Holidays in Alacati

Solto Hotel Half Board
The stylish Solto Hotel is an exciting new addition to our programme for 2010. This friendly boutique hotel is set right on the beachfront in Alaçati with beautiful views over the sandy beach to the clear Aegean waters. Its large swimming pool is surrounded by sun terraces, offering plenty of space to soak up the sun. The range of facilities here includes an indoor heated swimming pool, as well as a sauna and Turkish Bath.

View Hotel

Introducing Alaçati, a stylish resort with character and charm in abundance.

Tucked away on an inlet on the southern coast of the Çesme Peninsula, local holidaymakers long ago fell for Alaçati. With an alluring combination of Greek chic, beautifully restored stone houses in the old town and proximity to a choice of beaches, it is easy to see why. Set ten minutes by road inland, Alaçati’s utterly charming old town was first settled by the Ottoman Greeks in the late nineteenth century. Today, the tightly packed stone buildings house swish boutiques and upmarket eateries.

Browse the lively Saturday market, a much more laid-back and civilised affair than you might expect, since many of the area’s inhabitants are wealthy retirees from Istanbul and the tourists it attracts too are predominantly well heeled. The cool cafes here are perfect for a spot of people watching. A glass of refreshing homemade lemonade with mint, known locally as limonata, is the perfect accompaniment. There are some excellent restaurants here, including top-class fish and seafood restaurants who take their pick of the catch displayed at the local fish market.

The beach in Alaçati itself is rugged and sandy, the windy conditions here making it perfect for a range of water sports. In fact, the resort has gained worldwide repute as a prime windsurfing location, with a colourful festival attracting the sports leading competitors held annually, usually in August. The inviting turquoise water and gently sloping access are perfect for swimmers too. Owing to the peninsula setting, there are plenty of other beaches within easy reach of Alaçati should you fancy a change of scenery, from the exclusive beach clubs of Aya

Yorgi to the warm thermal waters of Ilica. Ilica is famed for its therapeutic hot springs, with travellers coming from far and wide to avail themselves of their healing properties. The larger resort of Çesme is situated a further quarter of an hour from here and easily accessible by dolmus. Set at the tip of the peninsula, Cesme boasts cobbled streets lined with an array of shops, restaurants and bars, and is dominated by an imposing 16th-century Ottoman fortress, which also doubles as a museum. Must-try local delicacies include kumru, a tasty panini-style spicy sausage sandwich and ice cream flavoured with mastic, a shrub indigenous to the area.

What to do in and around Alaçati

Day Trip to Chios

The mountainous Greek island of Chios lies 55 minutes by boat west of Çesme, with day trips operated throughout the summer months. Sightseeing highlights include the monastery of Nea Moni, a UNESCO world heritage site and the mediaeval “mastic” villages.

Day Trip to Ephesus

Ephesus is the best known and certainly the best preserved of Turkey's ancient cities. Its sheer scale is astounding and it lends the visitor a real feel of what life must have been like in ancient times. Take a day trip to explore the ruins of the city itself, followed by a visit to Meryemana, the Virgin Mary's House, where she spent the last years of her life. Lunch is included.