Avşa Island
Avşa Island
Avşa Island is an island in the Marmara Sea, which is very popular in the summer. It is also known as the old name Türkeli Island. It is preferred by many tourists, especially due to its proximity to Istanbul. It is home to beautiful coves and beaches on its shores. Avşa, which offers a safe holiday opportunity for families with its clean and shallow waters, is also a fun holiday spot for young people with its nightlife. In short, Avşa Island is a small but pleasant holiday resort.
Where is Avşa Island? How to go?
Avşa Island, which is connected to the Marmara district of Balıkesir, is among the Marmara Islands. It is 155 kilometers from the city center and 2-3 hours from Istanbul.
You can reach the island in approximately 3 hours by the IDO sea buses, which depart from Bostancı or Yenikapı every 3 hours in Istanbul. The ships departing from Erdek and Tekirdağ arrive in Avşa after a 2-hour journey. Those who will come from other cities such as Ankara and Izmir should first come to Erdek and use the sea buses departing from here. Passengers without a vehicle can travel by ferry.
Where can you visit on Avşa Island?
Yiğitler Village, located on the south coast of the island, is among the places that must be visited in Avşa. There is a quiet and clean beach in this village where you can see the historical Greek ruins.
Those who want to enjoy the sea, sand and sun on the island can prefer Altınkum, Çınar and Tavşanlı bays. While Altınkum and Çınar bays are more lively and popular, Tavşanlı Bay has a quieter and more secluded beach. Coves such as Karadut Bay and White palace Bay are also quite suitable for those who want to rest their head, as well as calm and quiet places. By renting a bicycle, you can tour the island and encounter natural beauties and historical ruins. Hagios Giorgos Monastery is located 30 minutes from the pier by walking and 10 minutes by bicycle, and unfortunately only its ruins have survived to the present day. Here you can also see the ruins of the old parish school.
What kind of activities are held on Avşa Island?
Avşa Island is mostly famous for its bays and it is possible to go to some of these bays by car. However, our recommendation for tourists who want to visit the island in more detail is to take advantage of boat tours. You can find the opportunity to see the most natural bays, villages and historical places of the island by participating in daily boat tours.
The most beautiful activity to be done in Avşa, which has beautiful bays, is undoubtedly swimming by enjoying the clear and clean sea and then sunbathing. However, you can also do more fun activities here. You can experience many water sports such as canoeing, diving and water skiing on Avşa Island.
After enjoying the sea during the day on Avşa Island, which is lively day and night, you can have a fun time by switching to nightlife. There are many taverns, bars, night clubs and discos on the island. For those who want to spend the night more calmly, there are also folksong bars and live music venues. In the evenings, you can enjoy raki and fish by the sea and watch the sunset.
There are many vineyards on the island that you can visit. You can taste the wines made from grapes unique to the island by visiting the factory production areas. We recommend wine lovers to try these wines, which are made from a special grape called Ada Karası.
