It’s been 30 years since my grandmother and grandfather passed through Alaçatı on their great Aegean tour and continued on because they didn’t like it.. Meanwhile, a lot has changed in Alaçatı; the streets of the village were cleaned, houses were restored, many places were opened, design boutiques were lined up, the harbor and new beaches became the center of entertainment, windsurfing became popular and Alaçatı, which we did not like, became the most fashionable summer route in all of Turkey, beyond İzmir. .

As Alaçatı became famous and became more expensive, of course, Izmir residents avoided the crowds and high prices, and this actually helped our meetings with other Izmir towns.

Urla, which you can reach in 45 minutes from Izmir, is the favorite of those who do not want to fight the crowds of Çeşme with its calm nature and streets that always preserve its nostalgia.. The truth of the matter; It is no surprise that Urla has reached its present place in our hearts with its proximity to İzmir, its green nature, beaches not crowded with tourists, pleasant venues and delicious Aegean cuisine.

When we add tourism activities such as the Urla Vineyard Road project and the Urla Artichoke Festival, Urla becomes our peaceful town that is developing itself and should definitely be included in İzmir travel lists.

Urla Square

WHERE IS THE URL

Urla, a district of Izmir, is located in the Aegean Region. 50 km from Izmir center. away from Urla; It is more than possible to call it a typical Aegean town.

How to Get to Urla from Izmir

It takes about 45 minutes by car from Izmir to Urla; Of course, it’s also about where you started from.. For example; It is also possible to reach Narlıdere in 30 minutes when the road is not crowded.. If you are going by your own vehicle, you should follow the Urla signs following the Çeşme highway.

If you are going to Urla from İzmir by public transport, Üçkuyular Fahrettin Altay is by bus You can use the ESHOT bus numbered 725 from the station.. Your other option is the white colored Urla minibuses that depart from Üçkuyular.

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THINGS TO VISIT IN URLA

#1 Urla Pier and Pier Market:

Urla’s Iskele Street is usually our starting point for our Urla excursions, we take our first breath here. There are many places around the beach, which is 5 minutes away from the center.. Anyway, the cafes, bars and restaurants here are the harbingers of how much color Urla can get when it gets dark and evening.

If you happen to be here on Saturday and Sunday, stop by the Pier Market and get the most out of it. You can shop for organic fruits and vegetables from the local. The most popular crops of the Iskele Market, which is similar to the producer’s market in Sığacık, are of course Aegean herbs, artichokes and pink tomatoes.. It’s artichoke, pink tomato, I seem to hear you say, what is it doing in your travel article? but let’s get to know the prominent vegetables of our Urla and eat a little healthy; right?

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#2 Urla Quarantine Island:

Quarantine Island is an interesting place. The island, which was used as a quarantine zone during the Ottoman period, was established by the French to prevent the spread of infectious diseases, as the name suggests.. The quarantine, which was converted into a Bone and Joint Diseases Hospital in 1960, was turned into a state hospital 26 years later.. Probably the most ‘cool’ hospital in our country.

The island has two parts. On the left, you see the state hospital belonging to the Ministry of Health, and on the right, the other hospital building, which has been sold to a private company.. I wish it had been brought into tourism; because then we would be able to enter and tour inside the island.. Now you can only see it from the outside. By the way, you can swim from the beach on the right side of the island and watch this view from the water.

Klazomenai Ancient City, Urla

Klazomenai Ancient City, Urla

#3 Ancient City of Klazomenai:

Klazomenai, one of the Ionian cities , starts from the back of Urla Iskele Street. The city moved to the Quarantine Island in time and allocated this area to agriculture, and over the years, it returned to the land and established a new city in the same place.. Today, excavations are trying to illuminate the ancient period; You can even see an olive oil production facility from that period when you go.. Entry is free as the work continues.. So, even if you don’t have a Müzekart, you can visit the ancient city area.

Yorgo Seferis’s House, Urla

#4 Yorgo Seferis’ House:

The stone house in Urla, used as a summer residence by the family of Greek poet Yorgo Seferis’ Another one of the places you can see. The story of the house, which coincides with the parallel of İskele Street, begins when the Seferis family locked their doors and moved to Athens after the First World War began, without buying a single item from their houses in İzmir and Urla.. Seferis, who went to Paris to study law at the age of 18 and later became a diplomat, was appointed as the undersecretary of the Greek Embassy in Ankara between 1940-1950 after serving in different cities of the world.

