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Izmir is a large city in the Aegean region of Turkey. It’s the gateway to some of the country’s most popular ancient cities.
Intro to Izmir
I’m as guilty as most people. I’ve passed through Izmir several times without stopping to see it. As the third largest city in Turkey sitting on a scenic bay, great weather almost daily, enough interesting things to see, a few delicious local delicacies, and having a long and significant history, you’d think it would get a few more visitors.
It’s greatest flaw is that it’s nearby the much more interesting and frequented site of Ephesus and resort towns of Çeşme. Many international visitors don’t bother to see anything but the airport.
Furthermore, I didn’t get the Turkish hype about Izmir. Turks love Izmir and talk about how amazing and beautiful it is. Yes, it’s beautiful. Amazing? Eh.
I’ve enjoyed my trips to Izmir and found much of it interesting, but it took time to grow on me. Is it a must-see in Turkey? Not really. If you have extra time to kill, sure, why not! I guess it had been built up so much that by the time I got there, I was somewhat disappointed. If you do decide you want to make Izmir part of your trip to Turkey, a day or two is enough.
History of Izmir
The history of Izmir is exceptional. It was founded as Smyrna by ancient Greeks in the 11th century BC, conquered by Alexander the Great in the 4th century BC, then ruled by the Romans, Byzantines, and Ottomans. During the Greco-Turkish War, it was administered by Greece from May 1919 until September 1922, when a terrible fire and massacre occurred. Since then it has been one of the most important cities in Turkey. In 1930, the name was officially changed from Smyrna to Izmir.
Adnan Menderes Airport
Most people will arrive via Adnan Menderes Airport. It’s located 18 kilometers south of the city. There are flights from both Istanbul airports on Turkish Airlines and Pegasus. There’s also regular service from Athens, Ankara, Vienna, and several cities in Turkey and Germany (as of May 2023).
Getting from the Airport to the City Center
Getting to the city center, you have a few options – airport shuttle, metro, and public bus. The easiest is the direct Havaş airport shuttle bus. For 45₺ (as of May 2023), you can get dropped off in the very central area of Alsancak.
Alternatively, you can take the İZBAN train by buying a “35 Bilet“, giving you two rides for 20₺, three rides for 28₺, five rides for 42₺, or 10 rides for 82₺ (as of May 2023). The only problem is that transfers are not free and you might need to transfer at Hilal metro to get to a more central area, such as Basmane or Konak Square. The tickets are good for 35 days from the first date it’s used.
You can also use your 35 Bilet to ride the public bus. I won’t tell you about the public bus because I’ve never taken one to get to the city center (only to the bus station), but I know it’s slow. Out of all the transportation methods, I’d take the Havaş and save the time and trouble. It’s worth it.
Train from the Airport to Selçuk/Ephesus
An İZBAN train service runs between Izmir’s Alsancak Train Station via Adnan Menderes Airport to Selçuk, where the ancient city of Ephesus is located. Check the official İZBAN website for more details.
Izmir Bus Terminal
The huge bus terminal in Izmir connects the city to several destinations along the Aegean coast as well as to Istanbul and further into Anatolia. It’s on the outskirts to the east of the city center.
Arriving from Çeşme
If you’re arriving by ferry from Chios, Greece, at Çeşme, it’s a little more difficult. You can take a bus from the Çeşme bus station, get off at Üçkuyular, walk a little bit back from where the bus drops you, and jump on any city bus going to Konak. Again, you can use a 35 Bilet purchased from any small convenience store.
If you’re going directly to the airport from Çeşme, a Havaş bus costs 145₺ (as of May 2023).
Where to Stay in Izmir
There’s no shortage of good hotels in Izmir. You can splurge or stay on the cheap. The most popular area to stay is Alsancak.
TAV Airport Hotel
First, if you only need a quick overnight at Adnan Menderes Airport, the easiest place to stay is the very convenient TAV Airport Hotel. It’s located between the domestic and international terminals. I stayed for a night in June 2022.
The hotel is modern and clean, and the staff is friendly and professional. My room was spacious and completely soundproof, which gave me a much needed good night of sleep. The room had a big bathroom as well as a desk and work area. For food, I just went out into the terminal and picked up a sandwich and drink at one of the airport cafés.
Viva La Vita Boutique Hotel
On another night in June 2022, I stayed at Viva La Vita Boutique Hotel in Alsancak. It sits on a lively street lined with restaurants and pubs.
The room may have been a bit too tight for my liking, but it was quiet and comfortable. Staff was very helpful and spoke excellent English. The price was very low for the area but was appropriate for the size of the room.
Olimpiyat Hotel
On my first overnight in Izmir, I stayed at the Olimpiyat Hotel (Olimpiyat Oteli) in the Basmane area. The hotel is acceptable for the price. The room was modern and clean with good Wi-Fi. The staff was nice, but I had to do all communication in Turkish. Breakfast was a typical Turkish breakfast.
The only problem was the location. It was within 15 minutes walk to most attractions and very close to the metro but it’s in a pretty seedy area, especially at night. I didn’t have a problem but I also blend in to the local crowd nicely. Furthermore, I don’t think I saw any women out after dark in this area, which says a lot.
Also, there weren’t too many good choices for food at night. I ended up eating at a couple of 24 hour restaurants near the train station about a five minute walk away. One was overpriced and terrible while the other was overpriced and excellent.
Safety in Izmir
Izmir is pretty safe, but there are some seedy areas that I didn’t feel too comfortable in. One of them was near the Basmane train station at night. The other is on the way up to Kadifekale. Don’t do this walk alone. It’s a very depressed area and even though I blend in really well, I still attracted a lot of stares.
