Ayvalık, Coastal town in Turkey
Ayvalık (아이발리크) is a coastal town in northwestern Turkey, on the Aegean Sea, facing the Greek island of Lesbos. Behind its waterfront, the old town spreads across a grid of narrow lanes, old stone houses, and small squares.
Until the early 1920s, the town was home to a large Greek Christian community and was one of the main trading centers on the Aegean coast. After the 1923 population exchange between Greece and Turkey, Muslim settlers moved into the empty houses left behind.
The old town streets are lined with stone houses built in a Greek style, a visible trace of the community that once lived here. Some of these buildings were later converted into mosques or repurposed as homes, but their original layout is still easy to read.
The old town is best explored on foot, as most lanes are too narrow for cars. Parking is available near the harbor, making it a natural starting point for walking into the center.
The town has long been one of the main olive oil producing areas on the Aegean coast, and several old stone mills from the 19th century still stand within the town. Some have been converted into cafés or small shops, where the old presses and basins are still visible inside.
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