The city of Izmir is located on the Aegean Sea west coast of Turkey. Its history reaches back to Alexander the Great of antiquity and forward to the Ottoman Empire.

Izmir is the third largest city in turkey boasting its own International Airport which is Izmir Adnan Menderes International Airport, located south east of the city.

Travelers to Izmir can take the shuttles and ground transportation vehicles from the airport direct to their hotel or chosen resort, reaching their destination after a short journey. Car rental and intercity bus service is also available.

The climate is dry during the day with sunny summers; nights can be humid and hot making it difficult for outside travellers not used to these conditions to sleep. Without air conditioned rooms, the heat and humidity at night could distress travellers from the north. The winter months are cooler and less humid.

Things to do

Izmir is an interesting contemporary city with many great places to stay and sites to see. There is the bazaar to visit which retains the feel of the east and the clock tower located in the historic main square built in 1901.

Also a number of small archeological digs exist but cannot all be viewed so before visiting details should be checked beforehand.

Izmir is a good central location for exploring the area with the benefit of spending the evenings back in the modern comfort of your hotel. It is not a beach resort in its own right. Izmir has hotels with pools and accommodation to suit all budgets are available.

The city of Izmir has many modern hotels and upscale resorts together with well-maintained older hotels to suit every budget. Shopping is good and on par with most European cities.

Eating out is fun at the many restaurants and bars that cater to all age groups. The Kordon, the waterfront promenade, will suit all tastes. The Kordon has palm trees on one side and the Aegean Sea on the other.

Along the winding cobble stone streets a number of discothèques, smaller bars, and clubs, some with live music exist, to provide you with a choice of a relaxing afternoon drink or an all-night party.

With over 4,000 years of recorded history as a village or town much of which was unfortunately destroyed in the great fire of 1920 Izmir lost many of its historical buildings.

While this left a fresh palate for modern construction much of the city history is gone forever. It is in the surrounding towns and villages where guided tours can show you the historical richness of the area.

Izmir is big enough to stop for a moment to consider how you are going to explore the area; the easy way is the minibus service (Dolmus in Turkish) which is readily available from your hotel.

The route and the stops will be shown via minibus signs. Taxis are also useful particularly at night.

Finally you can walk, this is the best scenic way to travel and enjoy the city if you are moderately fit and if not the walking will get you fitter.

Our Top Tips

• The Kordon is a beautiful part of the city that acts as a central hub for friends and families on the weekends and is a great place to stroll or jog.

• The Clock tower Square is the main square in town and is a very cool place to walk around.

• The Old Bazaar is similar to the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul but it’s a lot more manageable and less hectic.

• Sirince is a little jewel of a place! It is quietly nestled up in the mountains above Ephesus and Selcuk.

• The Yedi Bilgeler Winery is another hidden gem in the Turkish countryside around Selcuk.