Coast to Island

Things to Do in Ayvalık: Town Guide and Lesvos Ferry

Things to do in Ayvalık, from Cunda Island and the Taksiyarhis churches to Devil's Table, plus how to reach the ferry port for Lesvos and where to park.

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On this page
  1. Short answer
  2. Things to do
  3. Getting to the ferry port
  4. Getting there
  5. A day before or after the crossing
  6. When to go
  7. FAQ

Ayvalık is a North Aegean town in Balıkesir province, known for its stone Greek-built houses, old olive oil factories and an archipelago of 22 islands. Ferries to Mytilene on Lesvos leave from the Ayvalık sea border gate in the town centre, so the town works well as a base for a few days before or after the crossing. This guide covers what to see and the practical side of using Ayvalık as a ferry port.

Short answer

  • Where to stay: The town centre and old quarter if you want to walk to the ferry. Cunda (Alibey Island) for a quieter seaside base, Sarımsaklı and Küçükköy for long sandy beaches. See where to stay in Ayvalık.
  • Top three sights: Taksiyarhis Memorial Museum in town, Cunda’s old streets with the Taksiyarhis Rahmi M. Koç Museum, and Devil’s Table (Şeytan Sofrası) at sunset.
  • Ferry port: Lesvos ferries leave from the Ayvalık sea border gate (Ayvalık Deniz Hudut Kapısı) on the town-centre waterfront, within walking distance if you stay in the centre.
  • How many days: Two days cover the town, Cunda and Devil’s Table. Allow three or four with beach time and an island boat trip.
  • Best months: June to September for swimming and the full ferry timetable; May and October for a calmer visit.
  • Ferry details: Timetables, crossing times and tickets are in our Ayvalık to Lesvos ferry guide.
AyvalıkLesvos
Ayvalık → Lesvos · 45–90 minAll routes →

Things to do

The old town streets

The municipality describes Ayvalık’s lanes as lined with houses built by Greek craftsmen from a local stone known as garlic stone (sarımsak taşı), some now restored as small hotels and cafés. Wandering the geranium-filled back streets is the simplest way to get a feel for the place. Ayvalık is on Türkiye’s UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List, and the local heritage office presents the waterfront factories, soap works and warehouses as the legacy of a 19th-century industrial town.

Taksiyarhis Memorial Museum

According to the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism’s museums site, this church in the İsmetpaşa quarter is Ayvalık’s first. It started as a small 15th-century church, was enlarged in phases dated by inscriptions of 1753 and 1844, and was redecorated inside in 1893. After serving for decades as a state monopoly warehouse from 1927, it was restored and opened as a museum in 2013. Look for the marble iconostasis and the pulpit with its lion relief.

As of October 2026, the ministry lists summer hours (15 April to 20 October) of 09:00–19:00 and winter hours (21 October to 14 April) of 08:30–17:30, with entry for non-Turkish adults at 3 euros.

Rahmi M. Koç Museum Ayvalık

Opened in January 2024, this museum occupies a 19th-century former olive oil and soap factory. Displays include classic cars, motorcycles, steam engine and locomotive models, toys and maritime objects. As of October 2026, the museum’s own site lists it as closed on Mondays and open 10:00–17:00 from 1 October to 31 March, with adult tickets at 270 lira and a combined adult ticket with the Cunda museum at 430 lira.

Saatli Mosque

The Saatli Camii in the market area was built as the church of Ayios Yannis in the second half of the 19th century and converted into a mosque in 1928, after the population exchange. Its name, meaning “with a clock”, comes from the clocks added when the bell tower was turned into a clock tower after the 1944 earthquake. The garlic-stone building keeps much of its original Greek-cross layout.

