Destination · North Aegean
On a volcanic hill above the north Aegean, six Doric columns face the Greek island of Lesbos across the water. Below them, the stone village of Behramkale clings to the slope, and far down at the foot of the cliffs a tiny harbour fills with fishing boats and dinner tables. Assos is quiet, old and quite unforgettable.
Plan your Assos tripAbout Assos
Around 348 BC, Aristotle came to Assos at the invitation of its ruler Hermias, stayed about three years, opened a school and married Hermias's niece. Four centuries later St Paul walked here from Troas to take a ship south, as the Book of Acts records. Assos has never become a big resort, and that is its charm: stone houses built from the same grey volcanic rock as the temple, olive oil from the slopes of Mount Ida and sunsets over Lesbos that stop conversation. Stay a night or two and let it slow you down.
Start planning
Ancient Assos
The ruins step down the hillside in terraces, from the temple at the top to the agora, the theatre and the harbour below. Allow at least half a day, and wear good shoes: the paths are steep and uneven.
Built around 530 BC, this is the only Archaic Doric temple in Anatolia, which makes it rare among the Ionic temples of the Turkish coast. Several of its columns have been raised again on the summit, and the view is immense: the whole coastline, the gulf and Lesbos on the horizon. Its carved friezes are now in the Louvre, Istanbul and Boston. Come at sunset.
The Hellenistic theatre is cut into the slope just above the sea, with its seats facing straight out over the gulf to Lesbos. It is smaller than the great theatres of the south, but few have a setting like this. Sit on the top row and imagine a performance with the Aegean as the backdrop.
The terraced agora with its stoas and council house shows how cleverly the city was built into the steep rock, and its 4th-century BC walls, running for some 3 km, are among the best-preserved Greek fortifications anywhere. Outside the west gate, the necropolis is full of stone sarcophagi: the Romans believed the local stone 'ate the flesh', and the word sarcophagus comes from it.
Behramkale & the coast
The village on the hill and the harbour at its feet are as much a part of Assos as the ruins. Beyond them, quiet bays and the villages of Mount Ida reward a slower stay.
The road to the temple climbs through Behramkale, a village of grey stone houses, steep cobbled lanes and women selling olive oil soap, herbs and hand-knitted socks on their doorsteps. Wander slowly, stop for tea in a shaded courtyard and look out over the plain to Mount Ida. The village and the ruins together are what make Assos special.
A steep, winding road leads down to a tiny harbour where 19th-century stone warehouses, built for the trade in valonia acorns used for tanning leather, are now small hotels and fish restaurants. Eat grilled fish and mezes at the water's edge, watch the boats come in and the cliffs turn pink at sunset.
Just below the temple stands one of the earliest Ottoman mosques, built in the 14th century in the reign of Sultan Murad I, Hüdavendigar. Its plain stone walls reuse blocks from the ancient city, and its doorway still carries a Byzantine inscription: a small building that holds many centuries.
A graceful 14th-century stone bridge, also from the time of Murad I, crosses the Tuzla stream at the foot of Behramkale. Stop on the way into the village for a photograph of its arches with the acropolis rising behind, especially lovely in the late afternoon light.
West of the harbour, the coast road passes small bays, rocky shores and seaside villages like Sivrice, with its little harbour and clear, cool north Aegean water. Swim, sit by the shore with a book, or simply drive slowly and stop wherever the view tempts you.
In the olive groves at the foot of Mount Ida, the Kazdağları of the Turks, Adatepe is a beautifully restored village of stone mansions. Visit its olive oil museum, then walk up to the rock known as Zeus's Altar: legend says the god watched the Trojan War from here. This is the mountain where Paris judged the goddesses' beauty contest.
Experiences
Every private Assos tour can mix these experiences in any order, at your own pace.
The ruins and the Temple of Athena, with the story of Greek, Roman and Byzantine Assos.
Behramkale's stone lanes, local products and the slow pace of an old Aegean village.
Olive oil dishes, wild herbs, seasonal mezes and fresh fish at the harbour.
Sea views from the acropolis, quiet bays and a swim in clear water.
Mount Ida's villages, olive groves and gentle walks, at your own pace.
Trip length
One full day is right for most travellers: the ruins, the village and dinner at the harbour. Stay two days to enjoy the coast and the villages of Mount Ida without rushing.
The ruins and the Temple of Athena, with little time left for the village and harbour.
The archaeological site, a walk through Behramkale and a meal by the old harbour.
Add the nearby bays, Adatepe and the countryside, with a night by the sea.
Part of a regional journey with Mount Ida, Troy and Çanakkale.
Good to know
Spring (April to June) and autumn (September to October) are ideal for the ruins and the countryside. Summer is lively and perfect for swimming and evenings at the harbour, but busy. Winter is quiet and can be windy and rainy, with some places closed.
Assos is about 1.5 hours by car from Çanakkale, a little over an hour from Troy and about an hour from Edremit Koca Seyit Airport. From Istanbul it is around five to six hours by road, a natural stop between Troy and the Aegean coast.
The village lanes and the ancient site are steep, cobbled and uneven, so bring comfortable walking shoes. The road down to the harbour is steep too; we arrange transport if you prefer not to walk it.
Tailor-made for you
Assos can be a destination in its own right or part of a wider journey through the north Aegean. These are some of the journeys our travellers love; each one can be shaped to suit you.
Let's plan your holiday
Tell us your travel dates, where your journey begins and what interests you most. We will plan a private itinerary that brings together Assos's ancient heritage, village life and the beauty of the north Aegean, and email it with a price.
Choose the places you would love to see, how many of you are travelling and for how long.
We write a private programme just for you and email it with a personal price.
Change anything you like. We refine the programme with you until it feels just right.
From history and faith to hidden villages and the coast, find the journey that suits you. Every one can include Assos.
Keep exploring
IstanbulMarmara
CappadociaCentral Anatolia
EphesusAegean coast
PamukkaleAegean region
AntalyaMediterranean coast
BodrumAegean coast
ŞirinceAegean hills
Gallipoli & TroyDardanelles
Kaş & KekovaLycian coast
FethiyeLycian coast
DalyanMuğla coast
AnkaraCentral Anatolia
KonyaCentral Anatolia
SafranboluBlack Sea region
Şanlıurfa & Göbekli TepeSoutheastern Anatolia
MardinSoutheastern AnatoliaMount NemrutSoutheastern AnatoliaReady to explore Assos?
A temple above the sea, a stone village and a harbour made for long dinners: we design your private Assos itinerary around your interests, your dates and your pace.
Plan your trip