Exploring Aegean Urla - Things We Did & Things To Do
The Izmir Peninsula is just full of happy surprises - and our visit to Urla was definitely a happy surprise!
A sprawling district, Urla has an inland town centre - part of which much of this guide will concentrate on - whilst the coast of Urla totals around 40 kilometres to the north and the south.
Blue flag beaches lapped by the stunning clear water of the Aegean Sea. Cooling summer breezes (okay, winds) that create ideal conditions for water sports like kitesurfing.
Add to that a hinterland of olive groves, the increasingly well known Urla vineyards, a proud culinary scene and a smattering of ancient ruins...
What took us so long?
Well, there's only so much you can see and do in a short time, isn't there. Never enough time for everything!
Our first dip into this area of the Aegean coast of Turkey was an exploration of the Çeşme Peninsula. And a wander around the pretty cobbled streets of Alaçatı.
This second time, we decided to base ourselves in chilled-out Sığacık. That meant Urla was just a short drive away.
Exploring Urla Town Centre (Merkez)
It was just the one day out from Sığacık. So we had to decide how we wanted to spend our first time visit to Urla.
Not being beachy people, and taking into account we'd already had a rather hot wander around ancient Teos ruins the day before, we did a quick bit of research. Then opted for the old part of Urla town centre with a bit of scenic driving thrown in for good measure.
Urla Art Street - Sanat Sokağı
Urla Sanat Sokağı - Art Street - was our first port of call. This is in the old quarter of the town centre. We'd driven along potholed, steep and narrow winding lanes to get here. Not for the faint hearted.
And we were very lucky to nab ourselves a parking spot right on the edge of a one way road - we'd worry about our exit plan, later!
We'd read that Sanat Sokağı - Art Street - was a pretty pedestrianised old town area. And, if you know us, you know we love us an 'old town.'
Urla Art Street has a completely different feel, however. In a refreshing way.
Awnings suspended across the cobbled lane of stone houses shaded us from the heatwave we were experiencing.
A Living Street
And yes, there was a smattering of souvenir trinket shops. In summer, this area is popular with domestic tourists as well as Urla locals - but this is still a living street.
A haven for art lovers, local artists and international artists to gather.
A 200 metre long paradise for appreciators of theatre; those who love whiling away the hours in boutique art galleries, shoppers who take joy in to perusing stalls filled with locally made ceramics, jewellery and handicrafts lining the street.
An ideal place for rummagers who delight in hunting out books, antiques and nuggets of nostalgia. And wondering what they could actually do with that vibrantly painted door if they did buy it (we didn't buy it).
And a perfect place for those whose favourite pastime is to take a seat at one of the many cafes.
We did notice a kumru place (well, this is the Izmir Province, after all) and one of Urla's Michelin-recognised establishments.
But speciality coffees, teas and local sweet treats generally prevail in the daytime. But we'd skipped breakfast so we could enjoy a late lunch in Urla. And as you may well know, we don't have a sweet tooth...
Malgaca Pazarı - Malgaca Market - & Around
So, we left Art Street and wandered a couple of minutes away, into Malgaca Pazarı. Another place on our list of places we wanted to visit...
And, for us, this was more like it.
Malgaca Market and the adjacent Arasta Sokak date back to the Ottoman era. These areas are where you can find many of life's practical essentials.
Wooden handled gardening equipment, handwoven baskets, fresh fruit and vegetables, olive oil (Urla is famous for its olive oil) and a butcher.
And around an inner courtyard in the Malgaca Pazarı, shaded by huge plain trees, is an array of traditional cafes serving Turkish coffee, limonata, ice cream and local specialities.
This was to be our lunch spot - we'd spotted a katmerci. We'd only ever had katmer as part of a Turkish breakfast with tahini and honey and pekmez.
But it seems Urla is well known for its savoury katmer. And these two savoury-loving people were all over that!
We took a seat under the shade of the trees and ordered a potato-filled katmer and some çibörek.
Time to loosen the belts!
We really didn't need that 'side' of çibörek. We ended up asking for a doggy bag so we could take the leftovers with us to nibble on as we went along.
And the savoury katmer? If you've ever enjoyed a Turkish gözleme, the katmer was much like a deep fried version.
Crisp and crunchy and the fresh sliced tomatoes were a refreshing contrast.
Every spring, Urla hosts an International Urla Artichoke Festival and we weren't surprised to find this out.
The purple-flowered Chios/mastic Artichoke is apparently native to Urla. And as you wander the cobbled streets around Sanat Sokağı and Malgaca Pazarı, you can't help but notice the cafes advertising their artichoke offerings.
