Ayvalık, Cunda and Pergamon
Ayvalık, on Turkey's northern Aegean coast 45 minutes from Edremit airport, has kept its fabric of 19th-century stone houses. Stay in restored mansions, drive over to Cunda Island and spend a day at Pergamon, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Three boutique hotels in the Sabaro selection.
Ayvalık is a small town on the northern Aegean coast, facing the Greek islands. It has kept its 19th-century fabric almost intact: whole streets of houses in local stone, with arched doorways and tall windows. It is a slow-paced destination, quieter than the Çeşme peninsula, where you stay in restored mansions. Pergamon, one of the great ancient cities of Turkey, is an hour's drive away.
Ayvalık old town
Ayvalık's houses are built of a local stone known here as "sarımsak taşı". Their façades follow the same pattern: doors under an arch or a high lintel, wide windows, tiled roofs. Many have been restored in recent years, some more faithfully than others; a few have become small hotels, such as CavlıHane, a house from 1885. The town is best discovered on foot, with no fixed plan, between the harbour and the sloping streets.
Cunda Island
Cunda, also called Alibey, is an island linked to Ayvalık by road, 8 km from the centre, eight minutes away. Its landmark is the Despot Evi, built in 1862 by an Orthodox dignitary with donations from the islanders. It later became an Ottoman government building, then an orphanage and school after the population exchange of the 1920s, before being abandoned. Turkish cinema shot several films there in the 1970s and 1980s. Restored between 2015 and 2019, it now houses a hotel in our selection.
Pergamon, an hour's drive away
Pergamon, today's Bergama, is 66 km from Ayvalık, just over an hour. The city has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2014. Allow a full day.
- The Acropolis, the upper city, with its hillside theatre, library and temples. Open daily from 8.30 am to 5.30 pm local time (the ticket office closes at 5 pm). Admission: €16 from 1 April 2027.
- The Asclepieion, the ancient healing sanctuary in the lower town, same hours. Admission: €15 from 1 April 2027.
- The Red Basilica (Kızıl Avlu), a huge Roman brick temple in central Bergama, and the Bergama Museum: €5 each.
Prices are from the price list of the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism. A guided day trip to Pergamon from İzmir is sold from €190 per person for nine hours; from Ayvalık, a car with a driver is simpler. For more sites, see our museums and culture page.
Hotels in the Sabaro selection
Ayvalık has no hotel with an international label. Our selection includes three restored mansions, all with prices on request for June 2027: no rates were published for those dates in October 2026.
- Cunda Despot Evi, on Cunda Island: the 1862 Despot Evi, now "Cunda Callisto Despot Evi", 28 high-ceilinged rooms including 6 suites. The spa is at the sister hotel, with a free transfer.
- CavlıHane 1885, in central Ayvalık: an 1885 house restored in keeping with local architecture.
- Olea Leya, in central Ayvalık: a historic building turned into a small hotel, with breakfast.
Getting there
The nearest airport is Balıkesir Koca Seyit at Edremit (EDO), 46 km from Ayvalık (44 minutes). It has flights to Istanbul with Turkish Airlines, AJet and Pegasus and, in season, to a few German cities. İzmir airport (ADB), with better links to Europe, is 173 km away, about 2 h 15.
Ayvalık combines with Assos and Troy to the north (Assos 1 h 46 away) and İzmir to the south (about 2 hours): see Assos, Troy and the Dardanelles and İzmir and Urla.
Climate and best time to go
Summers are hot on land and the sea is a little cooler than further south. Average highs range from 11.8 °C in January to 33 °C in July and August. The sea reaches 22.5 °C in June and 24.1 °C in August, then drops to 20.5 °C in October. Rainfall is 655 mm a year, with almost none in July and August.
For the sea, aim for June to September. For Pergamon and the town, May, June, September and October are more pleasant than August, when you visit the site at opening time.
Safety
No European foreign ministry advises against Ayvalık, Cunda or Bergama; the general advice for Turkey applies. Several ministries point to the summer risk of forest fires and to illicit alcohol: drink in reputable establishments. The "Travel advice" table on this page gives the advice of your country.
