Taking a day trip from Lesvos to Turkey is easy if you know how. Here’s a quick guide.
Mytilini (the capital of Lesvos) is where you’ll find the island’s main port. It’s on the east side of the island and very close to the airport. Turkey is just 4km across the water at its nearest point, so well within day-tripping distance.
Can you visit Turkey on an organised excursion? These didn’t seem to be running when I was there although they obviously have in the past. So this post details how to visit on your own by ferry.
You can only take the ferry to one town and it’s called Ayvalik.
Why visit Ayvalık?
Ayvalık is a working port town and it has quite a different feel to Turkey’s most touristy seaside towns.
Much of it is hot, busy, and functional with lots of traffic. But go one block inland and you’ll find a historic quarter with crumbling mansions in the Aegean style, wisteria-topped alleys, cute cafes and an increasing number of boutique stores and hotels. It’s increasingly popular with visitors from Istanbul.
I’d say Ayvalık doesn’t feel dissimilar to Mytilini (it had a large Greek population until the 1920s), so if you don’t like Mytilini then perhaps don’t bother.
The main attraction in the area is actually Cunda Island which is an established (and upmarket) holiday destination for Turks. Also called Alibey, it’s a short distance offshore and is connected by road and surrounded by lots of small islets which together make up the Ayvalık Islands Natural Park. Cunda is green and has several sandy beaches and charming old villages. The peninsula south of Ayvalık also has some lovely beach areas.
You can get to Cunda by dolmus (regular minibus), taxi, or boat from the main harbour. But by the time I had explored Ayvalik on foot I didn’t want to risk missing the last ferry so decided to leave it for another time. If you want to visit Cunda or the Ayvalık Peninsula it’s possible but best to have a plan. I think 2-3 days on Cunda would be ideal for exploring the area, especially with a rental car.
Mytilini Port
If you’re already in Mytilini then the port is on the far side of the main harbour, the entrance is just beyond Hotel Blue Sea and a cluster of travel agencies. Just follow the sign for the passenger/vehicle entrance and the ferry terminal is on your right.
I bought my ticket from a travel agency the night before. It looks like you can buy them online on Ferryhopper (which you can also use for checking times and routes) but have to pick up your tickets beforehand, perhaps in case they need to check documents.
Inside the ferry terminal, you’ll go through security and passport control. There’s also a desk for vehicle registration. The ferries is a small RO/RO with spaces for a few cars but if you want to take your car I do recommend booking in advance.
There’s also a duty-free shop that you can peruse whilst waiting. I got to the port an hour before my ferry was scheduled to leave but that was too long, I’d say half an hour is plenty. If you want to grab a coffee or food before the journey then Hacienda Cafe Bar is the closest to the port. The bigger car ferries going to Athens tend to use the port at different times of day so the terminal is unlikely to be too crowded.
The Ferry Journey
There are several crossings throughout the day but only one or two of these are suitable for a day trip. I travelled on the Turyol, there are a few other ships but again not so suited for a day trip. Tickets are €20 each way but there’s a €30 offer for a same-day return, regardless of the boat. The ferry out left at 9am and returned at 6pm, and the journey takes 1-1.5 hours.
Seating on the ferry is inside and unassigned, but you can walk outside on the deck too. The A/C works well and they sell snacks and drinks onboard (both currencies accepted but best to bring cash).
Here’s an important warning for you: on your return trip to Greece you’ll need to pay a departure port tax in cash. At the time of writing it was 140 YTL but prices in Turkey do change frequently so best have some extra.
Warning
I didn’t know about this – there’s no information in either of the ports, and until that point I’d managed to get by using my card to pay for everything in Ayvalık. This meant I had to do a sweaty sprint down the road to find the nearest ATM. Luckily I had arrived at the port quite early, but it was still unpleasant in the heat. If you need it the ATM is up the road northwards but on the other side of the road, just beyond the petrol stations.
If you want to find out the price on your arrival it’s the little kiosk just outside the main exit.
As you approach Ayvalık you can see the town and some of its historic buildings on your right.
The main harbour and centre of town are south of the ferry port. It takes around 20 minutes to walk there, or you can take a minibus. To use the minibuses you’ll either need cash or to get a Balkart card – there’s a booth at the port. There’s no tourist information at the port.
If you want to go to the beach head north to İğdeli Beach (or go to Cunda).
Unfortunately for me the day I picked to visit Ayvalik was a heat wave day and it was far too hot for anything beyond cafe-hopping to find iced coffees. So I cafe-hopped up and down the pretty backstreets. Another word of warning – the only places I found decent A/C were the port cafe and some of the high street stores. Given the temperatures, I would have been better off at the beach.
The main harbour is packed with tourist boats offering routes around the archipelago but few of these seemed to be running in July. Perhaps in August it’s absolutely rammed. Just north of the harbour, west of the main road, is another area with historic buildings including the town hall.
If you’d like more information on the history and architecture of Ayvalık I recommend this blog post by Inside Out In Istanbul.
Standout spots for me were
- the gorgeous waterfront cafe at the Ayvalik International Music Academy which sells homemade treats including the best strawberry ice-cream I’ve ever tasted
- Küçük Han where I stumbled upon an art exhibition
- the wine-covered alleyways around traditional dessert shop Macaron Muhallebicisi
Overall it’s a great place for exploring, especially if you like taking photographs. It’s a little rough around the edges with a boho heart. I’m not sure I’d recommend it in the height of summer though, and the traffic prevents it from being a truly relaxing spot
Here are some photos to give you an idea of the vibe of Ayvalık:
Read more about Lesvos:
A Quick Guide to Skala Eressos
Image credits:
All images © The Mediterranean Traveller