Last updated: September 2026
Izmir holidays offer something genuinely distinct on the Turkish Aegean — a sophisticated, cosmopolitan city experience with a spectacular natural setting, a vibrant food and culture scene, and unrivalled access to ancient sites and beach resorts across the region. Turkey’s third-largest city sits at the head of a deep bay on the northern Aegean coast, its famous Kordon waterfront, vast historic bazaar and relaxed, open-minded character making it one of the most enjoyable and underrated cities in the eastern Mediterranean.
An Izmir holiday is both a destination in its own right and the ideal gateway for the northern Turkish Aegean Coast — with Kusadasi and Ephesus 70 km south, Cesme and Alacati 80 km west, and a string of extraordinary ancient sites in every direction. For Turkey holidays that combine city culture, history and beach access in one place, Izmir is hard to beat.
Izmir — ancient Smyrna — is one of Turkey’s most liveable and enjoyable cities, known to Turks as the Pearl of the Aegean and deserving the title. It combines a spectacular natural setting on one of the Mediterranean’s finest deep-water bays with a cultural richness accumulated over more than 8,000 years of continuous habitation. The ancient Greek, Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman layers are all visible in the city’s fabric, while modern Izmir has developed a confident, forward-looking character that makes it feel genuinely different from more conservative Turkish cities.
The city is notably cosmopolitan and tolerant — a legacy of its long history as a major trading port where Greeks, Armenians, Jews, Levantines and Turks lived and worked side by side for centuries. The waterfront restaurants and bars are lively and mixed in character; the arts and cultural scene is among the most active in Turkey outside Istanbul; and the general quality of life attracts young professionals and creative people from across the country. For visiting British holidaymakers, this translates into a holiday experience that feels genuinely Turkish — authentic and engaging — rather than resort-sanitised.
Izmir also works superbly as a regional base. From a comfortable hotel in the city centre, a visitor can experience the full range of what the northern Turkish Aegean offers: Ephesus in the morning, a leisurely lunch on the Kordon, the Kemeralti bazaar in the afternoon, a fine dinner in Alsancak in the evening — and day trips to Cesme and Alacati, Pergamon, Sardis and Pamukkale on the remaining days of the week.
The Kordon is Izmir’s magnificent waterfront promenade and its most beloved public space — several kilometres of palm-lined, mostly pedestrianised seafront stretching along the western shore of the bay from the ferry terminal to the upmarket Alsancak district. Cafes, restaurants, bars, ice-cream parlours and tea gardens line the landward side; the open bay stretches to the east, with views of the mountains beyond and the occasional ferry cutting across the water. At virtually every hour from early morning to late at night, the Kordon is in use: breakfast meetings, lunchtime cyclists, evening strolls, groups of friends gathering after work, families with children on roller skates, elderly couples at their regular table.
The views from the Kordon at sunset are spectacular — the water turning gold, the mountains behind the city glowing with the last light, the silhouettes of ships in the harbour. Breakfast on the Kordon — the classic Turkish spread of bread, white cheese, olives, tomatoes, cucumber, honey and strong tea — is one of the great simple pleasures of an Izmir visit, and the cafes that line the promenade are packed from seven in the morning with locals treating it exactly as such.
Kemeralti is Izmir’s vast historic bazaar — a sprawling, largely covered market that has been the commercial heart of the city for centuries. Unlike the tourist-oriented grand bazaars of Istanbul, Kemeralti is primarily a working market for Izmir residents, selling fresh fish and seasonal produce, fabric and clothing, electrical goods, jewellery, antiques and traditional crafts alongside the tourist staples of carpet, leather and ceramics. Getting deliberately lost in its labyrinthine lanes is one of the great pleasures of any visit.
Several historic caravanserais within Kemeralti have been restored and converted into small shopping arcades or atmospheric cafe-restaurants. The 17th-century Kizlaragasi Han is a particularly beautiful example: a colonnaded courtyard with a central fountain, today housing jewellers and antique dealers at ground level and a popular rooftop terrace above. The bazaar is at its most atmospheric on weekday mornings when the fresh produce market in the centre district is in full swing — an extraordinary sensory experience of colour, smell and energy that feels authentically Turkish in a way most resort experiences cannot replicate.
Ancient Smyrna was one of the great cities of the Greek and Roman worlds. The principal surviving ancient monument in the city is the Agora of Smyrna — a Roman marketplace dating from the 2nd century AD, remarkably well preserved and accessible to visitors near the city centre. The Agora’s basilica, with its two-storey colonnade, is among the finest Roman remains in western Turkey outside Ephesus, and the site is far less visited than it deserves, giving it a pleasantly unhurried atmosphere.
The hilltop fortress of Kadifekale (the Velvet Castle) above the Agora offers panoramic views over the entire bay and surrounding countryside, along with the remains of ancient theatre seats cut into the hillside. The Izmir Archaeological Museum, near the Culture Park, houses outstanding collections of sculpture, ceramics and coins from excavations across the Aegean region. The nearby Ethnographic Museum covers the social and material history of Ottoman Aegean life. Together the two museums represent several hours of rewarding exploration for anyone interested in the region’s deep history.
Izmir has one of the finest food scenes in Turkey, rooted in the rich culinary traditions of the Aegean — fresh fish, exceptional olive oil, wild herbs, outstanding seasonal produce and the mezze tradition that turns meals into long, sociable occasions. Aegean cuisine is notably lighter and more Mediterranean in character than the meat-heavy dishes of central Anatolia, with a far greater emphasis on vegetables, pulses, seafood and the finest local olive oils.
