Cesme is a charming
convergence of healing
mineral springs,
excellent beaches,
crystal clear waters and
sun, perfect for
vacationers. It is
located 94 km west of
zmir, on the very tip
of the peninsula that
bears its name. It was
called as the 'little
harbor' by sailors, but
in the course of time,
the area became known as
Cesme
(Fountain) due to the
increasing number of
fountains with ice -
cold waters. The
Erythrai Ancient City
excavated in (the
village of) Turkey
Cesme-ildiri, the
Castle, Caravanserai and
many fountains from
Ottoman Period and the
other examples of civil
architecture in the
historical texture of
the city compose the
historical and
archaeological remains
of the area.
Today the remains of the
Acropolis can be seen on
top of the hill which is
in the city centre.
Small statuettes offered
to the Temple of Athena
Pallas were found during
the excavations in the
Acropolis. One of the
most important finds is
the statue of a woman
belonging to Archaic
Age. It is on display in
the zmir Turkey Museum
of Archaeology.
Cesme History (
Turkey )
Cesme, the port of
Erythrai Ancient City,
was called as Cyssus in
Ancient Times. It was an
important settlement
area in the 6th century
BC. The city developed
its trade by
establishing relations
with Egypt, Cyprus and
Western Countries.
Climate Cesme Turkey
The Mediterranean
Climate is dominant in
Cesme Turkey. It is
quite hot and exposed to
the winds blowing from
the north.
Where to Visit Cesme
Cesme Castle: The
Ottoman Sultan Bayezid
II had the castle built
in 1508. It bears all
the characteristics of
Ottoman architecture.
Inside the Castle, there
is a museum. The finds
unearthed in the village
of Cesme-Ildr, are on
display in this museum.
This historical
structure is used for
the International Cesme
Music Festival which
is
held between July 2-7
every year. In front of
the castle is the statue
of Kaptan- Derya Gazi
Hasan Pasha from
Algeria. The statue is
with a lion.
Turkey Cesme Museum
In the Cesme
Archeological Museum
inside the Cesme Castle,
there is a total of 477
items on display. They
were discovered in the
district center of
Alaat and the
Kalemburnu region and
consist of 320
archeological pieces,
126 ethnographic pieces
and31 coins.
Museum Tel: (+90-232)712
66 09
Open hours to visit:
08.30-12.00/13.00-17.00
Open days to visit:
Everday except Monday
Turkey
Caravanserai: The
caravanserai, built in
1529 by Sultan Sleyman
the Magnificent,
consists of two
storeys.The rectangular
structure has a central
courtyard with shops,
storage depots and other
rooms around the
perimeter. This
historical building is
now being used as a
hotel and provides
excellent shopping for
those interested in gift
items, leather clothing
or high-quality Turkish
rugs. At night the
restaurants, bars and
discos surrounding the
inn make for a lively
atmosphere.
The Mastic Trees
Having been discovered
6000 years ago, the
mastic trees of eme
are definitely worth
seeing. Rak (alcoholic
drink) is being
flavoured with
mastic.Also Mastic Jelly
is made of these trees.
Besides its use in the
kitchen, it is also used
in the manufacture of
medicine and paint. The
doctors of ancient
Greece made a variety of
medicines from this
plant for rabies,
snake-bites, stomach,
liver and intestinal
conditions. After the
10th century, the fame
of the mastic tree
spread beyond Sakz
Island to the wholeworld.
The plant is now used
for a variety of
purposes in 25 different
national pharmaceutical
firms. It has has a very
pleasant fragrance. Galinos says, "This is
excellent for chronic
bouts of coughing."
Today six different
products are made from
the plant and it is a
superior ulcer medicine,
in addition to being
good for high
blood-pressure. It is
also used for diabetes
and high cholesterol. It
is important in the
treatment of cancer and
cirrhosis. The
importance and benefits
of this plant
originating on Sakz
Island and spreading
from here to the entire
world is better
understood day by day.
