Two shores of the exchange

In the 19th century Ayvalık was a port town that grew rich on the olive oil and soap trade, with a mostly Greek Orthodox population. With the 1923 population exchange, its Greek people left for Lesbos and Greece; Muslim migrants from Crete, Lesbos and Macedonia settled in their homes.

What to see

  • The Taksiyarhis Monument Museum and former churches turned into mosques (Saatli Mosque, Çınarlı Mosque).
  • Cunda (Alibey Adası) and the Taksiyarhis Church, a museum since 2014.
  • Old bazaar streets lined with stone houses.

Practical information

  • Linked to Cunda by a causeway; 15 minutes from the centre by car or dolmuş.
  • The stops in the centre are within walking distance of one another.
  • Check the museum's hours before you go.