Karaburun, Turkey: Nestled in a serene valley near Turkey’s Aegean coast, beekeeper Huseyin Ceylan has turned his decades-old passion into a healing retreat. At his bee farm in Karaburun, a picturesque district of Izmir province, visitors arrive each spring to undergo a unique alternative therapy—breathing air from active beehives.
Ceylan, who comes from a long line of beekeepers and holds a degree in agriculture, describes the treatment as “apitherapy”, a traditional wellness practice derived from the Greek word for bee. While not officially recognized by the Turkish government, apitherapy is increasingly popular among beekeepers across Turkey and is also practiced in countries such as Germany and Russia.
Guests typically spend several days at Ceylan’s farm, staying in cabins surrounded by lush greenery. The therapy involves inhaling beehive air—rich with natural aromas and believed to contain beneficial compounds—for up to three hours each day. Ceylan claims this method provides relief for various conditions, including allergies, migraines, and weakened immune systems.
“We are not against what we call Western medicine. After all, it is also very important too,” Ceylan said. “I have been doing this for fifteen years, trying to bring this into medicine.”
Ceylan has devoted years to promoting apitherapy as a legitimate complementary practice. He’s conducted research, compiled data, and presented his findings to authorities in hopes of gaining wider acceptance.
One of his guests, 69-year-old Ulku Ozman, turned to the therapy after surgeries and prolonged use of medication left her immune system depleted. Encouraged by a friend, she embarked on a nearly week-long visit to the bee farm.
Inside the therapy cabin, ventilators connect directly to hives, gently channeling beehive air to seated guests. Each session lasts about 45 minutes, with participants rotating every 15 minutes to inhale from three different hives, each with its own distinct scent. The cost of the therapy, which includes accommodation and meals, is approximately 5,000 Turkish lira (around $128) per day.
Senay Ilham, 68, who is in remission from breast cancer that had spread to her spine, described the experience as both healing and nostalgic.
“This smell seems familiar. It’s like it is (coming) from my childhood,” she said, recalling days spent playing near beekeepers as a child. “(The beehive air) always brings me a breeze from these things. It relaxes me both psychologically and physically.”
Though apitherapy remains outside the realm of formal medicine in Turkey, the personal stories of comfort and recovery continue to draw people to Ceylan’s quiet corner of the Aegean, where nature, tradition, and healing intersect in the hum of the hives.
