Turkey accounts for 29 of the 310 towns registered with Cittaslow, the international initiative established in Italy in 1999 to highlight quieter communities that sustain local culture. Its Turkish destinations encompass coastal settlements and inland lakeside towns, offering encounters with agricultural traditions, distinctive architecture and archaeological remains away from major urban centres.
Seferihisar, Turkey’s first designated Cittaslow town, retains an agricultural economy reflected in its tangerine orchards, vineyards, olive groves and vegetable fields. A few kilometres from the centre lie the ruins of ancient Teos. Elsewhere on the Aegean coast, Akyaka’s characteristic wooden shutters and balconies reflect an architectural style inspired by eighteenth-century Ottoman designs from Muğla and reinterpreted by architect Nail Çakırhan. The protected area near the Azmak River provides opportunities for boat trips and birdwatching amid the surrounding landscape.
Inland, Eğirdir occupies the southern shore of the country’s fourth-largest lake, with apple orchards surrounding its waters. Visitors can explore by boat or paddleboard, while local restaurants specialise in freshwater dishes. Ahlat, on the shores of Lake Van, Turkey’s largest lake, combines expansive views with substantial historic remains. These include Neolithic caves and the thousands of engraved gravestones at the Ahlat Seljuk Cemetery, believed to be the world’s largest Turkish-Islamic cemetery. Together, these lakeside destinations extend the range of Turkey’s Cittaslow network beyond the coast, placing local food, landscapes and historical heritage at the centre of a slower visit.
