İzmir

A port with a long memory

Known in antiquity as Smyrna, İzmir has been a trading port for millennia. Under the Ottomans it became one of the most cosmopolitan cities of the eastern Mediterranean, home to Turkish, Greek, Armenian, Jewish and Levantine communities whose merchant houses still line the streets of Alsancak.

Much of the old city was destroyed by fire in 1922, and today's İzmir is largely modern, with wide boulevards and a lively waterfront. The past survives in the bazaar, in hilltop Kadifekale and in the restored stone houses of its older neighbourhoods.

Life on the Kordon

Evenings in İzmir are spent outdoors. As the sea breeze known as the imbat cools the city, people gather along the Kordon to walk, cycle and watch the sun set over the gulf. Ferries link the two sides of the bay, and the pace is noticeably gentler than in Istanbul.

Aegean flavours

The cuisine is built on olive oil, wild greens, fresh herbs and seafood. Look for boyoz, a flaky pastry eaten at breakfast, and kumru, a sandwich with roots in the city's markets. The surrounding countryside produces olives, figs, grapes and some of Türkiye's best-known wines.

Seasons and practicalities

Summers are long, hot and dry; spring and autumn bring mild, bright days well suited to walking and excursions. Adnan Menderes Airport connects the city with Europe and the rest of Türkiye, and a suburban rail line runs along the coast.

İzmir has large public, university and private hospitals, and many international visitors combine appointments in the city with time on the nearby coast.