This was one of those road trips we had been planning for a long time. Over the course of seven days, we wandered through historic cities, stopped in quiet seaside towns, explored ancient ruins, crossed the Dardanelles by ferry, drove through the foothills of Mount Ida (the Kaz Mountains) before reaching the beautiful North Aegean coast. Every day brought a completely different landscape and a new experience.
In this guide, we’re sharing our entire itinerary day by day. Covering Bursa, Gölyazı, Bandırma, Erdek, Çanakkale, Altınoluk, Akçay, Ayvalık, and Bergama, this route is perfect if you’re planning a self-drive trip that combines history, nature, and the sea.
🍃 Bursa: History, Great Food, and Beautiful Scenery
Days 1–2
We spent the first two days of our trip exploring Bursa. Rather than rushing straight onto the road, we wanted to ease into the journey and take our time discovering the city. Looking back, it was definitely the right decision. With its rich history, charming villages, and coastal towns, Bursa offered far more than we had expected.
Our first morning began with a warm tahinli pide, one of Bursa’s local specialties, in the Çekirge district. From there, we visited some of the city’s best-known landmarks, including the Karagöz Museum, Tophane, Koza Han, and the magnificent Grand Mosque (Ulu Cami), each offering a glimpse into Bursa’s long history.
Later that afternoon, we wandered through the cobbled streets of Cumalıkızık, a beautifully preserved Ottoman village and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We finished the day beneath the enormous branches of the centuries-old İnkaya Plane Tree.
On our second day, we started with breakfast beside the stream in Misi Village before continuing to Mudanya and Tirilye. After a refreshing swim in the Sea of Marmara, we ended the day at Hünkâr Pavilion, enjoying panoramic views over Bursa.
Those two days turned out to be the perfect start to our road trip. The following morning, we left the city behind and headed west toward Gölyazı and Bandırma.
→ 2 Days in Bursa: Our Weekend Itinerary — If you’d like to see everything we visited, along with our restaurant recommendations and detailed two-day itinerary, be sure to read our full Bursa guide.
🌊 Gölyazı, Bandırma, and Erdek: A Day Along the Sea of Marmara
Day 3
After spending two days in Bursa, we headed west toward the Sea of Marmara. Our main destination for the day was Bandırma, but since Gölyazı was right along the way, we couldn’t resist adding it to our itinerary. Throughout the day, we explored Gölyazı, continued on to Bandırma, then drove to Erdek before returning to Bandırma for the night, ready for the next day’s journey to Çanakkale.
🦢 Gölyazı
Around 40 minutes after leaving Bursa, we arrived in Gölyazı, a peaceful lakeside village on the shores of Lake Uluabat. The village sits on a small island connected to the mainland by a narrow causeway. As we approached, the enormous plane tree at the entrance immediately caught our attention, but we decided to save it for later and head straight into the village.
After parking near the entrance, we wandered through the narrow streets toward the waterfront. Wooden tables and chairs lined the shore, while the village tea house overlooked the lake. If you arrive early in the morning, it’s the perfect place to enjoy a cup of Turkish tea with a simit while taking in the peaceful view.
We visited at the end of August, when the village had a completely different atmosphere. It was tomato-paste season, and almost every house had a wood fire burning outside, with huge pots of tomatoes slowly cooking away. The smell of tomatoes filled the streets, and the busy preparations made the whole village feel as if it were celebrating a local festival. We also spotted the stork nests that Gölyazı is famous for, perched on top of poles throughout the village.
After strolling along the waterfront and through the back streets, we returned to the mainland and finally stopped beneath the famous Weeping Plane Tree, believed to be around 725 years old. Its enormous trunk and sprawling branches stretching toward the lake made it one of the most impressive trees we’ve ever seen.
A few small stalls nearby were selling local products, so we couldn’t resist trying one of the area’s specialties—ice cream served inside a small sweet melon grown in the region. After spending about an hour in Gölyazı, we got back on the road and continued toward Bandırma.
🌊 Bandırma
About 40 minutes later, we arrived in Bandırma. Although it’s officially a town rather than a city, our first impression was that it felt larger, livelier, and more developed than many cities we’ve visited.
Bandırma was a particularly meaningful stop for me because I completed my military service here and lived in the town for a while. Walking through the same streets again years later brought back plenty of memories and made this short visit much more personal.
One thing you’ll notice immediately about Bandırma is the wind. It seems to blow almost constantly, and over the years many of the pine trees along the waterfront have been permanently shaped by it, leaning in the same direction. The Sea of Marmara is often quite rough here as well. We spent some time walking along the long breakwater that protects the harbour, watching the waves and enjoying the sea breeze.
Later in the afternoon, we drove about 30 minutes to Erdek, our final stop of the day.