THERMAL SPRINGS CESME
Cesme Hot Springs:
One of the most
interesting and rare
places in the world, the
springs are right on the
coast near the Cesme Hot
Springs beach on the
zmir - eme road 5 km
from Cesme. The water
temperature is around
58C and contains sodium
chloride, potassium
chloride and magnesium
chloride. The waters are
good for those suffering
from chronic rheumatism,
problems arising from
poor metabolism, such as
gout and obesity, as
well as rickets, skin
conditions,
gynecological disorders,
and liver and urinary
tract conditions. There
are
modern facilities in
the vicinity of the Hot
Springs, which even have
thermal pools and baths
inside them.
Transportation to the
springs is provided by
the Cesme buses which
leave from kuyular.
ifne (Reisdere)
Thermal Spring and Mud
Baths: Located 5 km
northeast of the Cesme
Hot Springs on a small
peninsula in the ifne
bay, the thermal springs
have accommodations and
restaurants nearby.There
is a large common pool
with benches in the
water. The water
contains sodium,
chlorine and calcium and
the 38C waters are
radioactive (5.3 eman).
The waters are good for
people with rheumatism,
rickets, gynecological
disorders, urinary tract
infections, stomach and
intestinal conditions
and skin conditions like
eczema and boils.
THE YACHT HARBORS
The province of Izmir,
especially the southern
tip of the Cesme
peninsula is one of the
primary yacht circuits
in the country. The
route from Cesme to
Kuadas has the most
developed yachting
infrastructure. The
harbor at Cesme can be
used by both yachts and
commercial vessels and
has docking space for
two small cargo vessels.
The yacht section of the
harbor was designed to
accommodate 150 yac
hts.
In the winter many
fishing boats use the
harbor while yachts
predominate in the
summer.
Alaat Harbor:
Located south of Alaat,
it is paradise for
yachting enthusiasts
with its rows of small
coves. The dock can hold
up to 80 boats and
offers a variety of
services for yachts.
Cesme-Altnyunus
Yacht Harbor: Having
a capacity for up to 70
big boats and 40 small
ones, this harbor offers
every type of yacht
maintenance. The harbor
is able to provide
water, electricity,
telephones, maintenance,
repair and wintering
services.
SPORTS ACTIVITIES
Camp - Caravan: The
Grand Harbor (Byk
Liman) and Paa Harbor
coves are excellent
places to camp and have
many summer residences.
The natural beaches and
camping areas in the
area of Ildr, the
ancient city of Erythrai,
are perfect for those
wanting a touch of
history and nature.
Hunting: Cesme is
an excellent place for
those who like hunting.
The most interesting and
exciting hunt is without
a doubt wild hogs. After
permission is received
from the proper
authorities, everyone
can participate in this
thrilling venture. There
are also quite a few
partridges and rabbits
in Cesme. These animals
are most plentiful in
the hunting season
between September and
December, which is the
hunting season. Those
interested in hunting
can visit Cesme during
the winter as well.
Wind Surfing:
Alaat is one of the
most interesting surfing
areas in Europe and
offers a variety
not
found in many places. It
is located in a V-shaped
cove with crystal clear
water and is surrounded
with lush vegetation. The changing winds and
perfect conditions make
it one of the best
surfing areas in Europe.
The best thing about
Alaat is that the
winds blow from the land
to the sea , and no
matter how hard the wind
blows the waves in the
sea stay about the same.
Therefore Alaat is a
safe place for wind
surfing.
What to Eat
The local cuisine is
made up of mostly
seafood. You should
definitely try the sea
bass, bream, octopus and
oysters while there.
Other Cesme delicacies
include "eker ii"
served with a special
fig jam, "kuru
skma" (a
flat wrappedbread),
goose drumsticks, almond
milk and a grilled
sandwich called "kumru."
The delicious melons and
artichokes raised here
are exported throughout
the world.
Don't Leave Without
Seeing the International
Cesme Music Festival,
Bathing in the thermal
springs of Cesme,
Tasting the olives, and
the wine made from the
grapes of Cesme.
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