İzmir

This route, which is not very long but is quite challenging, ends next to the House of the Virgin Mary. We’re going to climb Bülbüldağı (Mt. Koressos) and gain an altitude of about 300 meters. At the top of the mountain, we’ll find the House of the Virgin Mary, one of Christianity’s holiest shrines.

A calming and undemanding route around the lakeside. The first six kilometers are a dirt road between four and five meters wide, while narrower passages await us in the last kilometer. Then we will pass by Alaman and Gebekirse Lakes. If its migration season, make sure to take a break and watch the birds.

This route, which is not very long but is quite challenging, ends next to the House of the Virgin Mary. We’re going to climb Bülbüldağı (Mt. Koressos) and gain an altitude of about 300 meters. At the top of the mountain, we’ll find the House of the Virgin Mary, one of Christianity’s holiest shrines.

We are on the west coast of the Karaburun Peninsula! The start and finish points are near sea level, but in the middle of the course, we’ll have to climb. The highest point of the route is the fire watchtower which offers a magnificent view.

We depart from Germiyan, near Çeşme and go to the ancient Ionian city of Erythrai in Ildırı! There are no noteworthy climbs or descents. After leaving Germiyan, we’ll continue through forests, alleys, maquis shrubland, and mostly through olive groves, and arrive in Erythrai. You can see the ancient city in Ildırı, swim in one of the cleanest coasts of the Aegean Sea, and join one of the local boat tours.

We’ll set off by the sea! Many camping areas await us on the Pamucak coast. On the road, we’d pass over the Menderes which gradually silted up the ancient port of Ephesus seperating it from the Aegean Sea. We’ll be traveling through an important natural habitat with the sea in the west and wetlands in the east. During migration season, it’s even possible to observe birds!

From Şirince, we’ll head south of the village, and continue for a while on the cobblestone streets. By way of the orchards, we’ll reach the forest. Moving out of the trees and undergrowth, we’ll see Selçuk and the Küçük Menderes Delta. At the end of our descent, we’ll be in the village of Çamlık.

We depart from Yaylaköy, the village with the highest altitude on the Karaburun Peninsula. An important descent awaits us! We’ll start at an altitude of 431 meters and reach the shore of Lake Iris at 127 meters. Then, we’ll travel through the pine forests. The route ends on the shores of Lake Iris. Like many lakes in the region, Iris is a frequent destination for migratory birds.

The last two routes ended in Zeytinköy. This time we start off there! After the first 2.5 kilometers, the slope gradually increases. The route, which starts at an altitude of 10 meters, at some point reaches an altitude of 301 meters.

We set off from Klaros Sanctuary in the south of the İzmir Peninsula! On the way, we’ll pass Notion, another ancient city, in Değirmendere. Then, one by one, we’ll travel through the villages of Sancaklı, Çileme, Karakuyu, Yenice, Gölova, and Zeytinköy. Finally, we’ll arrive next to Ephesus in Selçuk. Remember that the lakes between Zeytinköy and Selçuk are migratory bird sanctuaries.

We’re starting at Alaçatı and are going to keep a little distance from the sea! We’ll pass by Alaçatı Dam and arrive in the village of Karaköy where there is a small farming community. Cycling through small villages, we’ll reach the village of Ildırı, our finish point.

We are in Seferihisar, a Cittaslow town. The route is a little bit short, but the number of places to visit is high! We’ll see the agora in the ancient port city of Teos and the harbor ruins. In Teos, we’ll also see the ancient parliment building, the cistern and theater, and the temple of Dionysos, the god of winemaking and awine.

This route is not very easy, so be ready! We’ll climb through Kızıldağlar with its unique landscapes. The asphalt village roads will take us to the highest point of the route at an altitude of 961 meters. Then, by passing the villages of Efemçukuru and Çamtepe, we’ll complete our trip in Gödence village.

We’re going to Şirince via olive groves and orchards! First, we’ll climb through the olive groves and arrive at the point with historical ruins called “Kale” (castle in Turkish). Şirince is a village known to many in connection to spiritual stories. Make sure to sample the variety of local wines, and don’t leave without purchasing pure olive oils and gum mastic!