Cunda (Alibey Island)

Cunda is the only inhabited island in the Ayvalık group. The municipality notes that Lale Island is joined to the mainland by a road built over the sea in 1817, and Alibey Island to Lale Island by the Dolap Boğazı bridge of 1964, so you can drive there. The island has a historic quarter, waterfront fish restaurants and places to swim, and it makes an easy half-day trip from town. Ayvalık and its surroundings, Cunda included, were declared a protected natural and historic site in 1976.

Taksiyarhis Rahmi M. Koç Museum, Cunda

The shared name causes confusion: the Taksiyarhis church on Cunda is a different building from the memorial museum in town. Rebuilt on older foundations in 1873, it later served as a monopoly warehouse and was badly damaged in the 1944 earthquake. The Rahmi M. Koç Museum and Culture Foundation restored it and opened it as a museum on 31 May 2014, with a collection ranging from tin toys to steam-powered models. As of October 2026 it is closed on Mondays, open 10:00–17:00 from October to March, and adult tickets cost 240 lira.

Devil’s Table (Şeytan Sofrası)

A volcanic hill within the Küçükköy area, about 8 km from Ayvalık centre. Its flat, rounded top, shaped by the erosion of old lava, gave it the name. A hollow in the rock at the summit is described in local folklore as the devil’s footprint and is protected by an iron cage. The viewpoint looks over the Ayvalık islands towards Lesvos and is busy at sunset. Flamingos can be seen in the lagoon at its foot for much of the year.

Sarımsaklı and Badavut beaches

The Sarımsaklı beaches, part of Küçükköy, stretch for a total of about 12 km. The official GoTürkiye page for Küçükköy lists both Sarımsaklı and Badavut as Blue Flag beaches.

Küçükköy village

A few kilometres from Devil’s Table and Sarımsaklı, Küçükköy is a stone village with urban conservation status. GoTürkiye notes a city museum in a 19th-century building with Bosniak cultural items, a former Greek Orthodox church now used as the central mosque, registered fountains and windmills. The nearby Tuzhan bird-watching point is known for its flamingos.

Ayvalık islands boat trip

The district includes 22 islands, and all except Alibey were placed under protection and closed to settlement in 1995. In summer, cooperative and private boats run day trips to swimming coves around the islands. Ask the boat operator for departure point, times and price. GoTürkiye counts 60 dive sites around Ayvalık, some with red coral.

Olive groves and the harvest festival

Much of the district is covered in olive groves, and olive oil has driven the local economy since the 19th century. The 21st International Ayvalık Olive Harvest and Tourism Festival is scheduled for 29 October to 1 November 2026, according to the municipality; the detailed programme had not yet been published in mid-October 2026.

Getting to the ferry port

Ferries to Lesvos leave from the Ayvalık sea border gate (Ayvalık Deniz Hudut Kapısı) on the town-centre waterfront. Some booking sites call it Ayvalık pier (Ayvalık İskelesi) or Ayvalık port. Turkish passport control and customs take place here. From hotels in the centre you can walk; from Cunda or Sarımsaklı, take a taxi or a municipal bus or dolmuş into town.

Parking: The historic Customs Square (Gümrük Meydanı) next to the gate used to be a car park. Local reports from December 2025 say the municipality is turning it into a public square, with the area in front of the hotel and the antiques bazaar limited to short drop-offs and no long-term parking. A square redesign in front of the gate, aimed at better queue management, started in February 2026. If you need to leave a car for several days, ask your ferry operator or hotel about current options. For taking a car across, see taking a car to the Greek islands.

Tickets: Jalem Tur, one of the operators on the route, has its Ayvalık office in the Güzide business centre on Atatürk Boulevard in the 150 Evler quarter. Tickets are also sold through operator websites and agencies. Book ahead for summer weekends and Turkish public holidays: about 7,000 passengers crossed during the nine-day Kurban Bayramı holiday in 2026.

How early to arrive: Jalem Tur’s own site does not give a time; Ferryscanner’s Jalem Tur page asks passengers to arrive at least one hour before departure. Passport queues can grow on holidays and summer weekends, so allow extra time and confirm with your operator.

