Urla’s “Art Street” is really Zafer Caddesi — and it was once the only road to Çeşme
Short answer
Urla’s “Art Street” is officially named Zafer Caddesi. In the 1960s the only road between İzmir and Çeşme ran along it; once the main route moved elsewhere, the street fell quiet. From the 2010s onwards, painters, ceramicists and woodworkers moved into its stone houses, which date from the 1800s.
Its real name is Zafer Caddesi
The sign does not say “Art Street”. The official name is Zafer Caddesi; the art name settled in later, in common use, as the street itself changed. The distinction is useful when you are looking for the address.
All the traffic passed over these stones
In the 1960s this was the only road between İzmir and Çeşme. The stones you now walk quietly in the late afternoon once carried the traffic of the entire peninsula.
Then the road moved. The street fell quiet — and that quiet turned out to be the beginning of its second life, not its end.
Workshops of the 2010s in stone houses of the 1800s
The stone buildings along the street date from the 1800s. From the 2010s onwards, painters, ceramicists and woodworkers moved in; once the main road was gone, a cheaper and quieter street became the right place for people who wanted to work.
Walk through today and you will see someone actually working behind an open door. This was not staged as a shopping street, and it does not feel like one.
When to go
Go in the afternoon. The light strikes the stones from the side, and the street is at its best at that hour.
The workshops are independent businesses; there is no shared opening time and it can vary from day to day. If you are staying at the cove, ask at reception — we will find out how things stand that day and tell you.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the real name of Urla’s Art Street?
- Zafer Caddesi. “Art Street” is a later, informal name; the official one is Zafer Caddesi.
- What is there on Art Street?
- Working studios in stone houses dating from the 1800s — painters, ceramicists and woodworkers, who moved in from the 2010s onwards.
- What time of day is best for Art Street?
- The afternoon. The light hits the stones from the side, which is when the street looks best.