WALKING/CYCLING ROADS
İçmeler-Klazomenai (İskele)
Distance: 17.5 km
Average Duration: 5 hours 30 minutes
Starting point elevation: 3 m
Highest point: 198 m
Endpoint elevation: 6 m
Difficulty level: 3
Coordinates:
Starting point GPS: 38°18’35.93”N / 26°40’45.43”E
Peak point GPS: 38°21’48.14”N / 26°44’46.10”E
Endpoint GPS: 38°21’40.49”N / 26°46’12.75”E
Average Duration: 5 hours 30 minutes
Starting point elevation: 3 m
Highest point: 198 m
Endpoint elevation: 6 m
Difficulty level: 3
Coordinates:
Starting point GPS: 38°18’35.93”N / 26°40’45.43”E
Peak point GPS: 38°21’48.14”N / 26°44’46.10”E
Endpoint GPS: 38°21’40.49”N / 26°46’12.75”E
Transportation to the course: Exit from the İçmeler – Karaburun intersection from the İzmir – Çeşme highway and turn to İçmeler. İçmeler is at a 47 km distance to Konak and 12 km to Urla. If you use public transportation, you should take the metro to come to Fahrettin Altay and get off the metro at the transfer station. From the transfer station, you can reach İçmeler with the Balıklıova – F. Altay municipal bus numbered 735. You can also reach the beginning of the course with the IYTE (İzmir Institute of Technology) municipal bus numbered 736 departing from Fahrettin Altay. The Gülbahçe and Balıklıova minibuses departing from F. Altay every 45 minutes also go to İçmeler. The Barbaros bus numbered 737 departing from Urla also goes to İçmeler. Another option can be taking the Gülbahçe minibus from Urla.
Structure of the course: It is not a very difficult course. Except for some short detours after İçmeler and Özbek, you mostly go through the asphalt road. Other parts consist of tractor roads, pathways, wide pathways and stabilized roads. Surface water does not pass below because of the structure of the land; there are some watery areas in rainy periods in Ilıca and Özbek. Half of the course passes through the plain land and the other half of it passes through the ridge. Most parts of the course are covered with shrubs. In one or two areas, there are pinewoods and olive groves. The course starts from the coast. There are fields, olive groves and summer houses between İçmeler and Özbek. It might be difficult to have a walk in the summer as there are no shady areas on the course.
Details of the course: The course starts in front of the market in İçmeler. You can have a walk along the shore or you can continue walking by following the old İzmir – Çeşme highway. You can also see the ruins of the old bridge on the coast on the left. You can see the summer houses on the right.
After the beginning of the course and after almost 1.5 km, you will see the asphalt road on the left.
By following the road, you will see the Göztepe facilities on the right. The coast is situated on the left. When you follow the coast and pass the sites, you will reach the asphalt road. You should continue walking parallel to the coast. When you pass the bridge and walk for almost 300 m, you will reach the end of the road. When you go to the beach from the coast, you will enter a wide pathway where there are shrubs and olive groves. From the point where the pathway connects to the asphalt road, you should continue walking to the north direction. After almost 300 m, you leave the coast and follow the asphalt road that continues through the gardens. The asphalt road passes near the abandoned poultry farm and reaches the center of Özbek village.
You can have a tea break in the village center. You also have the opportunity for shopping. You can enter the stabilized road to the northeast from the center and continue walking on the course. After almost 1100m, the wide stabilized road separates into two. Near the separation point, there is a fountain. The fountain flows continuously. Above the fountain, there are olive groves. You can set up camp between the olive groves. There are goat pens opposite the fountain. Before reaching the fountain, you should enter the road on the right from the wide stabilized road. The road continues to the south. As you continue walking, the course becomes narrow and turns into a tractor road; it continues through the olive groves and the forest and passes to the south side of the slope. The route continues parallel to the slope and after almost 15 km after the beginning, it reaches 195 m in elevation; which is the highest point of the course. There is a wide stabilized road near an old site (its base construction finished) and an abandoned building. After that, you can go down the hill. You can follow the stabilized road from the right. After 300 m, it connects with the asphalt road. You should follow the asphalt road on the right. It is on the east and passes in front of the site. The asphalt road ends in front of the site. After that, there is a forest road and it continues parallel to the ridge on the east. From there, you can view the Urla Pier, Çeşmealtı and Karantina Island.
