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    Izmir

    Turkey

    Izmir

    CityCulture

    İzmir, with around 4.5 million inhabitants in its province, is Turkey's third-largest city and the gateway to the Aegean coast.

    by Felix Gillen

    1. Home
    3. Destinations
    5. Turkey
    7. Aegean Coast
    9. Izmir
    İzmir, with around 4.5 million inhabitants in its province, is Turkey's third-largest city and the gateway to the Aegean coast. You'll come for the Kemeraltı bazaar district, the Kordon promenade, and its cuisine featuring Boyoz, Kumru, and Meze. The historic center is around Konak Square, with the Alsancak entertainment district to its north, and Karşıyaka across the bay.

    Sights in Izmir

    Discover the most important sights and attractions

    Kemeraltı Bazaar
    Point of Interest

    1Kemeraltı Bazaar

    The bazaar district between Konak Square and Basmane dates back to the 17th century. In its alleys, shops, local eateries, mosques, and old inns line up. You'll find the entrance right next to the Clock Tower and the small Konak-Yalı Mosque.
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    Agora of Smyrna
    Museum

    2Agora of Smyrna

    The marketplace of ancient Smyrna dates to the 4th century BC. Following a 178 AD earthquake, Emperor Marcus Aurelius rebuilt it. Remains include the Faustina Gate, the North Stoa with vaults and graffiti, and a Corinthian colonnade. Excavations have continued since 1933.
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    Asansör
    Attraction

    3Asansör

    The elevator in the Karataş district was built in 1907 as a public facility by the Jewish banker Nesim Levi Bayraklıoğlu. It connects the narrow coastal strip with the slope above. Up top, a viewing terrace overlooking the bay awaits you. The access road is named after the singer Dario Moreno, who lived here in the 1940s.
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    Cordon
    Point of Interest

    4Cordon

    The waterfront road, about 3.2 kilometres long, starts at the 19th-century Pasaport pier and runs to Alsancak. In the evening the promenade fills with people out for a stroll, and the Alsancak ferry pier is right on the way. From the shore you look across the bay to Karşıyaka.
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    Kadifekale
    Historic Landmark

    5Kadifekale

    The castle on the 186-metre Mount Pagos goes back to walls built by Lysimachus in the 3rd century BC; the present walls are medieval. From the top you overlook the city and the Bay of İzmir. Next to the castle are Roman cisterns that once fed Smyrna's drinking water system.
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    Clock Tower of İzmir

    6Clock Tower of İzmir

    The Clock Tower on Konak Square is considered a city landmark and features on the municipal coat of arms. It was built for Sultan Abdülhamid II's 25th accession anniversary and completed in 1901, designed by French-Levantine architect Raymond Charles Péré. The octagonal tower, made of marble and stone, is 25 meters high; four fountains stand around its base.
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    Restaurants in Izmir

    1

    Ayşa Boşnak Börek Shop

    Lokanta on Anafartalar Caddesi in Kemeraltı with a Bib Gourmand in the Michelin Guide. The hot and cold buffet offers Bosnian and Ottoman dishes such as stuffed vine leaves, lamb stew and baklava. The restaurant does not take reservations.
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    2

    Tavacı Recep Usta Alsancak

    Branch of the Diyarbakır chef Recep Usta on Atatürk Caddesi in Alsancak, with a Bib Gourmand in the Michelin Guide. The speciality is tava, alongside stuffed ribs, boiled lamb neck and charcoal-grilled kebab.
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    3

    Kemal's Place

    Restaurant in a side street of Alsancak, awarded a Bib Gourmand by the Michelin Guide. The chef serves a surprise menu of meat and vegetable meze, such as fava purée and lamb sweetbreads. You can book directly with the restaurant.
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    4

    First Kordon Fish Restaurant

    Simple fish restaurant on Atatürk Caddesi in Alsancak, listed in the Michelin Guide. Calamari and sea bass go on the charcoal grill, served with meze. Open daily from noon.
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    Food and Drink

    İzmir's street food is distinctive and strongly shaped by the city's Sephardic and Greek past.

    Boyoz

    Unleavened pastry that came to the city with the Sephardic Jewish community. It is protected as a geographical indication and comes in a classic version as well as with fillings such as aubergine or artichoke.

    Kumru

    Sandwich, served cold with Tulum cheese from İzmir, tomatoes and peppers. One of the city's classics.

    Gevrek

    It's called the sesame ring in İzmir. The dough is dipped in grape syrup, sprinkled with sesame, and baked.

