Izmir is Türkiye’s third largest city and is not a resort but a real city. The flow of tourists here is nothing like Antalya’s or Bodrum’s, so prices are real and people are more relaxed. The Kordon promenade running along the shore is the centre of the city’s life. There are direct flights from Baku. Below I have written the city and the routes that lead out of it.
The Kordon, the Clock Tower and Kemeralti
The Kordon is a wide promenade stretching along the shore, and in the evenings the whole city comes out onto it. The Alsancak stretch is full of cafés. The Clock Tower on Konak square has stood since 1901 and is the city’s symbol.
Kemeralti is the historic bazaar and has been working since Ottoman times; spices, leather and jewellery are sold in its narrow passages. There are coffee houses in the caravanserai courtyards inside it. If you climb the hill to the Kadifekale fortress, the whole bay comes into view.
Cesme and Alacati from Izmir
Cesme is an hour from the city and has some of the cleanest water in the Aegean. Alacati is known for its stone houses, its narrowed streets and its windsurfing, and world competitions are held there. In the summer months the residents of Izmir pour in here too.
Ilica beach is sandy and shallow and suits families. Ayayorgi bay is livelier. The town of Foca is to the north, an hour away, and has kept the character of a fishing village.
The ancient cities and Sirince
Ephesus is an hour from Izmir and is the best-preserved ancient city in the Mediterranean basin. The ruins of Pergamon are to the north, two hours away; its acropolis is on a steep hill and is reached by cable car. Sardis and Klazomenai are less well known but interesting excavation sites.
Public transport runs to these places, but it takes time. Taking the day tours in advance or renting a car lets you fit several sites into the same day. There is a high-speed train and cheap domestic flights to Istanbul; compare the options in one search.
Read more: A Türkiye travel guide: Istanbul, Antalya, Cappadocia, the Black Sea and the thermal resorts
Food and prices in Izmir
Izmir cooking is in the Aegean style, and vegetable dishes in olive oil are the mainstay here. The pastry called boyoz is a breakfast and is found only in this city. The kumru sandwich is a classic of the Cesme area. Fish restaurants are lined up in a row along the Kordon and in Alsancak.
A city hotel is 40–80 euros, and in Cesme 80–150 in summer. The metro, the trams and the ferries are linked, and the Izmirim card works on all of them. Crossing the bay by ferry is the cheapest excursion there is. If you want to see Cesme and Ephesus on a ready-made programme, look at tour options for Türkiye. Official information is on the Go Türkiye site.
The season in Izmir
April–June and September–October are the best months, with 24–30 degrees. July and August climb to 35 and the coastal towns fill up. Winter is mild, 10–15 degrees, with rain, while the city lives all year round.
In closing
Izmir is a real city rather than a resort, and that is exactly why it is the best-value base for seeing the Aegean coast. Take an evening walk on the Kordon, go into Kemeralti, and put Cesme and Ephesus on separate days. For a visa and a route, fill in the application form.
Note: the prices in this article are those at the time of publication and may change with the season.
