Beyond Michelin: Story behind Urla’s rise
If Urla is now regarded as one of Türkiye’s most exciting gastronomic destinations, its success cannot be explained solely by chef-driven restaurants that have appeared in recent years. Some places do not become destinations overnight. They evolve slowly, shaped by the vision, patience and persistence of people who recognise their potential long before anyone else. Urla is one of those places.
For decades, it was little more than a stop on the road between İzmir and Çeşme, often passed through but rarely explored. Yet Can Ortabaş always saw something more. Today, as Urla is celebrated for its vineyards, wine, gastronomy, art and nature, it is worth remembering that much of this transformation began nearly thirty years ago.
When Ortabaş established Uzbaş Arboretum in 1996, he was not simply creating a botanical collection. He was studying the landscape, its climate and its rhythms while imagining what kind of lifestyle this region could one day sustain. When he planted his first vineyards a few years later, the ambition was never just to produce wine. His vision was to help build a destination where gastronomy, agriculture, viticulture, culture and nature could coexist throughout the year.
