İzmir is Turkey's relaxed Aegean metropolis, a big port city on a long gulf that rewards slow walking more than box-ticking. Ancient Smyrna lies under the modern streets, the old bazaar still works, and the waterfront fills every evening with people who simply live here. Most visitors use it as a base for the ruins nearby, but the city deserves at least two days of its own.
How many days
Two days covers the city. Three days adds one day trip, and four or five lets you do Pergamon, the Çeşme coast and a Şirince and Ephesus day. A good city rhythm is a morning in Kemeraltı Bazaar, an afternoon at the Agora of Smyrna and the Archaeology Museum, and an evening on the Kordon, with a second morning for the Clock Tower, the Asansör and Kadifekale.
What to book ahead
The city sights need no advance booking. The Agora and the Archaeology Museum sell tickets at the door, and the Museum Pass The Aegean is worth a look if you will visit several state sites in a week. The day trips are different: Pergamon, the Çeşme and Alaçatı day, the Şirince and Ephesus tour and the food walk run on set schedules and with limited places, so reserve them a few days ahead, and further ahead in summer. If you want to take the food walk, do it early in your stay so you can return to your favourite stalls.
Where the sights fit
Start at Konak Square with the Clock Tower and the Yalı Mosque, then walk into Kemeraltı Bazaar. The Agora of Smyrna sits on the southern edge of the bazaar district, so lunch in the lanes and then visit the ruins. The Archaeology Museum in Konak shows the objects behind them, and Kadifekale on its hill gives the view of how the ancient city sat. In the evening, take the Kordon at sunset, or go up the Asansör for the panorama, and finish with dinner in Alsancak.
Getting around
The centre is walkable between Konak, the bazaar and the Kordon. For longer hops, İzmir has a metro, suburban trains, trams, buses and passenger ferries across the gulf, all payable with a rechargeable transit card, and taxis are inexpensive. Adnan Menderes Airport is about half an hour from the centre by road, with trains and buses as well as taxis and private transfers. For the day trips, a tour with hotel pickup saves you from a long drive and from working out the schedule yourself.
Choosing your day trips
Pergamon is the one for ancient history, with a hilltop acropolis, a dramatic theatre and the Asklepion, and it is quieter than Ephesus. The Çeşme and Alaçatı day is for sea air, stone houses and a castle, and it is best in spring and autumn. The Şirince tour combines Ephesus and the Temple of Artemis with a hillside wine village, which suits first-timers who want the highlights of the Selçuk area in one day.
When to go
Spring and autumn are the best seasons, with mild weather and open coastal venues. Summer is hot, and the Çeşme coast is crowded. Winter is mild, wetter and quiet: state museums and archaeological sites keep winter hours from 1 October to 1 April, typically 08:30 to 17:30 with the ticket office closing at 17:00, so plan sightseeing for the middle of the day. Beach clubs and windsurf schools on the coast are mostly closed, but the city, the bazaar and the museums are at their most local.
Practical tips
Carry some cash for the bazaar and small cafes. Ask the price of fish before it is cooked, as it is sold by weight. Dress modestly if you enter a mosque, take a light jacket for the waterfront breeze, and wear shoes with grip for the stone paving and the ruins. Be sensible on Kadifekale and go in daylight.
