Altınoluk, an ideal resort for those seeking peace and health, on Turkey’s North Aegean coast

Altınoluk is an ideal place for those seeking peace and health. Whether you want to go up to Mount Ida to breathe mountain air, wander through the canyon, or enter the gorge, you are heading to a paradise with its air, water, and healing herbs.

Altınoluk is an old Rum (Greek) village formerly known as Papazlık. The region, where both sea and mountain tourism can coexist, is famous for its oxygen-rich clean air and globally renowned olive oil.

A PARADISE FOR RETIREMENT

In a way, it has become a retirement paradise and is considered the pearl of the Edremit Gulf due to the high demand resulting in numerous residential constructions. While the city center is quite crowded, there are unique beauties such as the canyon entrance, mountain views, waterfalls, and ponds that appeal to the eyes, as well as trout farms and other delights for your palate.

Especially at an altitude of 610 meters (in the Fidanlık area), despite the rough mountain road, there is a waterfall and natural structure that will make visitors forget all their fatigue. Altınoluk has symbolically placed composition sculptures in its square, embracing the theme of the world’s first beauty contest held on Mount Ida.

TOP CHOICE AMONG FAMILY VACATION SPOTS

Altınoluk is among the top choices for family summer vacation spots. Those starting their day secure their spots on the free beaches. Throughout the day, those enjoying the sea also explore the sea with water bikes and canoes. While the rich market, souvenir shops, stores selling olive oil, and cafe-bars and tea gardens liven up throughout the day, evening digestive walks, starting after dinner, continue until late at night. The stalls in the square market courtyard, which sells regional souvenirs, jewelry, and summer needs, are quite popular.

Music bars and seaside tea gardens with panoramic views become places where young people and families spend time until bedtime. In Altınoluk, liveliness is not only along the coastline but also in the inland areas. Markets fill up and empty, visitors who come to see the old Altınoluk houses capture their preferred compositions on their cameras, and they take breaks in cafes and tea gardens. The beaches provide both free and accessible entry from everywhere into the sea. As the summer season ends in September, the seemingly sleeping sea becomes clear and transparent enough to read a newspaper at the bottom.

KAZ DAĞI AND DÜDEN PLATEAU

For groups wanting to join day trips, the tour starts from the old Altınoluk settlement Çam Mahallesi at 10:00 towards Mount Ida on the mountain road. Successively passing through Küp Gediği, Sarısu, Üç Pınarlar, Karaçam, Kazak Pınarı, and Şah Taşları, the tour arrives at Düden. The tour guide provides enlightening information about the places to be seen during the trip and the mythological history of Mount Ida twice during breaks along the route.

Altınoluk – Düden is accessed on the mountain road, which is sometimes rugged dirt, with 4×4 type mountain vehicles. Düden Plateau, although considered dwarf among the elevations of Anatolia, attracts attention due to the sudden ascent from sea level to 1250 meters in a short distance of 26 km. Even in the hottest months of summer, the plateau remains cool, and the sound of the wind and the delightful botanical fragrance are evident. Endemic plants, mountain tulips in season, butterflies, and the entire natural environment are enough to make nature photography enthusiasts happy.