When you pass the ridge, you should follow the stabilized road that reaches the coast. The road turns into an asphalt road from the point where the houses are situated. From there, you can reach the Çeşmealtı – İskele asphalt. When you walk 400 m to the east on the right side, you will reach the entrance of the Klazomenai excavation site which is the end point of the course.
Alternative routes connected to the course: The course connects to the Barbaros – İçmeler in İçmeler and the Ovacık – Klazomenai routes in İskele.
Water resources: There are water resources in İçmeler. As there are summer houses and some facilities at the beginning of Torasan, water can be provided. There is also water in Özbek and İskele. The fountain flows continuously. (38°22’30.36”N / 26°43’10.97”E). You can also get water from the mosques in the settlement areas.
Camping Sites: After you leave the old İzmir – Çeşme road, you will see a little park on the coast. You can set up tent in this area. There is a camping site on the coast (it gives service only in the summer) when you pass Torasan (38°20’00.10”N / 26°41’55.70”E). The small park in Özbek is also suitable for setting up tent. When you leave Özbek, you will see a fountain (38°22’30.36”N / 26°43’10.97”E). The fountain flows continuously. You can set up tent in the above part of the fountain. Tents can be set up in the areas close to the beaches near the İskele coast.
Shopping and Accommodation: There are bungalows in the big facility open in the summer on the İçmeler coast. There is also another facility (it has small rooms) where you can stay in the summer. There is a grocery, bakery and a fish restaurant in İçmeler. There is also a sea in İçmeler. İçmeler gets its name from the healing water.
There are three groceries, two coffee houses, a bakery, a butcher, keşkek (a dish of mutton or chicken and ground wheat) restaurant, a grilled meatball restaurant and fish restaurants on the coast in Özbek. There is fish sale by auction everyday in Akkum. There is a husbandry in Özbek. Olive and olive oil are also produced. A vegetable festival is organized on the third weekend of March, a food festival is organized in June on a Sunday, a sea and sea products festival is organized in September on a Sunday.
There are guesthouses in İskele. İskele is a touristic town. You have the opportunity for shopping, eating and drinking. İskele is famous with katmer (a kind of pastry) and fish restaurants. There is fish sale by auction everyday and a bazaar is set up on Sundays.
Natural and historical values:
An old bridge in İçmeler coast (38°18’39.06”N / 26°41’12.70”E)
Old olive trees between Özbek – Torasan.
An old laundrette in Özbek on the intersection point of 6000 and 6001 streets, an old fountain, an old bridge and an old bath can be seen.
In İskele;
Structure of the course: It is not a very difficult course. Except for some short detours after İçmeler and Özbek, you mostly go through the asphalt road. Other parts consist of tractor roads, pathways, wide pathways and stabilized roads. Surface water does not pass below because of the structure of the land; there are some watery areas in rainy periods in Ilıca and Özbek. Half of the course passes through the plain land and the other half of it passes through the ridge. Most parts of the course are covered with shrubs. In one or two areas, there are pinewoods and olive groves. The course starts from the coast. There are fields, olive groves and summer houses between İçmeler and Özbek. It might be difficult to have a walk in the summer as there are no shady areas on the course.
Details of the course: The course starts in front of the market in İçmeler. You can have a walk along the shore or you can continue walking by following the old İzmir – Çeşme highway. You can also see the ruins of the old bridge on the coast on the left. You can see the summer houses on the right.
After the beginning of the course and after almost 1.5 km, you will see the asphalt road on the left.
By following the road, you will see the Göztepe facilities on the right. The coast is situated on the left. When you follow the coast and pass the sites, you will reach the asphalt road. You should continue walking parallel to the coast. When you pass the bridge and walk for almost 300 m, you will reach the end of the road. When you go to the beach from the coast, you will enter a wide pathway where there are shrubs and olive groves. From the point where the pathway connects to the asphalt road, you should continue walking to the north direction. After almost 300 m, you leave the coast and follow the asphalt road that continues through the gardens. The asphalt road passes near the abandoned poultry farm and reaches the center of Özbek village.
