Assos



Assos is a village in Çanakkale (Province), northwestern Turkey, on the northern shores of the Gulf of Edremit. It is quite popular among travellers and holiday-makers Turkish and international alike. While it is better known as Assos, the name of the ancient city located there, by both visitors and locals alike, it is officially named Behramkale. However, in road signs and such, it is always referred to as both, i.e. Behramkale-Assos or Behramkale (Assos). In some older maps, it can also appear as Behram, the older form of official name of the village.

Hitching in
Hitching in from west (Gülpınar, Babakale) is no problem, especially during morning hours, as there are lots of holiday-makers taking this route, visiting Babakale in the morning and then continuing on to Assos. You can very well attract a ride from one of them.

Hitchhiking out
Just north of old part of the village (on the hilltop), there is a junction where roads leading to west (Gülpınar, Babakale), north (Ayvacık, Ezine, Çanakkale), and east (Küçükkuyu, Edremit) fan out of Assos. This spot offers some shade, and there is a fountain on the side of it with drinkable quite cold water. There is also a small grocery store (bakkal or market) just next to the crossroad, where you can grab some snacks.

East towards Küçükkuyu, Edremit
Although there are lots of cars heading this direction, it seems attracting a ride can take up to an hour and a half. This road joins much better trafficed D550/E87, the main highway of west coast of Turkey, in Küçükkuyu which lies about 25 km east of Assos. You will possibly have quicker lifts once you get on that highway if your driver is not going further.

Sleeping

 * Camping — for a secluded wild camping spot shaded by wild olive trees and with stunning views of the Aegean and the Greek island of Lesvos beyond, follow the downhill road to coastline from old part of village/the statue of Aristoteles, and about 5 minutes later, just opposite the gate of ancient necropolis, enter the ancient cobbled path leading downhill to right. After a short walk on that path, it swings to right, almost making a complete U-turn, leave it at that point and follow the earth path starting there. After about 2-3 minutes of further walking on that path, there is a flat ground sufficient to erect two tents end to end between the path and the rocks on the edge of the cliffs to right (the other side of the path, however, is very sloped as not to let erecting a tent comfortably). Beware of not erecting your tent directly over the actual path itself as flocks of sheep and goats (complete with their shepherds) pass along very early in the morning and it is very likely that you will be waken up by their bells (or the laughter of the shepherd amazed by seeing travellers pitching up tents there). If this is the case, don't panic and don't make sudden moves inside the tent as this may frighten the sheep/goats and lead them to butt and push your tent (while you are still inside!) off the cliff—ouch!


 * While in Assos, avoid the temptation to pitch a tent at the beach as the coastline is constantly patrolled by coast guard at night and you wouldn't want to wake up in the middle of the night drowned by huge floodlights, mistaken as an illegal immigrant trying to cross to Greece.

isin: Çanakkale (Province)