2 private tours: Çeşme and Alaçati / Ephesus and Şirince - My wife and I spend last week 2 fantastic and unforgettable days with our guide Faruk Acar. We took two private tours with him. He picked us up from our hotel and dropped us off in his car. Tour 1: Çeşme and Alaçati First, we drove to Çeşme. Çeşme is a coastal town in the Izmir province on Turkey's west coast, directly on the Aegean Sea. It is located about 85 km west of Izmir city. Our first stop was Çeşme Castle. It is a well-preserved castle dating back to the 16th century. Today, it houses a small archaeological museum. We then took a relaxing stroll along the promenade at Çeşme Marina, enjoying the view of the sea and the yachts, and enjoying some delicious local ice cream. There are small designer shops, jewelry and fashion boutiques, local souvenir shops, and stylish restaurants. We then drove to a nearby beach. We made a short stop there and took a walk along the promenade. After the walk, we drove to Alaçati. Alaçati is a picturesque coastal village known for its charming architecture and vibrant culture. We visited the old town. It features narrow cobblestone streets, whitewashed stone houses with colorful shutters, and blooming bougainvillea. Many buildings date back to the Ottoman period and have been lovingly restored. Particularly striking are the traditional balconies, often painted in shades of blue or purple. There are beautiful alleys, galleries, boutiques, markets, and good cafes and restaurants. Before we headed home, we had lunch at a typical local restaurant. The food was so delicious. Tour 2: Ephesus and Şirince Early in the morning, we first drove to Ephesus. The ruins of Ephesus are now located near Selçuk, about 70 km south of Izmir. The archaeological finds reflect the history of past centuries – from ancient Greece to the Roman Empire, when the city was the most important trading center in the Mediterranean, to the spread of Christianity. Tips for your visit: It can be very hot and dry, especially in summer. Bring plenty of water. Be sure to bring a hat or cap! The ancient city has little shade. Sunscreen with a high SPF is a must. Don't forget sunglasses. Wear light, breathable clothing and comfortable shoes, as you'll be walking a lot (over uneven stones and cobblestones). After the visit, Faruk recommended us a good local restaurant nearby. The food was once again delicious and inexpensive. The restaurant was very nice and somewhat hidden, free from tourists. After lunch, Faruk recommended that we go to Şirince. Şirince is a picturesque village. It is located about 8 km northeast of the town of Selçuk and about 12 km from the ancient city of Ephesus. The drive is a scenic one. The village is perched on a hill. The road leads through hilly terrain and offers picturesque views. The route winds along the river and gradually climbs into the mountains, making it especially attractive for nature lovers. The village is surrounded by vineyards, olive groves and forests. It is a pleasant and easy way to experience authentic rural life in Turkey. It is known for its traditional architecture, narrow cobbled streets, and colorful, restored stone houses. Formerly a Greek village, the mix of Turkish and Greek cultures still prevails. Today, Şirince is especially popular for its cozy atmosphere, small cafes, wineries, and craft shops. Şirince is famous for its local wines, especially fruit wines such as pomegranate, peach, and fig wine. Many wineries offer tastings. We opted for a small wine tasting (made only from grapes) in one cellar - a real highlight! After the tasting, we enjoyed the beautiful view on the terrace with a good white wine. We can definitely recommend Faruk. He is very nice, very professional, and flexible. He is an amazing photographer and videographer. Faruk thank you so much for everything. We’ll never forget the 2 days we were able to spend with you. We are incredibly grateful for all the places you showed us. The pictures you took of us turned out beautiful. Thank you so much!

Visit Cesme and Alacati as a local - Faruk is the best travel companion. Very friendly and explicable as going for a tour with a close friend. Nice places and spots to visit in a relaxing way. He gave us the best suggestion for ice cream in Alacati. Do not miss a tour with him and also use him as a photographer :-)

Çeşme and Alaçatı Tour - This was our second tour with Faruk. We first met during the horseback riding tour, which was such a great experience. Later, we found out that he also offers a tour in Çeşme, and my partner and I knew we definitely wanted to join. Faruk is an amazing guide and also takes stunning photos! If you’re visiting Izmir, make sure to explore Çeşme and Alaçatı and doing it with Faruk will make the experience even more special.

Excelent day trip! Must do it! - I had been dreaming about visiting these places for a long time and now that I had the opportunity to be in Izmir for a few days , I couldn't miss the chance to visit Çeşme & Alaçatı. It was an amazing experience. The driver (Faruk is his name) picked me up from the hotel, and we started our trip to Çeşme. He is a very nice person, and even though at the beginning I was a little bit scared to go alone with a stranger on this trip, he gained my trust immediately. He speaks English, so this is a plus. About Çeşme and Alaçatı what can I say... absolutely amazing places, nice views, I highly recommend to go there and feel the vibe. It can't be described in words. I went there in the middle of november, and it was still really nice weather (20-21 degrees) and not too many people as I guess it is in summertime. I recommend this tour to everyone!

Private tour to Ceshme and Alacati - I had a beautiful and enjoyable day. Pick up / drop off from the hotel by my guide Faruk Acar, very frinedly, very professional and most of all flexible. I will highly recommend this trip

A great day - Faruk is awesome! Super relatable guy who can help show you some beautiful sites. We used him since we couldn’t get to Alacati easily, but we were happy to get to know him! While it’s not a historic tour, you’ll get some great photo ops that Faruk will take(who is a wedding photographer) and see Cesme and Alacati! Experience took about 4.5 hours.

Great experience, breathtaking views, and no worries about taking selfies! - We enjoyed a wonderful day with Faruk! He's a nice young man. We were delighted with each of his suggestions for the day including where to eat lunch. The places he showed us were wonderful and so scenic. It was awesome to have a private tour and a professional photographer. We could be fully present knowing he'd capture our images. It's clear from looking back now how much better the photos from Faruk were compared with our selfies in other places. I highly recommend this tour or any he offers because Faruk is knowledgeable about Izmir and the area plus he's just so pleasant to spend time and talk to; he was truly invested in making the day memorable for us. We enjoyed every minute! So much so that we booked another tour with him the following day.

Beautiful and relaxed experience - Faruk took good care of me. He accommodated my last minute reservation and showed me these two beautiful beach towns. He was very courteous and communicative. It was a nice and relaxed experience.

Rough Start Great Ending - We had an unhappy start to this tour because of misunderstanding with the trip advisor app. However Faruk Acar made up the initial missteps as he drove us in his private car to Cesme and Alacati. Both towns are quaint vacation beach towns. The fort in Cesme had some beautiful views and Faruk took some lovely picture. Faruk is a gentleman and patient as he guided us through both towns. He made great recommendations for ice cream at Selanick ice cream shop. We even did some shopping .

We hade nice walk in the... - We hade nice walk in the area. Luckily it wasn't crowded but in the same time most of places were closed. If you are looking for beautiful places and pictures for social media that's amazing tour for you. I think I'd like to spend bit more time in this area