Since I stayed in Balikesir I was closer to Edremit than I had been for years. I knew the place only from transfers at the bus station, generally coming from Çannakale and heading for Izmir or thereabouts. It had always struck me as looking nice, and I decided to pay it a short visit. It was nice, with a few old mosques – with a stork nest on at least one of them - and old houses (I may have overdone it on the old houses once again. And yes, I drifted into a poor neighourbood where they even had gypsies. Don’t bother to tell me I shouldn’t or that this is not representative, I do not care), a modern centre, new high-rises on the hills, some good parks and statues, and a pleasant atmosphere. I do not have very many pictures, I hope to add to them someday.

The town started life much earlier, 13 kilometres to the south east as Adramyttion, now near Karataş. It is not known why and when it was moved to its present location. Byzantine and Turkish rulers often took its possession, in the 14th century it contained a Genoese fortress and then quickly fell into the hands of the Turkmen lords of Karası (Balıkesir).