Dikili is a coastal town and a district of İzmir Province in the Aegean Region of Turkey. The district is quite pittoreque both along its shoreline and in its interior parts and is a popular summer resort. The center town of Dikili is situated at about 120 km (75 mi) north of İzmir, served by a good road. The notable township of Çandarlı (ancient Pitane) is a depending center and is located close to Dikili.
The ancient site of Atarneus and a view of the plain near Dikili

The whole area of the district abounds in places of natural beauty as well as spots of historical interest. There is a crater lake in Merdivenli village, and ancient caverns in Demirtaş and Delitaş villages as well as pine forests extending towards the Madra Stream. The area is also famous for its thermal springs, which are in Nebiler, Bademli and Kocaoba villages. Furthermore, the beaches in Bademli and Denizköy localities are important touristic attractions of the region. Dikili has a fine port large enough to accommodate three passenger ships simultaneously, and the port has good land transport connections.

Another must see is the Merkez Mosque which is a rare example of a wooden construction dating from 1789. Its particularity is in having been built without using any nails in the construction.[1]

Dikili also has a rich history extending back to prehistory, and the ancient and as yet unexplored site of Atarneus is located nearby. The site is called "Atarna" locally.
Dikili coastline with Garip Island recently offered for sale in the background

Dikili town center is situated opposite the Greek island of Lesbos (Midilli in Turkish).

A small islet within Dikili district (called Garip Adası locally, with ancient sources also citing the name Argounissai) made international headlines in April 2007. The islet is offered for sale by its proprietors and The Guardian reported the Greek islanders of Lesbos raising money among themselves to buy the islet.[2]

Dikili becomes largely deserted in winter, except for permanent residents who live there all year round. In summer months, tourists, principally Turkish, who own summerhouses in the region come to Dikili for their holidays or for weekends.

Comments

3.21 Copyright (C) 2007 Alain Georgette / Copyright (C) 2006 Frantisek Hliva. All rights reserved."