Northern Aegean

Northern Aegean (Kuzey Ege) is the northern part of Aegean Turkey.

Towns

• Edremit is the main town inland from the string of beach resorts along the Gulf of Edremit.
• Assos or Behramkale is a pleasant village with an acropolis and temple to Athena.
• Babakale is the most westerly point of mainland Asia, with a late-Ottoman castle.
• Ayvalık — major town of the region with much elegant neo-classical/Greek architecture
• Bergama — town near the well-preserved Roman ruins of Pergamon, as well as a great place for some authentic carpet shopping
• Dikili — fishing town with a charming old centre of cobbled streets, surrounded by rarely visited historical sights (including one of the rare fully wooden mosques) and a great nature

Other destinations

• Mount Ida National Park 📍 (Kaz Dağı Milli Parkı) is on the 1774-m mountain from where (according to Homer’s Iliad) the Gods watched the Trojan War raging below. It's best approached from the south, from the valleys above Edremit.

Understand

More or less corresponding to the ancient region of Aeolia, this region, occupying northern and southern coasts of the large, V-shaped Gulf of Edremit (Edremit Körfezi), is a less travelled alternative to the southern Aegean coast with silver-green olive groves everywhere. While there is not much in the way of a big city or industry in the region—except, of course, the occasional olive oil factory—most of the coast is heavily built up, especially by summer houses of Turks from other regions. In fact, the series of towns and summer houses lining the whole coast from Küçükkuyu to Ayvalık can be argued to form one large conurbation, albeit one that is somewhat spaced, low-rise, leafy, and fairly deserted in winter. However, take just one step inland, and you will quickly be amidst grooves of centuries old olive and cypress trees, and picturesque villages with traditional stone architecture dotting the hillsides—the ultimate Mediterranean landscape.

The climate is slightly cooler and wetter than the rest of the Aegean, but snow is still uncommon in the lowlands.

The pine-covered Mt Ida (Kaz Dağları) separates this region from Southern Marmara to north.

Get in

• The sole airport in the region is Edremit Körfez Airport (IATA: EDO), south of Edremit.
• Highway numbered E87 connects Northern Aegean with Çanakkale to the north and Izmir to the south. It's a quite winding and narrow road when passing through the Mt Ida (Kaz Dağları) when arriving from north, although the pine woods which the highway traverses make it more appealing to drive (and especially to ride) this stretch of road than it would otherwise be.
• Ferries connect Ayvalik with the Greek island of Lesvos daily (at least during the high season). A round trip costs €30/person.

Get around

See

Itineraries

• Along the Troad Coast — an itinerary connecting Çanakkale in Southern Marmara with Assos via a number of historical sites along the coast
• Istanbul to Izmir — take your time to explore the local towns travelling between two of Turkey's major cities

Do

Eat

Drink

Stay safe

Go next

• Continuing along the coast to the north, you'll arrive in Southern Marmara, while heading south makes you get into Central Aegean.