Middle East - Anthony Ham [473]
Getting There & Away
AIR
Turkish Airlines offers nonstop flights to İstanbul (from TL109) and Ankara (from TL59) from İzmir, with connections to other destinations. Onur Air, Atlasjet, Fly Air, Sun Express Airlines and Izair also fly to İzmir. Flights to the city from European destinations have greatly increased in recent years.
BUS
İzmir is a major transport hub. From the otogar, frequent buses leave for Bergama (TL10, two hours), Kuşadası (TL10.50, 1¼ hours), Selçuk (TL6, one hour) and other destinations nationwide. Buses to Çeşme (TL10, two hours) leave from a local bus terminal in Üçkuyular, 6.5km southwest of Konak.
TRAIN
The daily Alti Eylül Ekspresi and, between April and October, the Onyedi Eylül Ekspresi go to Bandırma (TL16, 6½ hours), where you can catch a ferry across to İstanbul. Express trains also run to Ankara (sleeper TL26.50, 13 to 15 hours), Selçuk/Ephesus (TL3.50, 1½ hours) and Denizli (for Pamukkale; TL11, five hours).
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ÇEşME
0232 / pop 21,300
The Çeşme Peninsula is İzmir’s summer playground, which means it can get busy with Turkish tourists at weekends and during the school holidays. Çeşme itself is a family-orientated resort and transit point for the Greek island of Chios, 8km west. It has a tangle of narrow backstreets and a dramatic Genoese fortress, and makes a good base for visiting the town of Alaçatı’s old Greek stone houses and windsurfing beach.
The tourist office ( /fax 712 6653; İskele Meydanı 6; 8.30am-noon & 1pm-5.30pm, Mon-Fri), ferry and bus ticket offices, banks with ATMs, restaurants and hotels are all within two blocks of the main square.
Sleeping & Eating
There’s a wealth of good-value, homey pensions in Çeşme. Local pensions are usually open from May to October and bookings are essential in summer and at weekends. On the front are touristy restaurants specialising in seafood – and multilingual menus. For cheaper, more locally orientated places, head to İnkilap Caddesi.
Uz Pansiyon ( 712 6579; uzpansiyon@gmail.com; 3010 Sokak 7; s/d TL35/55; ) Near the bus station and 450m from the centre, this is one of Çeşme’s cheapest pensions, but it’s spotless and terrific value with a communal kitchen.
Otel Sesli ( 712 8845; www.otelsesli.com; 3025 Sokak 35; s/d €20/40; ) On a hill above the front, a 10-minute walk from the centre, this recently renovated place has bare rooms around a pool and potted plants.
Sahil Pansiyon ( 712 6934; www.cesmesahilpansiyon.com; 3265 Sokak 3; d from €40; ) This peaceful place is up some stairs in a rambling house and garden. The immaculate rooms have small balconies, some with sea views (ask for room No 9).
Ertan Oteli ( 712 6795; www.ertanotel.com.tr.tc; Hurriyet Caddesi 12; d low/high season €35/55; ) In the same block as the Rıdvan (also recommended), the Ertan has a better location on the seafront. Though by no means a good-looking hotel, the restaurant is reasonable, the staff helpful and the rooms have balconies.
Tokmak Hasan’in Yeri ( 712 0519; Çarsı Caddesi 11; mains TL4-8; 7am-8pm Mon-Sat) Rather hidden away, this simple place serves terrific home cooking at low prices.
Patika Restaurant Café & Bar ( 712 6357; Cumhuriyet Meydanı; mains TL10-16; 3pm-midnight) This is the place for fish at affordable prices. Between 9pm and 1am there’s live Turkish music and sometimes belly dancing.
Pasifik Otel Restaurant ( 712 7465; 3264 Sokak; mains TL10-16; noon-9pm) If you fancy a walk and some fish, head to the Pasifik, at the northern end of the seafront, where you can enjoy a great fish casserole.
Getting There & Away
Buses from Çeşme’s otogar run every 45 minutes to İzmir’s otogar (TL10, two hours) and also go to Üçkuyular terminal (TL7.50, 1¼ hours).
In summer, there are five weekly ferries to the Greek island of Chios, and two ferries in winter. Buy your ticket (passenger return €65, car return €140 to €180) at the harbour; buy in advance if you have a car. Click here for more information.
There are also twice weekly ferry services to Brindisi