Things to Do in Izmir

This content was last updated on 26.02.2024 23:38

Izmir, Turkey's 3rd largest city, hosts millions of local and foreign tourists every year with its natural beauties and history. It is possible to encounter an impressive historical treasure and a striking monument at every corner in İzmir. You can start to discover the historical and natural beauties of Izmir by examining the Izmir travel guide we have prepared for you.

Where is Izmir?

İzmir is located in western Turkey, on the Aegean Sea coast and on the Gulf of İzmir.

Considered as the capital of the Aegean, İzmir is surrounded by Aydın in the south, Balıkesir in the north and Manisa in the east.

Places to Visit in Izmir

1. Kordon

Kordon is undoubtedly one of the most symbolic spots of Izmir, located in the Alsancak district of Konak district of Izmir. Watching the blue sea from the green grass of Kordon is one of the most enjoyable activities in the world. On the other side of the lawn are cafes where people can sit and chat. Kordon, which hosts many events and concerts in the summer and spring months, is one of the places at the top of the list of places to visit for Izmir.

2. Cyprus Martyrs Street

Located in the Alsancak region of Konak, Kıbrıs Şehitleri Caddesi is one of Konak's most famous streets and one of the symbols of İzmir.

Kıbrıs Şehitleri Caddesi, which is a pedestrian street, is located at a central point, 5 km from the district center.

The street, which starts from the intersection of Talatpaşa Boulevard and Ali Çetinkaya Boulevard and extends towards Kordon, has famous streets of the city such as Gazi Women's Street, Muzaffer İzgü Street, Lace Street and Bornova Street.

On Kıbrıs Şehitleri Caddesi, a street that is lively at all hours of the day and where you can see heavy pedestrian traffic, there are many bookstores and many bookstores, where you can see the shops of world-famous brands, handmade bags, designer hats, various clothes, souvenirs. There are also cafes and bars they visit.

While stopping by the Cyprus Martyrs' Street, do not forget to stop by the Alsancak Dostlar Bakery, which is famous for its Boyoz, which is indispensable in İzmir.

3. Kulturpark

Kulturpark, which was established in 1936 at the request of Atatürk on an area of ​​360,000 m2, which was destroyed in the 1922 Izmir Fire, was expanded 3 years later and reached a size of 420,000 m2.

Kültürpark, one of the most popular areas of İzmir, has been hosting the İzmir International Fair, which has hosted thousands of people every year since its establishment.

Kültürpark houses many facilities such as Atatürk Open Air Theatre, 16 exhibition halls, 4 conference halls, İsmail İnönü Art Center, İzmir Art, Parachute Tower, Youth Theater, Celal Atik Sports Hall, İzmir History and Art Museum.

İzmir Kültürpark, which is very active with cultural and artistic activities in every period of the year, offers a wonderful view with more than 8000 trees and more than 200 plant varieties with its jogging paths, walking tracks, sports fields and swimming pool.

4. Passport Pier

Passport Pier is one of the oldest customs buildings in Izmir.

The pier, which has been in service since 1884, is located on Kordon Neck, starting from Konak Pier and continuing to Alsancak Pier.

Passport Pier, one of the meeting points in the city, which is French made, is used for passenger transportation in the gulf today. You can go to Karşıyaka, Bostanlı, Göztepe, Bayraklı and Alsancak Ports by sea from the Passport Pier.

You can witness one of the most beautiful sunsets in Izmir here.

5. Kizlaragasi Inn

The Kizlaragasi Inn is one of Konak's historical inns.

III. The inn, which was built in 1744 by Hacı Beşir Ağa, who worked as a maiden's landlord during the reigns of Ahmed and Mahmud I, is one of the touristic and historical shopping places of Kemeraltı today.

There are many antique shops and jewelry shops in the inn, which was opened in 1993 as a shopping inn. During your trip to Kemeraltı, do not forget to drink coffee on embers in the courtyard of Kizlaragasi Inn.

6. Agora Ancient City

Agora etymologically means the square where the people gather, city square, bazaar, market place.

Agora is a place where votives, statues and monuments are presented to gods with commercial, political, judicial, religious and artistic functions.

Izmir Agora ranks first among the historical places of Izmir.

The Agora, which is estimated to have been built during the Roman Period in the 2nd century BC, is one of the largest and most intact agoras. Artifacts from this historical place are exhibited at the Izmir Archeology Museum today.

The ancient city, in which the Agora is located, also has one of the world's largest ancient theaters and a stadium.

The easiest way to reach the ancient city of Smyrna, where entrance is free, is to use the metro. After getting off the metro in Çankaya, you can reach Smyrna after a 5-minute walk.

