Ayvalik, Turkey

Ayvalk is a city in Northern Aegean, Turkey. It's located on the southern coast of Gulf of Edremit (part of Aegean Sea), across the eastern coast of Greek island of Lesvos, opposite its capital (Mytilene).Ayvalik was an important trade centre during Ottoman times, it had an autonomous status and even many European powers setted up consulates. The city then was almost letely inhabited by Greeks, who were exchanged with Turks from Crete when a population swap was mandated between governments of Turkey and Greece in 1923. The fusion of local Greek and Cretan cultures caused the character of today's Ayvalik : while most of the physical historical heritage is clearly Greek, the everyday culture lived on the streets between those buildings, including the local food, is mainly Cretan. Ayvalik's ancient name was Kydonia. Although both Kydonia and Ayvalik means ‘the place of quince, the city is rather known for (and indeed surrounded by) a seemingly endless forest formed by olive trees. Olive has been important to Ayvalik in all ages, as it has been revered by both former Greek residents and present Cretan ‘immigrants' (who live in Ayvalik for at least three generations). Ayvalik is one of two bigger towns in northern Aegean Region which has achieved to conserve its traditional architecture (to a high degree, that is), with the other such town being Foca,.