Cesme Holidays
Cesme Holidays – Wonderful beach holidays and superb weather!
Cesme holidays whisk you away to the gorgeous Cesme peninsula in Turkey, just 53 miles due west of busy Izmir, not far from Foca and famous for its endless stretches of beautiful pale sand. The resort offers plenty of water sports, boat trips along the coast and to nearby islands including ferries to the Greek island of Chios. There’s plenty to keep history lovers interested too, with the 14th century Genoese fortress in the resort’s centre serving as a dramatic reminder of the region’s fascinating past.
The town is home to numerous excellent fish restaurants and the beach at Altinkum, a stone’s throw away, is one of the best in the area. Cesme means ‘fountain’ and probably refers to the lovely ancient Ottoman fountains scattered throughout the city. The fabulous sands and clear, clean seas, quiet natural bays, secret coves, thermal springs and great facilities make Cesme a particularly popular destination with older people, couples and families.
When to go
Less well known amongst us Brits than many Dalaman coast resorts, holidays in Cesme are popular with Turkish holidaymakers, for whom it’s a fashionable option. There’s a roaring trade in day and weekend trips from Izmir too. While the climate is almost always mild, particularly during the long hot season between May and October, many people from cooler countries like ours prefer to visit either side of the hottest and most humid months, July and August, when temperatures can easily soar above 30C. The wind is a constant feature at nearby Alaçati, one of the world’s best windsurfing venues with perfect breezes all year round.
The weather in Cesme
Package holidays to Cesme are popular with locals even during the hottest months, July and August, when it’s regularly 30C or more during the day and 20-21C at night, with high humidity to match. June, July and August deliver 13-14 hours of sunshine per day and 14-15 hours of daylight to enjoy. As early as May temperatures in Cesme reach 24C during the day and 14C at night, and at the other end of the summer season you’ll find the weather’s good right up until mid-October. In September it hits 28C daytimes and 17C at night, falling to 23C during the day and 14C at night in October, ideal for mellow spring and autumn holidays.
Getting the best deal
The entire Dalaman region fills up with families and children during the school summer holidays, leading to an increase in demand which means prices are also highest over the summer break. Luckily the climate is superb for a long period between May and October, and lower cost breaks are easy to find when the kids are safely back at school, with correspondingly quieter beaches, cheaper flights and a wider choice of accommodation. We’ve collected together some of the best Cesme deals below. Alternatively why not take a tour of our special late deals and offers?
Airport and transport need to know
The nearest international airport to Cesme is Adnan Menderes airport (ADB), also known as Izmir airport, which sits around 11 miles from the city centre. You can fly direct from a choice of British airports including London Gatwick, Birmingham, Manchester and Dublin. Once you’re there, you can catch an airport shuttle bus to Izmir centre, running roughly three times an hour from outside the Turkish Airlines office. Then catch a local dolmus (bus) to Cesme, run by the Cesme Seyahat bus company (telephone +90 232 716-82-99), who provide frequent services (they don’t run in the evenings).
You can pick up a private taxi or book one in advance. A return journey for 1-4 people in a private cab should cost around £220 per vehicle and take an hour and 15 minutes each way. The O-31 motorway is big and fast, a six lane toll road linking Izmir with Cesme so car hire is also a good option, especially if you fancy sampling the Turkish countryside on the way there and back.