What to see
- Ayvalık old town — a largely intact 19th-century town: houses of local stone (sarımsak taşı), arched doorways and tall windows, several of them restored as small hotels CavlıHane, notre histoire (en turc)
- Cunda Island and the Despot Evi — an island linked to Ayvalık by road (8 km); the Despot Evi, built in 1862 by an Orthodox dignitary, later an Ottoman government building, orphanage and school, restored as a hotel from 2015 to 2019 Cunda Callisto Despot Evi, histoire
- Pergamon Acropolis — the upper city of Pergamon, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2014: hillside theatre, library, temples; open daily 8.30 am-5.30 pm (local time, ticket office closes 5 pm); admission €16 from 1 April 2027; 66 km from Ayvalık KTB, portail des musées (muze.gov.tr), Acropole de Bergama
- Asclepieion of Pergamon — ancient healing sanctuary in the lower town; open daily 8.30 am-5.30 pm (local time, ticket office closes 5 pm); admission €15 from 1 April 2027 KTB, portail des musées (muze.gov.tr), Asclépiéion de Bergama
- Red Basilica (Kızıl Avlu) and Bergama Museum — large Roman brick temple in central Bergama, 8.30 am-5.30 pm (local time); €5 each from 1 April 2027 KTB, portail des musées (muze.gov.tr), Basilique rouge de Bergama
When to go
Climate in Ayvalık
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Max. (°C) | 11.8 | 12.9 | 15.7 | 20.0 | 25.4 | 30.3 | 33.0 | 33.0 | 28.4 | 23.1 | 17.7 | 13.3 |
| Sea (°C) | 15.5 | 14.7 | 15.0 | 16.1 | 18.9 | 22.5 | 23.8 | 24.1 | 22.7 | 20.5 | 18.5 | 16.8 |
Source: NOAA, normales OMM 1991-2020, station 17175 (AYVALIK) — 1991-2020, accessed 22 October 2026
Sea (°C): seatemperature.info (agrégateur, moyennes mensuelles), page « Ayvalık » — accessed 22 October 2026
Getting there
- Balıkesir Koca Seyit Airport at Edremit (EDO): Ayvalık 46 km (44 min); flights from Istanbul (Turkish Airlines, AJet, Pegasus) and seasonal flights from Germany OSRM (calculateur d'itinéraire sur données OpenStreetMap), durée de conduite sans arrêt
- İzmir Airport (ADB): Ayvalık 173 km (2 h 13) OSRM (calculateur d'itinéraire sur données OpenStreetMap), durée de conduite sans arrêt
- Roads: Ayvalık – Cunda 8 km (8 min), Ayvalık – Bergama 66 km (1 h 02), Ayvalık – Assos 101 km (1 h 46) OSRM (calculateur d'itinéraire sur données OpenStreetMap), durée de conduite sans arrêt
By air
| Airport | By road | Direct flights |
|---|---|---|
| İzmir Adnan Menderes (ADB) | 172 km, 2h13 |
|
| Edremit Koca Seyit (EDO) | 46 km, 0h44 | |
| Balıkesir (BZI) | 133 km, 1h45 |
Hotels chosen in the region
| Hotel | Category | Suits | Guest rating | Indicative price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CavlıHane 1885 | Restored 1885 Ayvalık house, small boutique hotel | Boutique and historic hotels, Museums and culture | 4,8/5 (Google) | Price on request |
| Cunda Despot Evi | Restored 1862 neoclassical building, 28 rooms | Boutique and historic hotels, Museums and culture | 4,4/5 (Google) | Price on request |
| Olea Leya | Small hotel in a historic stone building in the centre | Boutique and historic hotels, Honeymoon, Museums and culture | 4,8/5 (Google) | Price on request |
Chosen activities
- Day trip to Pergamon from İzmir (Acropolis, Asclepieion) — 9 hours · from 190 € per person
Public price collected on: Civitatis — accessed 22 October 2026
Read next
Travel advice
| Country | Official advice | Source |
|---|---|---|
| France | Heightened vigilance (yellow) for Ayvalık, Cunda and Bergama, as for the rest of the country outside the south-east and the border areas; the terrorist risk remains high nationwide, be vigilant in crowded and tourist places. Significant risk of forest fires on the Aegean coast; alert of 10/09/2026 about fires burning in the west of the country. Be wary of strangers offering drinks or food; take care with quad bikes, buggies and diving. Keep away from demonstrations. | Ministère de l'Europe et des Affaires étrangères (France Diplomatie), Conseils aux voyageurs, Sécurité (Site last updated 15 September 2026) |
| Belgium | No specific advice for Ayvalık, Cunda and Bergama: general vigilance, avoid crowds, political gatherings and the vicinity of official buildings. Forest fires in summer in the south and south-west; illicit alcohol causes dozens of deaths every month: buy only from official shops and bars. | SPF Affaires étrangères, Commerce extérieur et Coopération au Développement (Belgique), Conseils aux voyageurs (Site last updated 2 July 2026) |