🌅 Erdek: The Final Stop of the Day
The contrast between Bandırma and Erdek was immediate. After Bandırma’s busy urban atmosphere, Erdek felt like a classic summer resort town. The waterfront was lined with beaches, cafés, restaurants, holiday apartments, and people enjoying a warm summer evening.
Erdek also has an interesting history. During the 1970s, 80s, and 90s, it was one of Türkiye’s most popular summer holiday destinations, especially for people living in Istanbul and the surrounding region. Long before places like Bodrum, Alaçatı, and Çeşme became household names, Erdek was one of the country’s favourite seaside escapes. Today, it still retains much of that nostalgic holiday-town atmosphere, even if it isn’t quite as famous as it once was.
We spent the late afternoon walking along the promenade as the sun slowly began to set over the Sea of Marmara. Restaurants, cafés, and ice cream shops lined the waterfront, creating a lively atmosphere. After dinner, we grabbed an ice cream and enjoyed one last stroll by the sea before heading back.
That evening, we returned to our hotel in Bandırma. While you can certainly stay overnight in Erdek, we chose Bandırma because it offered more accommodation options and made the drive to Çanakkale much easier the following morning.
⚓ Çanakkale: Walking Through History
Day 4
After spending the night in Bandırma, we set off early the next morning. Around two hours later, we boarded a car ferry across the Dardanelles and arrived on the Gallipoli Peninsula.
Our first stop was Kilitbahir Fortress, followed by the Çanakkale Martyrs’ Memorial, the 57th Infantry Regiment Cemetery, and Conkbayırı (Chunuk Bair). Walking through the battlefields where the Gallipoli Campaign took place was a powerful experience. Seeing these places in person gave us a much deeper appreciation of the history we had only read about before.
In the afternoon, we took the ferry back across the strait and headed into the centre of Çanakkale. After a short walk through the historic Aynalı Çarşı and along the waterfront promenade, we continued to Troy Ancient City and the Troy Museum.
One of the things that made this day so memorable was the contrast between the sites we visited. Within a single day, we explored both the battlefields of modern history and the remains of one of the ancient world’s most legendary cities.
→ One Day in Çanakkale: From Gallipoli to Troy — Our full guide covers the Gallipoli Peninsula, Kilitbahir Fortress, the Martyrs’ Memorial, Chunuk Bair, Troy Ancient City, the Troy Museum, and everything else we explored during our day in Çanakkale.
🏞️ Altınoluk and Akçay: At the Foot of Mount Ida
Day 5
After a day immersed in history, we turned our attention back to nature and headed towards the foothills of Mount Ida. Setting off early from Çanakkale, we drove through Ezine and Ayvacık, with lush green mountains on one side and sweeping views of the Aegean Sea on the other. About an hour and a half later, we arrived in Altınoluk.
💦 Şahindere Canyon
Our first stop was Şahindere Canyon. After a short drive along a narrow, occasionally bumpy road, we reached the picnic area at the entrance. We grabbed a light breakfast before preparing for the most exciting part of the day.
By preparation, we mean wearing a swimsuit or swim shorts, sturdy water shoes, and being ready to get completely wet. The only way to explore the canyon is by walking through its icy water.
The hike takes around 45 minutes as you make your way between towering rock walls until you reach the end of the canyon. There, you can take a break, cool off with a swim in the natural pool, and then retrace your steps back the same way. In total, you’ll spend about an hour and a half walking through the water.
We arrived at around 10 a.m., so the canyon was still wonderfully quiet. By the time we were heading back, however, it had become much busier. In some of the narrow sections, people had to wait for each other to pass. If you’re planning a visit, we’d definitely recommend getting there as early as possible.
We had never explored a canyon by walking through the water before, so spending an hour and a half surrounded by icy water on a hot August day turned out to be one of the most memorable experiences of the trip.
🌿 Altınoluk
After leaving the canyon, we headed into the town centre for lunch before continuing to Şahin Hill, one of the area’s best viewpoints.
From here, you can enjoy panoramic views over both Altınoluk and the Edremit Gulf. The deep blue Aegean stretches out in front of you, while the green slopes of Mount Ida rise behind the town. Sipping a glass of traditional grape juice while taking in the scenery made for a relaxing break.
One of Altınoluk’s biggest advantages is its location right at the foot of Mount Ida. Even in the middle of summer, the air feels noticeably cooler and fresher than in many other seaside towns. The region has long been known for its clean air and exceptionally high oxygen levels.
Later, we headed down to Altınoluk Beach. While the sea was crystal clear and incredibly clean, the beach itself didn’t quite live up to our expectations. The water was surprisingly cold, and because the beach is relatively narrow, it becomes extremely crowded during the summer. Finding enough space for a towel wasn’t easy, and there were even queues for the changing cabins.
