Turkey
Cunda Island
A Greek island that stayed Turkish — Orthodox churches converted to libraries beside olive-oil restaurants.
The church bell tower rises above the harbour, but the call inside is to books, not prayer. Cunda's Taksiyarhis Church was converted into a library, its Orthodox nave now lined with shelves. Outside, the Aegean laps at restaurant tables where fried papalina fish arrives whole on a plate, and the olive trees lining the waterfront are older than anything built here.
Cunda Island (also called Alibey Island) sits in the Ayvalık archipelago off Turkey's northern Aegean coast, connected to the mainland by a short causeway. The island's Greek Orthodox population left during the 1923 population exchange, and their churches, stone houses, and olive groves remain. The Taksiyarhis Church, built in 1873, was restored as a public library and cultural centre. Cunda's olive oil has a distinctive peppery character from trees that are among the oldest in the Aegean. The waterfront restaurants specialise in Aegean meze and the island's signature papalina fish.
Couple
Cunda is slow and atmospheric — waterfront meze, converted churches, olive-oil tastings, and the Aegean light that turns everything golden by late afternoon. A place for long lunches and aimless walks.
Solo
Read in a church-turned-library, eat papalina at a harbourside table, and walk the stone lanes where two cultures left their marks. Cunda rewards the unhurried solo traveller.
- The Taksiyarhis Church, built in 1873, was converted into Cunda's public library and cultural centre.
- The island is connected to the mainland by a causeway but retains its island character and pace.
- Cunda's olive oil has a distinct peppery finish — the trees here are among the oldest in the Aegean.
- The waterfront at Sahil is lined with meze restaurants where papalina fish is served fried whole.
Herb-crusted fried calamari at waterfront restaurants where the Aegean laps at the table legs.
Cunda's signature papalina fish — tiny, deep-fried, eaten whole with lemon and rakı.
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