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Bozcaada Town is centered around a small attractive harbor filled with colorful fishing boats. It’s beautiful from every angle.
Harbor
The town hall sits on the north end of the small yet scenic harbor.
Republic Square
Splitting the town in half is Republic Square (Cumhuriyet Meydanı), a small square with a statue of the ubiquitous Atatürk. The rest of the town is divided into two sections from here. To the west is the Greek Quarter to the south is the Turkish Quarter.
Bozcaada Castle
The biggest attraction in town is the huge castle, Bozcaada Castle (Bozcaada Kalesi). It was built in 1455 after the Ottomans conquered the island, which had been previously deserted by the Venetians. It stands on the site where previous castles used by the Phoenicians, Byzantines, Genoese, and Venetians once stood. The castle is open daily from 10am to 8pm.
The castle, almost completely rebuilt in 1815, is the best preserved Ottoman castle in Turkey.
Climb up to the top and you’ll have great views of the citadel and the town.
While exploring the citadel, you’ll be able to find some old Ottoman cannons and other artifacts. Structures included an arsenal, mosque, infirmary, and cisterns.
There are also a few old Greek tombstones on display. They were rescued from the dilapidated Greek cemetery.
New Castle
On top of the hill overlooking Bozcaada Town is the remains of New Castle (Yeni Kale). It was built in 1827 and lies in ruins today. I was too lazy to walk up to it but I was told the views of the town from the ruins are incredible.
