A sunrise-to-sunset journey carrying us from Imbros to Lesvos via Kabatepe, Çanakkale and Ayvalık, ending with sunset in Mytilene and dinner at Laïkó Kafeneion — a day of ferries, landscapes, mishaps and that unmistakable feeling of being Hellas-bound.
High above the northern coast of Gökçeada sits Eski Bademli, a village that truly earns its nickname as the balcony of the island. From its terrace-like lanes, the views stretch across the valley to Kaleköy and out towards the hazy outline of Samothrace. Wandering through the narrow backstreets — once the heart of the old Stenáda quarter — we found stone houses, a quiet square, and a sense of place shaped as much by memory as by landscape. It’s a village that reveals itself slowly: a glimpse of history here, a story shared over coffee there, all framed by that extraordinary Aegean panorama.
A spectacular Turkish breakfast set the tone for a day exploring Gökçeada — from hilltop ruins and rural villages to the island’s salt lake and Kefalos Beach. A first glimpse into an island with far more layers than we expected.
What began as a straightforward trip from Bozcaada to Gökçeada quickly became an obstacle course of ferries, buses, vanished timetables and a few strangers who clearly understood the system better than we did. Somehow, we made it — and the anticipation carried us the whole way.
A continuous 8.5-week journey from Istanbul to Athens by ferry and public transport, crossing the Aegean via Marmara Adası, Çanakkale, Troy, Bozcaada, Gökçeada, Lesvos, Spetses, Ermioni and Nafplio. Every connection is real. No car required.