| Switzerland | No specific advice for Ayvalık, Cunda and Bergama; the FDFA only advises against the border areas with Syria and Iraq and Şırnak and Hakkari provinces. Risk of attacks at any time nationwide; regular demonstrations; forest fires in summer; much of the country lies in an earthquake zone. | Département fédéral des affaires étrangères (DFAE, Suisse), Conseils pour les voyages (Site last updated 30 September 2026) |
| United Kingdom | No advised-against area in Ayvalık, Cunda and Bergama (only the 10 km strip along the Syrian border is). Attacks are possible anywhere; deaths from methanol-contaminated alcohol in Turkey. Sexual assaults reported mostly in beach resorts in season; frequent wildfires in summer (lighting a fire in a risk area can lead to a fine or prison); red flag: no swimming. | Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO, ministère britannique des affaires étrangères), Foreign travel advice (Site last updated 19 October 2026) |
| Germany | No travel warning for Ayvalık, Cunda and Bergama; only the immediate border area with Syria and Iraq is to be avoided. Terrorist threat in all parts of the country; arbitrary arrests and entry refusals reported, mostly of dual nationals and people with ties to Turkey. | Auswärtiges Amt (ministère fédéral des affaires étrangères, Allemagne), Reise- und Sicherheitshinweise (Site last updated 20 October 2026) |
| Luxembourg | No advice specific to Turkey: the Luxembourg ministry refers to the Belgian, German and French advice; registration on the LamA platform is recommended. | Ministère des Affaires étrangères et européennes, de la Défense, de la Coopération et du Commerce extérieur (Luxembourg), Avis de voyage (accessed 22 October 2026) |
| Ireland | Level 2 of 4, "High degree of caution", for the whole country including Ayvalık, Cunda and Bergama; only the 10 km strip along the Syrian border and Hatay, Kilis and Şırnak provinces are advised against. The European Health Insurance Card is not valid in Turkey. | Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA, ministère irlandais des affaires étrangères), Travel advice (Site last updated 30 September 2026) |
| Sweden | No specific advice for Ayvalık, Cunda and Bergama; only the 10 km along the Syrian and Iraqi borders and Hatay, Kilis, Şırnak and Hakkari provinces are advised against. | Utrikesdepartementet (UD, ministère suédois des affaires étrangères), UD avråder (Site last updated 28 March 2022) |
| Denmark | Yellow, "be particularly careful", for Ayvalık, Cunda and Bergama as for the rest of the country outside the south-east. The European Health Insurance Card is not valid. | Udenrigsministeriet (ministère danois des affaires étrangères), Rejsevejledninger (Site last updated 17 June 2026) |
| Poland | Level 1 of 4, "usual caution", for Ayvalık, Cunda and Bergama; levels 3 and 4 only concern the south-east, the east and the border strips. | Ministerstwo Spraw Zagranicznych (ministère polonais des affaires étrangères), service Odyseusz (Site last updated 15 October 2026) |
| Czechia | Increased caution for the country; the Aegean region is "considered safe". | Ministerstvo zahraničních věcí (ministère tchèque des affaires étrangères), Upozornění na cesty (Site last updated 12 March 2026) |
| Netherlands | Yellow for Ayvalık, Cunda and Bergama, as for the rest of the country outside the border areas with Syria and Iraq and Şırnak and Hakkari provinces. Increased terrorist risk; avoid demonstrations. | Nederland Wereldwijd (ministère néerlandais des Affaires étrangères), Reisadvies Turkije (Site last updated 16 October 2026) |
| Norway | Not checked by Sabaro: see Regjeringen | |
| Austria | Not checked by Sabaro: see BMEIA | |
| Italy | Not checked by Sabaro: see Viaggiare Sicuri | |
| Spain | Not checked by Sabaro: see exteriores.gob.es | |
| Portugal | Not checked by Sabaro: see Portal das Comunidades | |
| Finland | Not checked by Sabaro: see Ulkoministeriö (um.fi) | |
Rules change: always check the official website before you travel.
Frequently asked questions
Ayvalık or Cunda: where should I stay?
In Ayvalık old town to walk the lanes; on Cunda Island for the Despot Evi and the seafront. They are eight minutes apart.
Can you visit Pergamon in a day from Ayvalık?
Yes: Bergama is just over an hour by road. Allow a morning for the Acropolis and an afternoon for the Asclepieion and the Red Basilica.
How much does Pergamon cost to visit?
From 1 April 2027: €16 for the Acropolis, €15 for the Asclepieion, €5 each for the Red Basilica and the museum.
Which airport should I use?
Edremit (EDO), 45 minutes away, with flights from Istanbul; or İzmir (ADB), just over two hours away, for direct flights from Europe.
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