BESIDE THE SEA Enjoy views of the Aegean sea with waterfront dining in Urla’s laid-back port
Looking out onto the calm waters of the Aegean, here on the Çesme Peninsula, Urla’s port is a place to breathe out and relax – but this is a town of two parts, and first, food lovers need to get to grips with the bustle of the inland Old Town. Start off in pedestrian-only Sanat Sokogi (Artisan Street) and the Malgaca Pazari, an Ottoman-era marketplace. They buzz with cafés, bakeries and stalls selling colourful piles of local produce.
Eating in atmospheric café Begendik Abi (facebook.com/ begendikabi), run by Handan Kaygusuzer, is like dining at a friend’s house. Her home-style cooking – stuffed vegetables, hearty soups, slow-cooked meat and sweets such as kadayifli muhallebi (a creamy, crunchytopped milk pudding) will put a beatific smile on your face.
The walls of nearby S¸afak Lokantasi (instagram.com/ safak_lokantasi), a tradesman’s caff, are adorned with black and white photos that have hung there since 1974. It serves a huge variety of breakfasts and lunches, from meaty güveç stews to buttery pilau rice and yogurt-laced veg dishes. The cooking is incredible; you’ll eat like a sultan for a fiver.