The Alsancak district has the city’s densest concentration of good restaurants and bars — from traditional meyhanes (Turkish taverns) serving fish and raki with a full range of cold and hot mezze to modern bistros and international options. The Kordon itself has a long row of restaurants oriented towards the bay, excellent for fresh fish and seafood at prices well below Istanbul equivalents. For a more local experience, the back streets of Kemeralti and the neighbourhood restaurants of Bornova serve home-cooked Aegean food — stewed vegetables in olive oil, grilled aubergine, slow-cooked legumes — that represents the daily cooking tradition of the region at its best.
The Urla and Seferihisar districts, just 40 kilometres west of Izmir on the road towards Cesme, have emerged over the past decade as one of Turkey’s most exciting wine-producing areas. Boutique wineries producing wines from both international varieties and rediscovered local grapes dot the hillsides above the coast, and a growing number welcome visitors for tastings and tours of their vineyards and cellars. The area also produces outstanding olive oil, and several producers offer combined olive oil and wine tastings at their estates.
A half-day excursion from Izmir to the Urla wine country makes an excellent diversion from city sightseeing — combining the beautiful coastal scenery of the peninsula with the pleasure of tasting well-made Turkish wine in the place it was produced. Several Izmir tour operators offer organised wine country excursions; the route is also easily self-driven.
Izmir’s position at the hub of the northern Turkish Aegean makes it outstanding for day trips. Ephesus near Kusadasi is 70 km south — 60–70 minutes by road. Cesme and Alacati are 80 km west. Pergamon (ancient Bergama), one of the greatest Hellenistic cities with a dramatic acropolis and famous library, is 100 km north. The ancient city of Sardis, 90 km east, preserves a magnificent Temple of Artemis and a large gymnasium complex. Altinkum and the Temple of Apollo at Didyma are around 1.5 hours south. Pamukkale is 2.5 hours east — a long but unforgettable day.
Izmir has one of the most active cultural calendars of any city in Turkey outside Istanbul, and a visit during the right period can add a significant dimension to a holiday based in the city. The Izmir International Fair, held each August and September in the large Culture Park near the city centre, is the oldest international trade fair in Turkey and transforms the park into a vast celebration of commerce, food and entertainment for several weeks. The annual Izmir International Film Festival and Izmir Jazz Festival attract performers and visitors from across the country and beyond.
The city has a well-established classical music tradition — the Izmir State Symphony Orchestra is one of Turkey’s finest, and the Ahmed Adnan Saygun Arts Centre in the Kulturpark provides a prestigious venue for performances throughout the year. The contemporary arts scene has been growing steadily, with several private galleries in the Alsancak and Konak districts showing work by local and national artists. The weekly antique market in Konak is an excellent source of Ottoman-era household objects, old maps and prints, vintage textiles and the occasional genuine antique at fair prices.
Walking around Izmir’s various neighbourhoods is one of the most rewarding ways to experience the city’s layered character. The Jewish quarter of Kemeralti preserves several historic synagogues, some open to visitors. The Levantine villas of the Bornova district — built by the wealthy Greek, British and French merchant families who dominated the city’s commerce in the 19th century — are extraordinary examples of hybrid Ottoman-European architecture that survive in varying states of preservation. The Asansör (lift) district in Konak, with its 1907 elevator tower connecting the quayside to the hillside neighbourhood above, has developed into a charming area of galleries, boutique cafes and independent shops.
Izmir is an easy and comfortable city to visit. The public transport system is efficient and well-signposted — the Izmir Metro has several central stations convenient for sightseeing, and the IZBAN rail service connects the city centre to the airport in the south and the northern suburbs. Taxis are metered, plentiful and relatively inexpensive by Western European standards. The Izmir Card (municipal transport card) can be loaded at metro stations and used on all public transport including ferries across the bay.
Most Izmir hotels can arrange car hire for day trips to Ephesus, Cesme and other regional attractions, and the major international car hire companies operate from the airport. The city centre is compact enough for most sightseeing to be done on foot — from the Kordon to Kemeralti is a pleasant 15-minute walk through the heart of the city. English is widely spoken in hotels, restaurants and tourist areas. The city’s size means there is a wide range of medical facilities, pharmacies and practical services readily available.
Izmir Adnan Menderes Airport (ADB) is served by direct flights from London Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester, Birmingham and other UK regional airports, with year-round and expanded summer services. The airport is 20 kilometres south of the city, with transfers of 20 to 30 minutes by taxi or the Havas airport bus service. It is one of the most straightforward and well-connected airports in Turkey for UK visitors.
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Izmir itself is primarily a city-break destination — the nearest good beaches are at Cesme (80 km west) and around Kusadasi (70 km south). Many visitors combine city nights in Izmir with beach time at Cesme or Kusadasi, or use Izmir as a base for day trips to beaches while returning to the city’s restaurants and culture in the evenings.
Izmir is widely regarded as one of Turkey’s safest and most welcoming cities for international visitors. Its cosmopolitan tradition and well-established tourism infrastructure make it easy and comfortable to navigate. The Kordon, Kemeralti and Alsancak are all busy, well-lit and safe at all hours.
Izmir has an excellent public transport system including a modern metro, light rail (IZBAN), bay ferries and buses. The Kordon and Kemeralti are easily walkable from most central hotels. Taxis are metered and good value. Car hire is recommended for day trips to Ephesus, Cesme and other regional attractions.
Izmir is famous for the Kordon waterfront promenade, the vast Kemeralti bazaar, its outstanding Aegean food scene and its cosmopolitan, relaxed character. Historically it was ancient Smyrna — one of the great ports of the ancient Mediterranean — and its archaeological museum, ancient agora and the ruins accessible on day trips make it one of the region’s most culturally rewarding bases.
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