This colorful village is known for its traditional buildings, narrow streets, numerous hotels, street cafes, and cobblestone streets. Some years ago, it was mostly known for its wine-making factories, but nowadays, it is famous for tourism and windsurfing. Alacati is located on the western coast of Turkey and near Izmir town.
It has not been fully discovered by travelers, and this is why people call it the hidden gem of the western coast. Alacati is the place where you can let go of the world and just enjoy your life for a few days.
How to Reach
You can get to this village by any means. However, most of these ways cross Izmir. Therefore, it might be a good idea to fly to Izmir’s international airport and get to Alacati by bus or car. A bus station is located right outside Izmir’s airport and goes to Alacati. However, it can be a good idea to rent a car from Izmir’s airport since it is easier to move to Alacati.
Accommodation
There are hundreds of hotels in Alacati where you can spend the night. They vary by the price and also the place as some of their bars are heavily crowded at night, and some are so quiet and charming.
Places to See
If you have traveled to Alacati in the crowded season, you can still enjoy everything. But due to the crowded streets late in the morning, it is a good idea to start walking before the sunset when you can see the colors starting to appear by the sun and also enjoy the silence.
Alacati is about 5 kilometers away from the beach. Therefore, if you love to stay on the beach, you can rent rooms at the nearby beaches and go to the city when you have had enough of the beach.
Windmills
Windmills are probably the only historical structure in the Alacati as their story goes back to the 19th century. They are placed around the village, and you may see many of them. There is nothing special about them except for their structure and the wind in your hair that gives you a great feeling.
Windmills, Alacati, Turkey
Port of Alacati Marina
As mentioned before, Alacati is a great place for surfing and kite sailing. If it is possible for you, rent a boat and sail into the ocean. However, it is so crowded in summer but still worth the fun and joy. Also, there are hotels around the beach where you can rent a room and keep the fun going. Since so many people come to Alacati just for surfing, you can see how fun it can be.
Narrow Streets
One of the best things you can do is walking in the narrow streets and cobblestone ones. The buildings made of stones and beautifully painted have given the village a great and charming look. The main street, Kemalpaşa, is a must-try as so many restaurants and hotels are located there and have given a very enjoyable look. Also, when you are roaming in the narrow streets of Alacati, make sure to give coffees a try. They are so different from those you have drunk back in your country as they are mixed with traditions.
Saturday Market
If you are in the Alacati on Saturday, make sure you check the market as all of the local people come out to sell whatever they have. Although it is crowded, you can find almost anything you like. Tourists are so happy at the things they found by chance to buy.
Herbs Festival
Started back in 2010, Alacati is the host of a herbal festival in which people all over the village make vegetarian dishes that you can taste. Also, there are seminars and workshops on herbal experiences. Even if you are not into vegetables, you can still have fun with delicious meals and Aegean music.
Beach
Since this village is a peninsula, there are numerous beaches here. You can pay a visit to them and even rent a room to spend the night. Recently many clubs have opened as well, and you can have fun in them. The water is not cold most of the time, and you can enjoy swimming in the crystal-clear ocean.
Photo by Cangul via Flickr
Best Time to Visit
Thousands of tourists come to this village annually, and hence, it is very crowded in the travel seasons. Therefore, if you are planning to freely walk in the beautiful narrow streets, you may want to come here off-season when travelers are fewer, and you can consider yourself king of the streets. Also, considering the weather conditions, Alacati’s temperature is better from May until October. To make it an easier decision to make, here you can have look at the table of average tempereture in Alacati.
| January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg. Temperature °C (°F) |
10.3 °C (50.6) °F |
10.8 °C (51.4) °F |
12.6 °C (54.6) °F |
15.2 °C (59.4) °F |
19.3 °C (66.8) °F |
23.6 °C (74.5) °F |
25.8 °C (78.5) °F |
26 °C (78.8) °F |
22.8 °C (73) °F |
18.9 °C (66.1) °F |
15.4 °C (59.7) °F |
11.9 °C (53.4) °F |
| Min. Temperature °C (°F) |
8.5 °C (47.3) °F |
8.7 °C (47.7) °F |
10.3 °C (50.6) °F |
12.7 °C (54.9) °F |
16.6 °C (61.8) °F |
20.8 °C (69.4) °F |
23 °C (73.4) °F |
23.3 °C (73.9) °F |
20.4 °C (68.7) °F |
16.8 °C (62.3) °F |
13.5 °C (56.3) °F |
10.1 °C (50.2) °F |
| Max. Temperature °C (°F) |
11.9 °C (53.4) °F |
12.4 °C (54.4) °F |
14.5 °C (58.1) °F |
17.6 °C (63.7) °F |
22.1 °C (71.7) °F |
26.6 °C (79.9) °F |
29.1 °C (84.3) °F |
29.2 °C (84.5) °F |
25.5 °C (77.9) °F |
21 °C (69.9) °F |
17 °C (62.7) °F |
13.3 °C (56) °F |
| Precipitation / Rainfall mm (in) |
148 (5.8) |
122 (4.8) |
82 (3.2) |
49 (1.9) |
20 (0.8) |
5 (0.2) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
20 (0.8) |
59 (2.3) |
111 (4.4) |
164 (6.5) |
| Humidity(%) | 72 % | 72 % | 71 % | 71 % | 69 % | 64 % | 61 % | 63 % | 67 % | 71 % | 74 % | 74 % |
| Rainy days (d) | 9 | 9 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 10 |
Alacati, Turkey
Final Words
Alacati is all about letting go and enjoying simple things. There are no luxury places that only one percent of the people can go to. In Alacati, we recommend eating, drinking, and walking as you can enjoy doing all of them very much. They have a variety of wines, foods, and colorful streets.
Alacati presents both history and joy in one place. The mentioned places to go are just a little explanation of the place and cannot fully cover all the joy. Therefore, never miss a chance of walking and exploring Alacati’s cobblestone and narrow streets as it can always present surprises.