    İzmir köfte

    Meatballs with potatoes and green peppers, baked in the oven in tomato sauce. You'll find them in the lokantas of Kemeraltı at lunchtime.

    Culture & History

    SmyrnaAccording to tradition, ancient Smyrna was moved to Mount Pagos at the behest of Alexander the Great, and Lysimachus built the first walls there. The agora was rebuilt under Emperor Marcus Aurelius after an earthquake in 178. It has been excavated since 1933.Ottoman Port CityFrom the 17th century the Kemeraltı bazaar district grew up around the harbour, and the Kızlarağası Han caravanserai was added in 1744. The upper middle class lived in the Alsancak district, formerly called La Punta; its railway station from 1858 is one of the oldest in Turkey. The clock tower on Konak Square was built in 1901 for the 25th anniversary of Sultan Abdülhamid II's accession.World Heritage CandidateSince 2020 the historic port city of İzmir, with Kemeraltı, the agora and Kadifekale, has been on UNESCO's Tentative List.

    Nightlife

    1

    Bios

    Bar with a large stage in Alsancak where Turkish musicians regularly play live. Besides concerts there are comedy nights. It is open only on some evenings a week, so check the current programme in advance.
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    2

    Sirena

    Pub in Alsancak that has been a local meeting place since 1976. In summer you sit outside with a view of the sea.
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    3

    Hayyam Meyhanesi

    Long-standing Meyhane in the Basmane quarter in Konak. Rakı and traditional Meze are served.
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    Getting There & Around

    Getting ThereAdnan Menderes Airport has a train station in the terminal; the İZBAN suburban railway runs directly to Alsancak and Karşıyaka. TCDD regional trains connect Basmane Station with Selçuk and Denizli.Getting AroundMetro M1 serves the city center with a stop in Konak, where you can also transfer to the tram. İZDENİZ ferries operate year-round between Konak, Alsancak, Karşıyaka, and Bostanlı. For İZBAN, you need the İzmirim Kart.TipFerry: In some summers, an İZDENİZ ferry sails from Konak via Karşıyaka to Foça in about two hours; check the current timetable.On Foot: Konak, Kemeraltı, and the Kordon up to Alsancak can be easily linked on foot.

    Accommodations in Izmir

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      • 1Kemeraltı Bazaar3 days
      • 2Agora of Smyrna4 days
      • 3Asansör5 days
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    Nearby

    Aegean Coast

    Aegean Coast

    The Turkish Aegean coast stretches from Pergamon in the north to the Bodrum Peninsula in the south and is rich in ancient sites. Here are three World Heritage Sites: Ephesus, Pergamon, and Hierapolis-Pamukkale, plus seaside resorts like Alaçatı and Bodrum. İzmir, Turkey's third-largest city, is a hub with an airport and rail connections to the hinterland.
    Selçuk & Şirince

    Selçuk & Şirince

    Selçuk is the small town right next to Ephesus, about an hour and a half by train south of İzmir, and the best base for the archaeological site. In the town are the Artemision, the İsa Bey Mosque, and the Ephesus Museum. About eight kilometers east, in the hills, lies the wine village of Şirince with its stone houses.
    Ephesus

    Ephesus

    Ephesus is the major archaeological site of the Turkish Aegean, about an hour and a half by train south of İzmir. You come for the facade of the Celsus Library, the Great Theater, and the residential houses with mosaics and frescoes. Since 2015, Ephesus has been a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the small town of Selçuk is right next door.
    Alaçatı & Çeşme

    Alaçatı & Çeşme

    Alaçatı and Çeşme are located at the tip of the peninsula of the same name west of İzmir, about 75 kilometers from the airport. Alaçatı is known for its stone houses, windmills, and windsurfing area, Çeşme for its castle and harbor. North of it, the shallow sandy beach of Ilıca entices with warm thermal water in the sea.
    Samos

    Samos

    Samos is located at its narrowest point, less than two kilometers from the Turkish coast, and is considered one of the greenest islands in the Aegean. Spread across nearly 480 square kilometers are the UNESCO World Heritage sites of Pythagoreion and Heraion, the 1,434-meter-high Kerkis mountain, and the wine terraces where the sweet Samos Muscat grows.You come for the ancient ruins, the mountain villages of Ambelos, and the pebble coves on the north coast. The island is large enough for a week, without repeating any routes.

    Sources & method

    • Photos: Wikimedia Commons, Pexels, Google Maps. Each photo carries its credit.
    • Place data such as addresses and ratings comes from Google Maps.
    • The content is based on web research from public, traceable sources. How the content is made · The role of AI