Yorgo Seferis, whose love for İzmir has always prevailed until now, comes to visit İzmir in 1950.. Of course, with the change over the years, neither the house in Izmir nor the cottage in Urla can survive.. This stone house where Seferis lived in Urla, who died 8 years after receiving the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1963, now serves as a hotel under the name Yorgo Seferis’s House after it was restored to its original form.

This boutique hotel with 14 rooms and a huge garden, which was restored to its present form with the care of the Sümer family, completes the other three houses of the family on the same street.. It is possible to recognize the other houses next to the hotel by their restaurant, bar and culture and art center identities.. There are temporary and indefinite exhibitions at the culture and arts center, we recommend you to stop by while you are in Urla.

Urla Sanat Sokak

#5 Necati Cumalı Memorial and Culture House:

Urla’s His bond is not limited to Yorgo Seferis.. Writer Necati Cumalı’s house has also been turned into a museum and is open to visitors.. His awards and personal belongings are exhibited inside the house.

Urla Sanat Sokak

#6 Urla Sanat Sokak:

This is probably the most popular street in our town, Urla, which is very close to art.. Art Street, whose real name is Zafer Caddesi, has been discovered and inhabited by artists many years ago. The tradition continues today in Zafer Caddesi, which is one of the. You can visit the design boutiques, concept venues, second-hand booksellers, ceramics and antique stalls lined up on Art Street.. It is a must-visit spot especially for those who want to buy gifts from Urla, decorate their home, and in short, return from here with a memory..

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#7 Urla Malgaca Market & Historical Arasta Bazaar:

The destination after Sanat Sokak is Malgaca Market. That is, the place of fresh fruits and vegetables that the villager brings from his garden and sells.. In the past, this was the way in the market established on Fridays.. According to the rumor, the name remained as Malgaca because he asked “how much is the goods”.. who knows the truth correct. J These days, the Friday market has moved to Sunday.

For those looking for gifts and crafts, let this be their Sunday address. I also have a note; When you enter Malgaca, you should definitely take a breather in the artisan cafe.. Because there is nothing better than cooling with rabbit blood tea under the green tree.

The historical Arasta Bazaar is behind Malgaca Market; the old crafts continue; where watchmakers, tailors and clothmakers meet. Those who know know; arastalar old shopping centers. Especially in Anatolian cities, there are many examples of inns.. One of my favorites is Taşhan in Tokat, here is its open-air version in Urla. Today, its shops are still active; but since most of them are closed during the holiday, we could only examine them from their shutters..

Malgaca Market, Urla

#8 Urla Vineyard Road:

To say Urla, famous for its vineyards, is Tuscany of our country today would be a hit. It will not be enough on your daily trip to Urla; but Urla’s Vineyard Road definitely deserves a separate trip. The producers you can visit on Bağ Road; URLA, MMG, Mozaik, Urlice, USCA and Limantepe.

Although it is not produced, Urla Bağ Evi. You can get information about wine production by visiting these facilities and have a free tasting.. Of course, you must be 18 years old for all these tours.. Each winery on the Urla Vineyard Road offers a different experience; Fortunately, they all have their own features.

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#9 The Villages of Urla:

There are many villages connected to Urla; First of all, let’s put a list of Urla villages here:

Bademler Village, Balıklıova Village, Barbaros Village, Birgi Village (Also in Ödemiş), Demircili Village, Gölcük Village, Kadıovacık Village, Kuşçular Village, Nohutalan Village, Ovacik Village, Uzunkuyu Village, Yağcılar Village, Zeytineli Village and Zeytinler Village.

The most popular of these 14 villages are; Barbaros, Balıklıova, Özbek and Almonds. Those who have time can plan a trip to Urla, all of which consists of Urla villages, within 1 day.. The other alternative is to add to the Urla center tours by making a choice.. You can read the summary information about the villages in the rest of the article.

