Ayvalık

Shop

Get even more with a Lonely Planet guide.

Lonely Planet's Best in Travel 2025

$19.99

Shop Book

Terracotta rooftops of houses on Agean coast seen from Taksiyarhis Pension.

Mark Read

LONELY PLANET’S RECOMMENDED eSIM

Stay connected in Ayvalık

with

Saily is an affordable eSIM service that helps you stay connected and secure, anywhere in the world.

Get your eSIM

Overview

On first glance, Ayvalık may seem unremarkable, a port town similar to many others in this region. But wander a few streets back from the waterfront and you'll discover an old Greek village in spirited abandon. Colourful shuttered doors conceal boutique hotels in restored stone houses, mosques converted from Greek Orthodox churches welcome the faithful to prayer and historic cafes full of locals line hidden squares. Put simply, it's got Aegean ambience in spades.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

Old Town

Ayvalık

Ayvalık’s old town is a joy to explore. A maze of cobbled streets east of the liman, it is full of market squares, atmospheric cafes, Greek Orthodox…

Taksiyarhis Memorial Museum

Ayvalık

This erstwhile Greek Orthodox cathedral, built in 1844 but never used as a place of worship, was completely renovated in 2013 and positively shimmers in…

Çınarlı Cami

Ayvalık

Built in 1790 as the Greek Orthodox church of Ayios Yorgis and converted to a mosque in 1923, this lovely building has three naves and three apses and…

Broken Chimney

Ayvalık

The tapering brick chimneys that are scattered throughout the old Greek quarter are remnants of the olive-oil factories that once operated here. These…

Broken Chimney

Ayvalık

Broken brick chimneys like this one are scattered throughout the old Greek quarter, all that remains of the olive-oil factories that have now relocated to…

Saatlı Camii

Ayvalık

Originally built as the Ayios Yannis Kilise, this imposing stone building with its ugly freestanding minaret was converted into the Saatli Cami in 1923.