The ancient sanctuary of Claros is our starting point, and the ancient city of Colophon is our finish point! We’ll ride among fruit orchards and maquis shrubland, on forest roads and alleys. If desired, it’s possible to camp around Ataköy Pond.

It is a route between two very popular points of the Aegean, without ever leaving the sea! The 32-kilometer-long route starts at Çeşme Port. We pass two of the region’s beautiful beaches, Pırlanta Bay and Altınkum Bay, and return to Alaçatı.

This route offers cyclists the bountiful beauties of the Aegean in a few hours. The route starts at Çeşme Pier and goes to Urla via Alaçatı. Before arriving in Urla, we make a stop at Erythrai, the millennia-old Ionian city in Ildırı. Afterwards, passing through many villages, we arrive at Urla Pier. Another ancient Ionian city, Klazomenai, is waiting for us where the course ends.

Çeşme is our starting point once again! We set off from Çeşme Port. After riding in the center of Çeşme for a while, we head towards the road to İzmir. On the fifth kilometer, we start our journey towards Alaçatı. Following the road to Alaçatı, we stop at Mersin Bay. Then we pass between the wind turbines in the village of Zeytineli and arrive in Uzunkuyu.

The starting point is Colophon, an ancient Ionian city. The first destination point is Tahtalı Dam. From there, we’ll go to the district of Menderes that is among the region’s most productive agricultural lands. We’ll be surrounded by olive groves, vineyards, and fruit orchards. The pond area here is ideal for camping.

Our starting point is Gökliman, also known as Kokar Bay. Kokar Bay’s only settlement is a fish farm. The entire region consists almost exclusively of forests. That’s why the first part of our route takes us on forest roads. Towards the middle of the course, we’ll reach the highest part and an altitude of 361 meters. Then, our descent begins until we reach the village of Zeytinler.

With its old houses and local flavors, Ildırı, set between the old windmills and the artichoke fields, is a must-see! After heading for Karaburun, we’ll see the sea in Balıklıova. Before leaving, make sure to see Balıklıova’s old stone houses!

We’re in Karaburun, another peninsula on the İzmir Peninsula! We’ll climb the slopes of Akdağ, where the legends of mythology live on. We’ll pass between the region’s abundant daffodils in Mordoğan, leaving the abandoned stone houses behind.

This is a flat, quiet, and not too difficult route. First, we cross the historical İskender Bridge and arrive in Torasan, which is famous for its figs. The village of Özbek, known for its local flavors and cuisine, will be our next stop.

Small but challenging hills await us on this 53-kilometer-long route. The narrow and asphalt village roads that will bring us closer to Selcuk might tire us a bit. We’ll pass by the ancient city of Metropolis and going through local villages, we’ll arrive in Ephesus from the shore of the Küçük Menderes River that brings life to the region’s agriculture.

We set off from Küçükbahçe village. We’ll pass through the abandoned village of Sazak which boasts the most beautiful landscape of the peninsula. We’ll complete our route by arriving at Karaburun district center, nestled between daffodils and tangerine trees.

We depart from a Cittaslow town, Seferihisar, and, traveling through Kocaçay Valley, we’ll reach Orhanlı neighboring an area of hot springs. Then, we’ll cross the Beyler Dam shore and climb to the village of Gödence at an altitude of 500 meters.

We start off at a sacred shrine and end up in the ancient city of Ephesus, an UNESCO World Heritage Site! We’ll depart from an altitude of 414 meters and descend to an altitude of 350 meters within five kilometers.

We start at one ancient Ionian city and finish in another one. The 63.3 km route starts at Klazomenai at Urla Pier. We’ll arrive at Sığacık Port and the ancient city of Teos. After Sığacık, we’ll continue our ride and the course will end at the ancient city of Lebedos.

At the end of this route, we’ll arrive at the southernmost part of İzmir, the ancient city of Ephesus, which is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. What is more, once there, we’ll be only a few kilometers away from the House of the Virgin Mary in the village of Şirince.