Federico Pruitt's Site

Cesme is a coastal town and the center-town of the district of the same name in Turkey's western-most end, on a promontory on the tip of the peninsula which also carries the same name and which extends inland to form a whole with the wider Karaburun Peninsula. It is a popular holiday resort and the district center, where two thirds of the district population is concentrated, is located 85 km. west of İzmir, the largest metropolitan center in Turkey's Aegean Region, the road connection between the two cities being assured by a recently-built six-lane highway. Cesme district has two neighboring districts, Karaburun to the north and Urla to the east, both of which are also part of İzmir Province. The name "Cesme" means "fountain" and possibly draws reference from the many Ottoman fountains scattered across the city.

The small Aegean resort of Cesme has become the darling of the Turkish media and the Istanbul jet set. Despite its domestic appeal, very few foreign buyers have discovered it great sandy beaches, varied dining, lively nightlife and world-class windsurfing - a notable exception being the Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, who is rumoured to have bought a $17 million plot of land for development in the area. Top local spots include the atmospheric former Greek village of Alacati, which has a marina and several ambitious waterside developments.

Author of this article is a hotel owner in Cesme Otel. Check Travel to Cesme Turkey for more information.