Where Different Tastes Meet: Alaçatı

One of the cutest towns in Türkiye, Alaçatı is the most popular holiday destination on the Aegean coastline with its renovated stone houses, charming boutique hotels, dining and entertainment venues that overspill to the streets, and coves and beaches each more beautiful than the other...Known as the pearl of Türkiye, Alaçatı is a town of beautiful İzmir on the western coastline, and stands as a flavor center with its local dishes and a vast variety of mezes made from Aegean herbs.

Embodying in full the refreshing spirit of the Aegean, Alaçatı takes you to a warm, sincere and vivacious time with its colorful stone houses and narrow alleys. You want to stay at Alaçatı where you will be greeted by a historic two-century old mastic tree as soon as you enter the town. As you head towards the coast, you will start feeling that famous Alaçatı wind coming amidst the unique stone houses and cobblestone roads. Stone houses adorned by a motley collection of flowers are not only beautiful but also functional as they keep their residents cool in summers and warm in winters thanks to the specially cut stones used to build them. This array of houses sees guests from all around the world off to the Alaçatı coastline.

As you wander in the narrow and beautiful alleys of Alaçatı, where the warm, sweet and delightful Aegean atmosphere comes into existence, you will smell the scent of so many flowers. Bougainvillea, black pepper trees, mastic trees, mimosas and fragrant jasmines will treat you both with their smell and sight.

After a walk on the colorful streets of Alaçatı, it is now time to indulge yourself and enjoy the Aegean cuisine! Alaçatı is one of the best destinations to eat “kumru”, a special comfort dish unique to the region. Including sausages, fermented Turkish sausages, tomatoes and tulum cheese stuffed inside the special kumru bread of İzmir, “kumru” is a great snack in summers as well as the best way to assuage your hunger after a swimming session in the sea.

Alaçatı treats its guests to an excellent feast with everything from snacks to the mezes and desserts. Small restaurants hosting their patrons on old style small chairs and tables placed alongside the streets offer many flavors ranging from the specialty of the region, artichoke, to Aegean mezes and olive oil dishes where the traditional recipes meet the modern. After all these dishes that provide the lightness unique to the Mediterranean and which are a delight to see, taste and digest, it is now time for the dessert. And should you also wish to cool yourself, then make sure you save some space for Alaçatı’s very own mastic milk pudding (sakızlı muhallebi) and mastic ice cream (sakızlı dondurma).

Abundant wind over the blue waters makes Alaçatı an ideal spot particularly for water sports and windsurfing. With winds around 15-25 knots, Alaçatı is the choice of many amateur and professional windsurfers from all around the world. So much so that Alaçatı has almost become the home of windsurfing worldwide, as a result of which a large windsurfing center as well as many windsurfing schools are available along the shore. 

Should you wish to get away from the hustle and bustle of Alaçatı, just try the Delikli Cove with its holey stones and pristine waters. This hidden cove also protects against the wind surrounding it, providing nothing short of a paradise for those who wish to enjoy the blue sea and serenity.