If you are looking to create lasting memories with your mum, consider a getaway to Urla, a coastal town in İzmir, Türkiye. Surrounded by picturesque olive groves, fruit orchards, and vineyards, this trip promises soulful getaways that will make this trip truly special for you and her. This serene locale offers uniquely pleasing moments in all four seasons. Whether you are wandering cobblestone streets, admiring bay-windowed stone houses, staying in elegant boutique hotels, exploring its scenic vineyards and tasting its signature crop, mastic artichokes, with your mom. Pack your bags and prepare for an adventurous trip in this beautiful town, intertwined with nature, history, culture and gastronomy!
Cobblestone Streets, Urla
Escape to Coastal Beauty
Urla, located less than an hour’s drive from the city centre, is a cute town in İzmir, known for its high-quality lifestyle and laid-back Aegean spirit. This idyllic spot on the Çeşme Peninsula will welcome you with a distinctive charm, olive-scented breezes, and a warm atmosphere with sincere locals. Urla has many lovely boutique hotels overlooking the immense sea, offering a perfect stay in harmony with the town’s ambience. Stepping out of these boutique hotels, you will find yourself naturally led to places like Malgaca Market, where local and organic products abound, or to Urla Art Street, lined with beautifully restored historic houses that now serve as cosy cafés and charming little shops. Urla is also home to many beaches with soft sands on its 40-kilometre coastline. If you wake up early, stroll with mom on a popular beach like the Blue-Flagged Kum Denizi Beach to catch the sunrise. As Urla enjoys a sunny, warm Aegean climate, you can dive into the crystal-clear waters for a refreshing midday swim or relax on the shore, soaking in the epic views.
Kum Denizi Beach
Wine and Dine in Urla
Inspired and sustained by the region’s balmy climate and fruitful lands, Urla is also a culinary wonderland. The town’s unique flavours are the nucleus of Aegean cuisine, with olive oil, herbs, fresh seafood and delicious wines. The gourmet attractions, from fine-dining restaurants to boutique wineries, will make your mom’s special day even better here. As the microclimate of Urla is suitable for viniculture, it has been a wine centre since antiquity. You can take the Urla Vineyard Route to roam around the vineyards, tour the wineries, and taste different wines, especially the ones made from indigenous grapes, such as Bornova Misketi, Sultaniye and Boğazkere. Even once-forgotten local varieties, including Urla Karası, Foça Karası and Gaydura, have been reproduced here, adding layers of history and authenticity to every glass. Winemakers continue to seek out, share and revive forgotten grape varieties, constantly breathing new life into Urla’s wine scene. Listening firsthand to their stories of grape discoveries is a truly memorable experience.
Vineyard in Urla, İzmir
Making your way along the vineyard route, you will also encounter fine-dining restaurants that serve the bounty of these lands with a farm-to-table approach. The young chefs behind these establishments’ kitchens interpret Urla’s time-honoured delicacies with a modern touch and turn local ingredients into unforgettable recipes. Thanks to this culinary prowess, the town’s restaurants have received well-deserved Michelin Stars. Urla also has restaurants with Michelin Green Star and Sommelier awards. At such eateries, you and mom can enjoy the region’s broad selection of famous seasonal greens, like blessed thistle, arapsaçı herb and most famously, mastic artichokes, accompanied by a glass of high-quality wines.
Restaurant in Urla, İzmir
Step into the Past with Mom
Urla can also be your gateway to the illustrious history of Anatolian lands. You can visit many ancient sites with your mom for an enriching experience. Urla’s history begins at the Bronze Age site of Liman Tepe, where Türkiye’s first underwater excavations took place. Klazomenia, in the northern part of the town, is one of the essential ports of antiquity. The ancient city tells the deep-rooted story of the olives in these lands with the world’s first olive oil workshop.
The nearby UNESCO site of Ephesus promises a journey rooted in the depths of the past, with impressive remnants like the Library of Celsus. Moreover, Ephesus is open for nocturnal visits under the stars in summer, offering a unique experience as part of the Night Museums project.
Library of Celsus