If swimming is your main priority, we personally think the coves around Assos offer a much more enjoyable experience.
🌅 Akçay
About half an hour later, we arrived in Akçay.
It had been many years since our last visit, and we were surprised by how much it had changed. The town felt busier, livelier, and far more vibrant than we remembered. With the waterfront lined with cafés, restaurants, and people enjoying a warm summer evening, it had all the energy of a classic Aegean holiday town.
Akçay is also a special place for us because my uncle and his family spend most of the year here. We met up with them for dinner, enjoyed a relaxed evening together, and later took a stroll along the seafront, catching up and talking about how much the town had changed over the years.
At the end of the day, we drove about 15 minutes to our hotel in Burhaniye. Six days of our road trip were behind us, and the following morning we would be heading to one of our favourite destinations on the North Aegean coast: Ayvalık.
🌅 Ayvalık: Wandering the Stone Streets of the North Aegean
Day 6
After spending the night in Burhaniye, we set off early the next morning and reached one of our favourite destinations on the North Aegean coast in just over half an hour: Ayvalık.
We began the day on Cunda Island, famous for its peaceful atmosphere and beautifully preserved stone houses. Arriving early meant we had the narrow streets almost to ourselves, making it the perfect time to soak up the island’s character before the crowds arrived.
After exploring Cunda on foot, we visited the Rahmi M. Koç Museum before heading into Ayvalık’s town centre. We wandered along Barbaros Street and the surrounding historic neighbourhood, then stopped for one of the town’s most famous local specialties—an authentic Ayvalık toast.
Later in the day, we made our way up to Şeytan Sofrası (Devil’s Table), where sweeping views over the Edremit Gulf stretched out before us. Our final stop was Sarımsaklı Beach, where we took a refreshing swim before wrapping up the day.
The highlight of Ayvalık for us was undoubtedly Cunda in the early morning. Its quiet streets and historic atmosphere made it our favourite part of the day. Ayvalık’s centre, on the other hand, felt much livelier and busier. Sarımsaklı Beach didn’t quite meet our expectations, but since all of these places are located close together, Ayvalık still makes an excellent destination for a relaxed one-day itinerary.
→ One Day in Ayvalık: From Cunda to Devil’s Table — Discover everything we explored, including Cunda, Ayvalık town centre, Şeytan Sofrası, and Sarımsaklı Beach, in our detailed guide.
That evening, we drove about an hour to Bergama, where we spent our final night. The next morning, the last stop of our week-long journey awaited us: one of the most remarkable ancient cities in Anatolia.
🏛️ Bergama: The Final Stop of Our Journey
Day 7
We woke up in Bergama on the final morning of our road trip. After breakfast, we headed straight to the city’s most famous landmark: Pergamon Ancient City. Having visited so many historic sites throughout the week, we were excited to end our journey at one of the most significant ancient cities in Anatolia.
Perched high above the surrounding plain, Pergamon impressed us with its spectacular views, one of the steepest ancient theatres in the world, the Temple of Trajan, and the fascinating story behind the Altar of Zeus. Walking along its ancient stone streets made it easy to imagine the scale and importance of the city during its golden age.
After exploring Pergamon, we returned to Bergama’s town centre to visit the Red Basilica and the Bergama Archaeological Museum. With that, our seven-day journey—from Bursa through the Sea of Marmara, Çanakkale, Mount Ida, and the North Aegean—came to an unforgettable end.
→ Pergamon Ancient City Travel Guide — Learn about Pergamon’s history, how to get there, the Acropolis, the Temple of Trajan, the Altar of Zeus, the Red Basilica, the Bergama Archaeological Museum, and more in our complete guide.
🧭 Looking Back on a Week on the Road
Over seven unforgettable days, we travelled from the historic streets of Bursa to the peaceful lakeside village of Gölyazı, from the battlefields of Çanakkale to the cool streams of Mount Ida, and from the stone houses of Ayvalık to the ancient wonders of Bergama. Every day offered something different—new landscapes, fascinating history, and experiences we’ll always remember.
We completed this road trip in August 2019. Since then, some entrance fees, businesses, and practical details may have changed. However, the route itself remains just as enjoyable today, bringing together history, nature, and beautiful coastal scenery in a journey that’s easy to follow.
If you’re planning a one-week road trip through western Türkiye, we hope this guide helps you plan your own adventure and inspires you to hit the road.
Have a fantastic trip!
📍 Interactive Route Map
We’ve marked every stop from our seven-day journey on the interactive map below. Feel free to use it while planning your own itinerary and adapt the route to suit your travel style.
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