You can have a tea break in the village center. You also have the opportunity for shopping. You can enter the stabilized road to the northeast from the center and continue walking on the course. After almost 1100m, the wide stabilized road separates into two. Near the separation point, there is a fountain. The fountain flows continuously. Above the fountain, there are olive groves. You can set up camp between the olive groves. There are goat pens opposite the fountain. Before reaching the fountain, you should enter the road on the right from the wide stabilized road. The road continues to the south. As you continue walking, the course becomes narrow and turns into a tractor road; it continues through the olive groves and the forest and passes to the south side of the slope. The route continues parallel to the slope and after almost 15 km after the beginning, it reaches 195 m in elevation; which is the highest point of the course. There is a wide stabilized road near an old site (its base construction finished) and an abandoned building. After that, you can go down the hill. You can follow the stabilized road from the right. After 300 m, it connects with the asphalt road. You should follow the asphalt road on the right. It is on the east and passes in front of the site. The asphalt road ends in front of the site. After that, there is a forest road and it continues parallel to the ridge on the east. From there, you can view the Urla Pier, Çeşmealtı and Karantina Island.
When you pass the ridge, you should follow the stabilized road that reaches the coast. The road turns into an asphalt road from the point where the houses are situated. From there, you can reach the Çeşmealtı – İskele asphalt. When you walk 400 m to the east on the right side, you will reach the entrance of the Klazomenai excavation site which is the end point of the course.
Alternative routes connected to the course: The course connects to the Barbaros – İçmeler in İçmeler and the Ovacık – Klazomenai routes in İskele.
Water resources: There are water resources in İçmeler. As there are summer houses and some facilities at the beginning of Torasan, water can be provided. There is also water in Özbek and İskele. The fountain flows continuously. (38°22’30.36”N / 26°43’10.97”E). You can also get water from the mosques in the settlement areas.
Camping Sites: After you leave the old İzmir – Çeşme road, you will see a little park on the coast. You can set up tent in this area. There is a camping site on the coast (it gives service only in the summer) when you pass Torasan (38°20’00.10”N / 26°41’55.70”E). The small park in Özbek is also suitable for setting up tent. When you leave Özbek, you will see a fountain (38°22’30.36”N / 26°43’10.97”E). The fountain flows continuously. You can set up tent in the above part of the fountain. Tents can be set up in the areas close to the beaches near the İskele coast.
Shopping and Accommodation: There are bungalows in the big facility open in the summer on the İçmeler coast. There is also another facility (it has small rooms) where you can stay in the summer. There is a grocery, bakery and a fish restaurant in İçmeler. There is also a sea in İçmeler. İçmeler gets its name from the healing water.
There are three groceries, two coffee houses, a bakery, a butcher, keşkek (a dish of mutton or chicken and ground wheat) restaurant, a grilled meatball restaurant and fish restaurants on the coast in Özbek. There is fish sale by auction everyday in Akkum. There is a husbandry in Özbek. Olive and olive oil are also produced. A vegetable festival is organized on the third weekend of March, a food festival is organized in June on a Sunday, a sea and sea products festival is organized in September on a Sunday.
There are guesthouses in İskele. İskele is a touristic town. You have the opportunity for shopping, eating and drinking. İskele is famous with katmer (a kind of pastry) and fish restaurants. There is fish sale by auction everyday and a bazaar is set up on Sundays.
Natural and historical values:
An old bridge in İçmeler coast (38°18’39.06”N / 26°41’12.70”E)
Old olive trees between Özbek – Torasan.
An old laundrette in Özbek on the intersection point of 6000 and 6001 streets, an old fountain, an old bridge and an old bath can be seen.
In İskele;
- Limantepe, Klazomenai and Karantina Island.
- Yahşi Bey Mosque dating from the 15th century.
- House of Poet Yorgo Seferis. It was turned into a hotel.
- Yıldıztepe Martyrdom located on the right side of the road that goes to Urla.
- Batis’s coffee house dated back to 1820. It is situated on the coast and gives services as a hotel and restaurant.
- You can also see the sculpture of Tanju Okan in the park on the coast.