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Adatepe, a historic village in Canakkale's Ayvacik district, has been selected to represent Türkiye in the United Nations (U.N.) Tourism Organization's "Best Tourism Villages 2026" program, a nomination that has been welcomed by local officials, business owners and residents.
The program recognizes rural settlements that protect cultural heritage, natural resources and sustainable development while using tourism as a tool for local growth. Alongside Adatepe, the Turkish nominees include Sigacik neighborhood in Izmir's Seferihisar district, Eski Datca neighborhood in Mugla's Datca district, and Ziyaret village in Tunceli's Ovacik district.
Set east of the Aegean Sea, west of Mount Ida, known locally as Kazdaglari, and at the northern tip of Edremit Gulf, Adatepe stands out for its restored stone houses that reflect 19th-century Ottoman Greek architecture. The village is known for its two-story homes with courtyards and gardens, all of which have been preserved through restoration.
After the population exchange between Greece and Türkiye, Turks from Crete settled in the village. Adatepe was rediscovered in the 1980s and gradually restored, and after it was declared a protected site in 1989, its original architectural character was kept intact.
The village is also known for its historic mosque, stone school, cobbled streets and the Zeus Altar, a scenic point with a sweeping view. It carries traces from the Trojan, Persian, Roman, Seljuk and Ottoman periods. In ancient sources, the settlement was referred to as "Gargaros," and today it draws in thousands of visitors each year.
Ayvacik Governor Mustafa Karaali said Adatepe, with its distinctive stone architecture, deeply rooted history and landscape shaped by nature, is not only a valuable part of the district but also of world cultural heritage.
He said the village has reached the present day without losing its authenticity, describing it as a place with the elegance of an open-air museum. He linked that outcome to state-led protection policies, the strong commitment of local people and the careful work of tourism operators.
Karaali also said institutions including the Canakkale Governor's Office, the provincial administration, the provincial culture and tourism directorate and the Ayvacik Governor's Office are working to further build up the district's tourism potential through a sustainable and nature-conscious approach. He called Adatepe's nomination "the clearest proof" that rural development and cultural tourism goals are moving ahead on solid ground, and said he hoped the process would be crowned with the village being chosen among the world's best tourism villages.
Hotel operator Mehmet Sofortakimci said the village welcomed the U.N. decision with joy because it has been protected and brought to the present without being altered. He said residents and business owners became very excited after hearing the news and hoped Adatepe could go on to be selected as the best village.
Local shopkeeper Hasan Kaymakci, 69, who was born and raised in Adatepe and has worked there for 32 years, said the village is both beautiful and historic and is already known internationally. He said local tradespeople are sensitive in the way they deal with visitors, adding that demand for the village is already high and that residents expect interest to rise further.
Kaymakci also pointed to Ottoman-era documents that, he said, describe the village as 2,000 years old. Recalling local family history, he said the settlement was once inhabited by Byzantines when Mehmed II conquered Istanbul, and that families connected to Halil Efendi and Haci Hasan were later sent to the area. He said he belongs to the Haci Hasan line and feels happy to remain in his village.
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