ABOUT ALAÇATI

Alacati is famous for its authentic stone houses, stone paved roads and crystal clear waters. Alacati used to be a Roman town and residents have achieved to keep its authenticity and unique atmosphere.

The town is only a 10 minute drive from Cesme centre and 30 minutes from Izmir , the 3rd largest city in Turkey that receives flights from all over the world.

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Alacati Center

The centre of Alacati’s is full of restaurants, cafes and bespoke boutiques, which all open until late and attract both foreign and Turkish tourists to Cesme.

Alacati’s centre is mainly busy during the evening because of the many venues available, so much so you could eat and drink at a different place every night. However, we do recommend that you make prior reservations for Friday and Saturday evenings in the high season to ensure you get a table, most of which will be placed outside the restaurant.

Restaurants in Alacati

One of the most popular restaurants in Alacati is the Tuval Restaurant, which serves mainly Italian food and is located towards the centre of the main street.  The Karina Restaurant serves fresh fish every day along with classic food and food with a twist such as fish with milk and octopus in soy sauce. After dinner you may want to try the Kose Cafe where you are offered a wide choice of homemade desserts and selection of coffees.  There are also late night bars such as the Alacati Shot Bar or Nar Bar if you want to extend your evening here.

Surfing in Alacati

Alacati is also widely known for windsurfing and kite-surfing and has been named as the 3rd best surfing resort in the world. This is due to its 330 windy days (which is well above the average in Turkey) and calm waters and demand for this activity in this area is high and growing each year.  Not only does it attract professionals, more than 10,000 foreign tourists come here every year, mainly from Australia, United States and Europe. It is also an ideal place for beginners as the shallow waters extend for 500 meters from the shore. There are ample surf schools here to meet demand which are at their busiest between May and October and the average temperature of the water is 22 degrees which makes it ideal for sea and water sport lovers.

Beach Clubs in Alacati

Alacati has several beach clubs to choose from where you can party either day or night. Seaside, which is the largest beach club in the area, is family friendly during the day and hosts special events during the night.  DJs that have played here include Faithless and Tiesto.

Alacati Nightlife

The nightlife in Cesme in general is very lively; however the majority of nightclubs are located on the outskirts and are around a 15 minute drive from the centre of Alacati.

Yacht Marina

Cesme has 4 yacht marinas, one of which is in Alacati itself where 80 boats can be moored. This marina was completely rebuilt a few years ago and now houses several very nice restaurants and bars. Click for Alacati Yacht Marina Photos

Shopping

Local markets and goods sold on stalls is very common is Alacati and every Saturday it hosts a huge very popular market selling fresh fruit and vegetables, clothing and kitchenware and the equally popular antique bazaar is open every Saturday and Sunday.  Next to the mosque in the centre of Alacati there are stalls where you can buy handmade jewellery during the afternoons until late into the night and we highly recommend that you buy olives and olive oil soap before returning home.

Alacati Houses

The houses of Alacati have a unique architecture and were built with thick stone walls to keep them cool during the summer and warm in winter.  Several of these old houses have been thoughtfully restored to their original state and new houses built here in the last 10 years have been constructed in the same style to keep the unity of the architecture.

Alacati Hotels

In the centre of Alacati you will only find boutique hotels, many of which have no more than 15 rooms (and some much less) with each room designed in a slightly different theme. The average price per night varies from €120 to €300 depending on the time of the season. Although the hotels are expensive, their authenticity and the service they provide makes it is well worth it. Reservations should be made a few months prior to visiting as the hotels quickly become fully booked for the whole summer season.

Top Tips

If you want a budget holiday, we would advise you to stay in Cesme Town and use the dolmus minibuses to travel to and from Alacati, and if you are planning to travel to Alacati from the centre of Izmir  there are frequent buses available every half an hour.  Although it is not essential to hire a car this would be beneficial as there are beach clubs and nightclubs that you cannot travel to using public transportation.