic beaches (which
you’ll also need after a long
flight). A short bus ride away
from the resort is the beach of
Pirlanta Beach, which is a long
and sandy beach just southwest
of the town. If you dig your
toes into only the finest sand,
the Altinkum Beach, otherwise
known as the ‘Golden Beach’, is
also close by and has sands and
water which glisten as if they
were showing off, so you’ll need
plenty of luck trying to leave.
The Cark Beach beach is perfect
for families as the shallow and
tranquil waters could easily
function as a giant kid’s pool,
and the sand is great for
building sandcastles. If you
prefer to spend your
Marmaris holidays at the whim
of the elements, head to the
nearby town and beach of Alacati
to have your fill of
windsurfing, as the wind and
waves here have a constant and
fiery temper.
The
14th Century Genoese fortress
which stands vigil in the
harbour is not only a superb
example of medieval architecture
and tactical advantage, it also
houses a weapons museum and
hosts concerts and festivals. If
you’d like to relive part of the
route travelled by the medieval
traders on the arduous Silk
Road, a 16th Century
caravanserai (roadside inn for
travellers) is in good condition
and lies near the fortress,
called the Öküz Mehmet Pasa
Kervansaray, which is also now
used as a hotel and restaurant.
If
you’d like to bask in the
sparkling thermal springs after
which Cesme is named, head to
the nearby town of Ilica, in
which many hotels are built on
thermal springs in order to
offer its guests the purest and
most refreshing spa treatments
around.
The remains of the ancient city
of Erythrai lie 20km northeast
of Cesme at Ilidiri, which dates
all the way back to around
3000B.C. Now the ruins comprise
mainly of the foundations of
once regal and superb
structures, but they are an
interesting glimpse into the
magnificence of the former glory
of this city.
If
you’ve had enough of trekking
around for your Turkey holidays,
relax on one of the many boat
trips that can be had from the
resort, on which you can watch
the lush and forested hills and
placid sea leisurely pass by.
These boat trips will also let
you explore the nearby islands
(including the Greek island of
Chios) and undisturbed coves if
you’d like to swim and laze
about away from the incessant
bustle of civilisation. The sea
around the resort and its nearby
islands offers incredible
underwater scenery, including
glittering tropical fish, so
snorkeling or scuba diving
around these areas is highly
recommended.
Cesme is nationally famous for
hosting concerts and festivals,
one of the biggest being the
Cesme Sea Festival of Nations
and Song Contest, held every
July in the Genoese fortress.
The nightlife is lively,
although this is hardly
Bodrum.
Bars, restaurants, cafes and
nightclubs line the harbour and
stay open until the early hours
of the morning. There are also
traditional Turkish meyhanes for
a relaxed Turkish drink enjoyed
in the midst of belly dancing
and other shows. Head to the
Seaside Beach Cove in Piyade
Cove and the Babylon Adacati in
Cark Plaj for some late night
partying; clubs which also
attract famous international
DJs.
Where
to Stay?
You can stay in sheer
luxury or on a basic
budget in Cesme. The
Öküz Mehmet Pasa
Kervansaray, the
medieval caravanserai,
is one of the most
popular hotels, and is
also great if you want
to immerse yourself in
the culture while in
Turkey. A tiny
seven-roomed Hotel Nars
Alacati has just opened
and is set in a
converted 19th Century
mansion, and is sure to
become one of the most
wanted out of those who
want to pay a little
extra for something
special. Apart from
these, there are many
hotels which cover all
price ranges.
How to Get there?
If
you’re flying in, head to Izmir
Airport, from which you can get
a bus from Izmir to
Cesme
at any
time of the day. You’ll get to
Cesme in about half an hour, and
the bus ride should cost around
10 Turkish Lira, or €5. Bus
services are also available from
Istanbul, although these take a
whopping 8 hours. You are able to find
buses to Izmir from
Marmaris bus terminal.
Distance between Marmaris to
Izmir is 250 km. and 80 km. from
Izmir to Cesme.
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