Aegean Coast Road: İzmir – Ayvalık – Çanakkale

A relaxed coastal ride full of olive groves and bays, from Foça to Ayvalık and from the foot of the Kaz Mountains to Assos; suitable for a weekend from İzmir.

From İzmir you head north and turn off to Foça, then continue to Dikili and Ayvalık. After Ayvalık you pass Altınoluk and Küçükkuyu on the shore of the Gulf of Edremit, stop at Assos, and reach Troy and Çanakkale via Ezine.

Road conditions

The main roads are wide and asphalt. The coastal roads around Assos (Behramkale) and towards Babakale are narrower, twisty and in places rough. The village streets of Behramkale are cobbled and steep; take care when the surface is wet.

Things to watch for

In the northern Aegean, crosswinds can be strong, especially between the Gulf of Edremit and Çanakkale.
On summer weekends, traffic in Ayvalık and Cunda is heavy.
On village roads, watch out for tractors and slow farm vehicles.

Fuel is easy to find. Guesthouses and boutique hotels are common around Ayvalık, Cunda and Assos. Splitting the route into two days and spending the night in Ayvalık or Küçükkuyu gives a comfortable pace.