For timetables, crossing times, car ferries and fares, see the Ayvalık to Lesvos ferry guide and the ferry map. Check Greek entry rules for your nationality before you travel.

A cobbled street of colourful old houses
A cobbled street of colourful old houses · Photo: Önur Durgut / Unsplash

Getting there

By air: The nearest airport is Balıkesir Koca Seyit Airport (EDO) at Edremit, sometimes listed as Edremit airport. GoTürkiye gives Küçükköy, the village near Devil’s Table, as about 45 km from Koca Seyit and about 178 km from İzmir Adnan Menderes Airport (ADB), which has far more international flights. Passenger shuttles and taxis run from Koca Seyit to Ayvalık; check shuttle times against your flight.

By bus: Intercity buses, including from İzmir, arrive at Ayvalık bus station (Ayvalık Otogarı); some companies also stop at Altınova and the Ayvalık junction. Many bus companies run free shuttles into the centre, and municipal buses from outside the bus station go to the town centre, Sarımsaklı and Cunda. Taxis wait at the station.

By car: Ayvalık lies on the Çanakkale–İzmir highway. Parking in the centre gets tight in summer, so ask your hotel whether it has spaces.

A day before or after the crossing

If you are catching a morning ferry, spend the day before near the centre.

  • Morning: Walk the old town, then visit the Taksiyarhis Memorial Museum and Saatli Mosque. On Thursdays the weekly market sets up in town.
  • Afternoon: The Rahmi M. Koç Museum Ayvalık, or head over to Cunda for its old streets and the Taksiyarhis Rahmi M. Koç Museum. Both Koç museums close on Mondays.
  • Evening: Sunset at Devil’s Table, then get your ticket, passport and any visa documents ready and plan to reach the port early.

Coming back on an evening ferry, keep the next day for the beach at Sarımsaklı or an island boat trip. Our trip cost page helps with the overall budget.

Ayvalık and the sea seen from a hill
Ayvalık and the sea seen from a hill · Photo: Deniz Demirci / Unsplash

When to go

June to September: Peak season for swimming, island boat trips and the busiest ferry timetable. Turkish holidays and weekends in July and August are the most crowded, in town and at the port. Average summer temperatures run roughly 24–34°C, with a westerly afternoon breeze known as the imbat.

May and October: Quieter and good for walking and museums. The Taksiyarhis Memorial Museum switches to winter hours on 21 October.

November to April: The olive harvest and festival season, but ferry sailings can be reduced. Check the ferry season calendar for what runs when.

FAQ

Where does the ferry from Ayvalık to Lesvos leave from?

From the Ayvalık sea border gate (Ayvalık Deniz Hudut Kapısı) on the town-centre waterfront, also listed as Ayvalık pier or Ayvalık port on booking sites. It is within walking distance of central hotels.

Can I park near the Ayvalık ferry port?

The old Customs Square car park beside the gate is being turned into a public square, with only short drop-offs allowed there. For multi-day parking, ask your ferry operator or hotel about current options.

Which airport is closest to Ayvalık?

Balıkesir Koca Seyit Airport (EDO) at Edremit is the nearest. İzmir Adnan Menderes (ADB) is further away but has more international connections.

Is the Taksiyarhis museum in town the same as the one on Cunda?

No. The Taksiyarhis Memorial Museum is in the town centre and run by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. The Taksiyarhis church on Cunda is a separate building operated as a Rahmi M. Koç museum.

How many days do I need in Ayvalık?

Two days cover the town, Cunda and Devil’s Table. Three or four days leave time for the beaches, Küçükköy and an island boat trip. If you are taking a morning ferry, staying the night before in the centre is the easiest option.

How do I get to Devil’s Table?

It is about 8 km from the centre, near Küçükköy. You can drive up to a car park close to the top, or take a dolmuş from the centre towards Küçükköy.

Opening hours and prices change; check the official source before you go.

Sources

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