Cesme Peninsula Travel Guide

Introduction

81km (50 miles) west of Izmir

Given the density of cultural riches on the tried-and-true paths of the Anatolian "mainland," few foreigners venture out to Çesme, Izmir's sun-kissed western peninsula. Perhaps now with the completion of the new superhighway, driving those scant 50 miles won't seem so insurmountable.

Çesme, named after the many springs found in the area during the 18th and 19th centuries, is a world-class Aegean resort, blessed with picturesque beaches and thermal spas both numbering well into the double digits. When tourists discovered the haunts of the Bodrum Peninsula, the smart set migrated north to the crystalline beaches of Çesme. Çesme still manages to remain relatively untarnished, offering a perfect balance between sybaritic and simple pleasures, such as the appreciation of unspoiled stretches of fertile fields of aniseed, mastic trees, and olive groves.

Plan on a minimum of 2 full days to explore the beaches and baste in a thermal pool. You'll want...