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District and municipality in Balıkesir, Turkey
Photo: Commons-Fronobulax, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Ayvalık is a city in the Northern Aegean region of Turkey, with a population of 71,063 in 2018. It's on the south coast of the Gulf of Edremit, an inlet of the Aegean Sea, and connected by bridges to the resort of Cunda island, also described on this page. It was Greek for much of its history, and is within view (and a short ferry ride) of Mytilini on the Greek island of Lesvos.
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There are two, fittingly since a taxiarchis or ταξιάρχης is a brigadier - it's still used as a Greek military rank but here denotes the two archangels Michael and Gabriel. This church is the one built on the mainland in 1844. It was disused after its Orthodox congregation were deported and had a spell as a tobacco and alcohol warehouse but in 2013 was restored as a museum. The other is on Cunda / Alibey island, see below.
Small museum of the area and its turmoils, in a courtyard with a mosque and cafe.
Rahmi M Koç Museum
This is the other "archangel church", built in 1873. It's now an automobile museum.
Good central mid-price place.
Charming hotel that for once earns the description "boutique", the nicest place you'll find mid-town.
This changed owners in 2021 but remains a pleasant family-run guesthouse in an old Greek house.
Clean well-run campsite, good value. It's 6 km west of the island village.
Beachfront hotel, rooms have en suite bathrooms, air-con, TV. Garden or sea view.
Simple beachfront hotel, small rooms but clean and modern, en suite with aircon.
Pleasant guesthouse with garden
Smart friendly hotel on Sarımsaklı beach.
By train
The nearest station is Balıkesir 130 km east.
By car
By road from Istanbul take O-7 east, sweeping over Osmangazi Bridge onto O-5 southwest past Bursa - the tolls are pricey but worth it for the time-saving.
By bus
Buses from Istanbul to Izmir call at Ayvalık so this is a frequent service round the clock. The trip takes just under 8 hours and in 2022 you might pay 500 TL single.
By boat
Car ferries from Mytilini on the Greek island of Lesvos take 90 min. Turyol is the ferry line. In September 2024, a one way adult ticket was €20, return €30.
Local buses and dolmuşes run frequently from town centre to Cunda island and to Çamlık.
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Edremit · International · EDO
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