Five vineyard stops on the Urla Vineyard Route
Five wineries on the Urla Vineyard Route for travellers with a campervan or a tent, plus the harvest calendar, how to avoid driving after a tasting and the campsites closest to the vines.
Teknovan Editorial Team ·
Growing grapes is nothing new in Urla. What is new is that the producers have opened their doors to visitors and turned it into a route. The Urla Vineyard Route (Urla Bağ Yolu) was set up in 2016 when Urlice, USCA and five other producers joined forces. Today there are around ten producers on the route, and in 2024 it made Green Destinations' "Top 100 Good Practice Stories" list.
The good news for campers is that the wineries are spread across Urla's countryside, a short drive from the campsites in Kuşçular. The bad news is just as obvious: getting behind the wheel of a campervan after a tasting is not a good idea. This post tries to solve both at once.
How to plan the route
The route map is published on the Urla Vineyard Route's own website (urlabagyolu.net). Three wineries in a day is realistic. Any more and both your budget and your palate start to flag. And when every stop offers lunch or a walk through the vines, time disappears fast.
Opening hours change with the season and some places ask you to book a tasting. The details below were gathered at the time of writing. Ring each winery before you go.
The five stops
1. Urla Şarapçılık
Urla Şarapçılık in Kuşçular is the biggest and best-known winery on the route, with around 550 decares (about 55 hectares) of vineyards. Alongside international grapes, it's known for bringing back local Aegean varieties that were close to being forgotten. It reportedly accepts visitors without an appointment, but on busy days booking a tasting makes life easier. Summer and winter hours are different.
2. USCA
On the slopes of Kocadağ. There's a small guesthouse next to the tasting room. Tastings are mostly held in the afternoon and booking is recommended.
3. Urlice
One of the founders of the route. It works out of a restored stone house and farms organically. The open-air seating area beside the vineyard is a good spot for a hot September afternoon.
4. Mozaik
A boutique winery with a tasting room. Its Tannat won a gold medal at Decanter in 2020. If you haven't come across this grape much in Türkiye, this is the place to try it.
5. MMG
It has a restaurant among the vines, looking out over the valley. A good stop if you want to combine a long lunch with a tasting. It's popular for dinner too, so book at weekends.
Urla Bağevi is also on the route. It stands out not as a winery making its own wine but as a place to eat that serves wines from the area.
A sample day
Let's assume you're staying in Kuşçular. Have breakfast at camp and set the first tasting for around midday. Tasting wine on an empty stomach makes for a short day.
- 11.30: Urla Şarapçılık. Walk round the vineyards and do a tasting.
- 13.30: a long lunch at MMG or Urla Bağevi.
- 16.00: a second tasting at USCA or Urlice. Book ahead.
- 18.30: back to camp. Keep dinner simple, the day has been full enough.
The most relaxed way to do this is by taxi or with a driver who isn't drinking that day. There's nothing rude about asking for a spittoon at a tasting. It's the easiest way to stay sober all day. Carry a water bottle and eat something before each stop.
When is the grape harvest?
In the Aegean the harvest usually starts at the end of August and runs into October. Timing depends on the grape and where the vineyard sits. During this period some wineries invite visitors to join the harvest or put on special events. The most reliable way to follow the calendar is through the wineries' social media accounts from midsummer onwards.
| Period | What's happening in the vineyards | For campers |
|---|---|---|
| April-May | Vines coming into leaf, artichoke season | Cool nights, few crowds |
| June-July | Green vineyards, long days | Hot, pick a shaded pitch |
| Late August-October | Harvest | The liveliest time on the route, book ahead |
| November-March | Pruning, quiet wineries | Shorter hours, ring ahead |
Not driving after a tasting
This is the part of the route that really needs planning. In Türkiye, at the time of writing, the drink-drive limit is 0.50 per mille (0.5 g/l) for private cars and lower for other vehicles. Check which class your motorhome is registered under. For current rules and penalties, see Road Traffic Law No. 2918 (Karayolları Trafik Kanunu) on mevzuat.gov.tr. Our advice is simple: on tasting day, the campervan stays at the campsite.
Options that work:
- Designated driver: one person in your group doesn't drink that day. Take turns and everyone gets a tasting day and a driving day.
- Taxi: the distances from the Kuşçular campsites to the wineries are short. Campsite reception can usually give you a local taxi number.
- Bike: the routes İzmir drew up for Urla were planned separately for cars, bikes and walkers. But some of the vineyard lanes are steep and narrow, and pedalling at midday in summer can be hard going. Set off early in the morning or late in the afternoon, wear a helmet and keep the tastings small.
- Organised tour: guided tasting tours covering two wineries run in Urla. Prices change, so get current details from the tour companies.
Where to stay
The places to stay closest to the vineyards are around Kuşçular.
- NovaUrla Karavan Park ve Çadır Kamp: in Kuşçular, on Altınköy Caddesi. Takes campervans and tents.
- Yanako Karavan Çiftliği: in Kuşçular, a small, quiet campervan park.
Some wineries have rooms too, but at harvest time they're booked up months in advance. A campsite is more flexible and usually much cheaper. If you want to see the rest of the town, read Two days in Urla with a campervan or a tent, and for other sites in the area, our guide to campsites around İzmir.
What to buy at a winery
There is a way to shop at a winery on a camper's budget: ask whether the wine you liked at the tasting comes in a cheaper range. Most wineries have an entry-level line. Carry bottles upright somewhere cool in the campervan, because the inside of a vehicle heats up fast in summer.
We've collected ideas for what to cook with it in Eating well on a camping budget in the Aegean.
Frequently asked questions
How many wineries are on the Urla Vineyard Route? The route started in 2016 with seven producers. Today there are around ten. The current list and map are on urlabagyolu.net.
Do you need to book a wine tasting in Urla? Some wineries accept walk-ins and some ask for an appointment. At weekends and during the harvest, ring ahead either way.
When is the grape harvest in Urla? Usually from late August to October. The dates vary with the grape and the year.
Can you do the vineyard route without a car? Yes, by taxi, on an organised tour or by bike. If you stay in Kuşçular the distances are short.
Sources
- Lonely Planet: Urla, Turkish wine on the map
- Hürriyet: a temple of Aegean-style gastronomy
- Visit İzmir: Urla Vineyard Route, Green Destinations Top 100
- Mes Prestiges: Urla Şarapçılık
- Mes Prestiges: USCA Şarapçılık
- Mes Prestiges: Mozaik Şarapçılık
- Para Dergi: harvest routes are waiting for you (2026)
- Hukuki Haber: penalties for drink-driving
Image credits
Photos illustrate the region; they are not photos of the campsites themselves.
- Urla: Yağmur Aydın, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