Urla Barbaros Village:

Our first visit to the village of Barbaros coincided with the discovery tour of the TV series My Heart Remains in the Aegean.. While the crew of the series was chasing shooting angles on the streets, we were having our breakfast at the village cafe after a picnic.. The village of Barbaros also benefited from the gradual shifting of the Aegean series, which started with the center of Seferihisar and Urla, to smaller settlements, but of course, this is not the only feature of the village. It organizes the Barbaros Cave Festival every year to draw attention to agriculture, which is the crown of the day and is gradually abandoned for various reasons, and to raise awareness.. The scarecrows that we call hollows that adorn the fields are actually. Each family prepared their own scarecrows for the festival and then displayed them on the streets of the village.. The festival takes place in June, they postponed it to September due to the elections for this year.. Do not forget to take notes on notebooks and phones as the Barbaros Village Cavern Festival on September 6-7-8!

Urla Barbaros Village, Cave Festival

Urla Balıklıova Village:

Karaburun Peninsula Located in Balıklıova, it was a Greek village until the population exchange period, and now it stands out with its calmness.. In Balıklıova, we usually take our crispy Balıklıova cookies from the oven at the village entrance and go to chat in the village cafe or take a rest at a cafe by the sea.

Urla Özbek Village:

Another fishing village like Balıklıova, known for its stone houses and coastline. The settlement in Özbek Village started with the discovery of Çaka Bey.. The name of the village comes from the fact that the name of the commander Çaka Bey assigned for the reconnaissance is ‘Uzbek’.. Some information indicates that the village took this name because it was founded with Uzbek immigrants.

In history, it was a village where both Turks and Greeks lived.. Nowadays, it is a quiet route where you can see the typical village life, take a breather in the shabby cafes, and swim on its shores, if it’s not a holiday break.. You can add the Özbek Village to the daily plans of Urla and spend 2-3 hours here with pleasure.

Urla Bademler Village:

Urla Bademler Village:

Bademler, a village in Urla that we haven’t been to yet but would love to see. The thing that impressed us the most is that the village has its own theater and attaches great importance to art.. The second issue is Bademler’s step towards garbage separation, which has not yet been implemented even in big cities.

You say it’s a small village, but they are even pioneers in recycling.. No wonder it was chosen as the cleanest village in Turkey.. Bademler Village is also the place where Susuz Yaz, one of the cult films of Turkish cinema, was shot.. When you go, you should definitely see the village theater first.. And a note; A theater festival takes place in Urla Bademler Village every May.. What’s not great?

THE SEA IN URLA

Altınköy Marika Beach, Demircili Bay, Çeşmealtı Blue Beach, Malgaça Bay and Yassıca Island are among the places where you can swim in Urla. To enjoy the sea on Yassıca Island, you need to take a ferry from Izmir.. We, on the other hand, love Altınköy the most, especially Marika, in our opinion, the most beautiful beach in Urla.. Demircili Bay is also our other choice for swimming in Urla.

By the way; For other beaches and coves you can choose in Izmir, you can check our article below:

Izmir’s Most Beautiful Beaches and Most Beautiful Bays

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THINGS TO WATCH CLOSE TO URLA

Uzbek and Bademler, 15 minutes away from the center, Barbaros and Bademler, 20 minutes away, to your Urla plans You can add the villages of Balıklıova, 30 minutes away.

Besides Urla, Seferihisar district and its Sığacık town, and Çeşme and Alaçatı are two places that are also half an hour away from Urla.

Click to read Places to Visit in Sığacık.

Sığacık, Seferihisar

URLA RECOMMENDATIONS

Although Urla is a small town, it is home to many cafes and restaurants that appeal to everyone.. With its pizzerias and restaurants in a concept that is as good as Istanbul, and traditional restaurants serving Aegean flavors, you can even come here to eat or explore a place.

Urla food and beverage, which we have tried so far We recommend you to read our article below for our recommendations:

WHAT TO EAT IN URLA: RECOMMENDATIONS FOR EATING AND DRINKING IN URLA

Urla You can access all of our other photos and notes related to the  Instagram  account  by clicking the #journavelege tag. Follow us and let’s travel together!

Urla Sanat Sokak