Avşa Island (Turkish: Avşa Adası) or Türkeli is a Turkishisland in the southern Sea of Marmara. It was the classical and ByzantineAphousia (Greek: Αφουσία[dubious – discuss]) or Ophiousa (Οφιούσα) and was a place of exile during the Byzantine period.
The island belongs to the Marmara District of Balıkesir Province in northwestern Turkey. It is a popular domestic tourist destination, especially for tourists from Istanbul. The local population is around 2,000 according to the last census, but during the summer season the number of visitors increases as far as forty to fifty thousand.
Transportation
The island is within reach from Istanbul by ship and ferry. It is also accessible from Erdek and Tekirdağ by motorboat.
Location
Geographical location of Avşa island.Avşa island aerial view
The exact location of Avşa island is shown in the following map in red color. The larger island north of Avşa is the island of Marmara and the island to the east is Paşalimanı.