Enginar (artichoke) ice cream and enginar tatlısı (artichoke dessert) were two culinary delights that particularly jumped out at us.
A big part of our travels is trying out local dishes that we notice. But as we said, we were so full from our katmer and çibörek, we couldn't even begin to think about even sharing an enginar tatlısı that was being proudly advertised at this cafe next door to us.
One more reason to return to Urla!
The Urla Wine Route - Urla Bağ Yolu
If we knew anything about Urla before our return trip to this peninsula it was this: Vineyards and Michelin-starred restaurants.
Urla has developed quite the gastronomic reputation with top chefs growing their own produce and utilising indigenous wild herbs. Or using only local producers to create their menus.
Meanwhile, winemaking in Urla dates back 6,000 years due to its microclimate and mineral-rich soil. This tradition has now been revived with boutique vineyards offering tours, wine tasting, Michelin-recognised dining and accommodation.
We couldn't not take a take a drive through the natural beauty and groves of olive trees around Urla to buy ourselves a souvenir.
A large terrace looking out over part of the owner's vineyard and the countryside beyond. We'd just dropped in unannounced, but we were offered wine tasting and cheese board.
No tasting for this driver - just a little sip of the one Barry preferred (we usually agree). But as we were the only people there, a lovely chat with the owner before leaving with our souvenir.
Further Things to Do In Urla
As we said, we only had a day trip to Urla and there's only so much you can do in that time.
It was, however a perfect taster. And, along with what we saw and did, there are lots of other reasons why we want to return to the area.
Archaeological Sites
If you want to feel the ancient history of Urla:
- Ancient City of Klazomenai - As well as local Urla wines, the area is also famous for its olive oil. Klazomenai was one of the 12 Ionian cities that formed the Ionian League. It was also the first olive oil production facility in Anatolia. This is an ancient city of olive presses. And then from there, we want to visit the Köstem Olive Oil Museum.
- Liman Tepe - With a history dating back 7,000 years, this is said to be the oldest port in the Aegean. In 2025, archaeological teams reached remains from 5,300 years ago. This is a project that is taking place both underwater and on land, simultaneously.
- Quarantine Island (Karantina Adası) - As its name suggests. This island is said to date back to the 2nd Century BC. It was used in Ottoman times as a way to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.
Urla Beaches & Coastline
We really want to see more of the coastline of Urla - the town centre, where we visited, is 5 kilometres inland.
- Çeşmealtı area has thermal natural springs and a handful of beach clubs.
- Gülbahçe area is the home of Urla Surf House. So this is where you can come to watch - or try out - kitesurfing. Apparently great for novices, too, and the only place in Europe with a free fixed kite park.
- And even though we're not very beachy people, we do love beach scenery. Altınköy Beach and Demircili Koyu look like great scenic spots...in low season. And if you are beachy, there are public sandy beaches in Urla with shallow water and facilities.
Eating & Drinking
Our favourite activities! And whilst we did try a local speciality whilst we were in Urla, sitting in one of the waterfront restaurants taking far too much time over a few mezes showcasing Aegean cuisine and delicious seafood? Yes, we'll do that!
And you know we love our local weekly produce markets!
The Urla district has numerous markets where local producers gather to sell organic products and other goods. We'll make sure we're there on one of those market days, next time.
So, yes, we have but dipped a toe into the world of Urla. But there is so much more to see and do than what we've listed, here. We'll be back!
Exploring Urla - FAQs
If you are arriving by air, the nearest airport to Urla is Izmir Adnan Menderes Airport.
If you are arriving by intercity bus from elsewhere in Turkey, you will arrive at Izmir Otogar.
There are public transport options from both the airport and the otogar to Urla (check out the very useful Moovit app), you can hire a car or check if your accommodation offers a private transfer service.
Urla is a sprawling district. So you if you want to explore the whole area, you will need transport. There are public transport options such as the dolmuş and ESHOT buses that run between the neighbourhoods, other districts on the peninsula and also Izmir city centre, 35 kilometres away.
If you want more freedom with your time and you want to explore around the vineyards and villages, we'd recommend hiring a car.
Urla also has cycling and walking routes if you love the outdoors.
We were there in July because it was Barry's birthday. If we return, however, spring or late summer - early autumn would be our preferred time to visit.
Urla has numerous cultural events and festivals that you could time your trip around. There's a herb festival in March, the artichoke festival in May, a grape harvest festival in late August and an olive & art festival in autumn...to name just a few.
There are numerous hotels in Urla. Accommodation tends to be smaller boutique hotels and bungalow accommodation that is concentrated around the town centre as well as around the coastal neighbourhoods.