7. Kemeraltı Bazaar

Kemeraltı Bazaar is one of the first places that comes to mind when it comes to places to visit in İzmir. Kemeraltı Bazaar, whose history dates back to the 1600s, continues to be one of the most important trade areas that has not lost its importance since ancient times. Spreading over an area of ​​5 km, the bazaar, consisting of approximately 15,000 workplaces, is one of the largest open-air shopping areas in the world with this feature.

There are historical coffee shops, sherbet shops, historical restaurants, hawkers, international and national brands, historical wedding dresses, jewelers, cafes, ready-made clothing brands, spice shops, accessory shops, souvenir shops and many more in the bazaar. In short, the fascinating atmosphere of Kemeraltı Bazaar will draw you in from the moment you take your first step, causing you to get lost in time. You can also find the best mussels of Izmir in Kemeraltı bazaar, which has many mussel shops.

8. Clock Tower

Clock Tower, one of the symbolic figures of Izmir, was built in 1901 at the request of Grand Vizier Mehmet Said Pasha to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Abdulhamid II's accession to the throne. This clock, which has never stopped since its construction date, still works today.

The 4-storey and 25-meter-high Izmir Clock Tower is one of the many clock towers built in the same period in the Ottoman provinces. However, it is considered to be the most aesthetic and elegant-looking clock tower among the Ottoman clock towers.

The architect of the tower is French architect Raymond Charles Péré, who also built the German Consulate building. There are records that the clock of the tower was gifted by the German Emperor Wilhelm II.

You can reach the Clock Tower by all means of transportation to Konak, especially the city transportation vehicles called ESHOT.

9. Dario Moreno Street

Dario Moreno Street, which hosts hundreds of local and foreign tourists every day with its historical and artistic structure, is one of the iconic regions of Izmir. Another reason why it is so famous is that the Historical Elevator is located at the end of the street.

Taking its name from Dario Moreno, an artist who fell in love with İzmir, this street is home to quiet cafes and Greek houses. You can have a pleasant time in the warm atmosphere of cafes on this street, which is frequented by those who want to relax and relax.

This unique street in Izmir is among the places you should definitely see when you come to this city.

10. Historical Elevator

The Historical Elevator is a historical building located in İzmir and built in 1907 by the Jewish businessman "Nesim Levi (Bayraklıoğlu)".

The elevator, which includes two elevators operating between Mithatpaşa Street and Şehit Nihatbey Street, one of which is 58 meters higher than the other, was built to provide fast and easy transportation between two districts, one of which is reached by 155 steps.

Today, it is used as an entertainment, culture and resting place by the Izmir Metropolitan Municipality and is an important touristic stop of Izmir.

The elevator, which you can visit free of charge every day of the week, operates between 08:00 in the morning and 00:00 at night.

Where to Stay in Izmir?

Izmir is a city that can be visited in all seasons of the year, and if you are planning a trip to Izmir and intend to stay in the center, staying in a hotel in Konak will make your travel plan much easier as it is the center of the city. Of course, it should be said that the hotels in the center may be more expensive in terms of price. The farther you get from the centre, the more attractive the prices become. In this part of our article, we will share everything from budget hotels in Konak to luxury all-inclusive resorts. So, let's get right to the point and find out where to stay in Izmir, which hotels are in the center of Izmir.

Oğlakcioglu Park Boutique Hotel

We start our list with Oğlakçıoğlu Park Boutique Hotel, a four-star hotel. The hotel, which is very close to the center of Konak, is within a 15-minute walk of Konak Square. Also, if you are thinking of going to a different city by bus, you are only a 5-minute walk from Basmane Station and a 20-minute drive from Izmir Bus Terminal.

You can visit the Culture Park, which is a 10-minute walk from the hotel, and perform various activities, or you can visit Izmir Bay with a 15-minute taxi ride. When making a reservation at this boutique hotel in Izmir, you can choose from three different rooms: 45 standard rooms, two superior rooms and two suites.

All standard rooms have all the features you would expect from a hotel. Suite rooms and superior rooms have the same features, except they offer a spa, a luxury bathroom with a bathtub, and larger room space. Superior rooms also offer a more luxurious feel.

DoubleTree by Hilton

Hilton has a worldwide reputation as one of the most luxurious hotel chains, and we promise you this four-star hotel will not disappoint.

The hotel, which has 126 rooms in total and is located in the center of Izmir, is only a short walk from touristic attractions such as Kulturpark, Kemeraltı Bazaar and Kordonboyu.

The price of this hotel may shock you and it's not a bad shock! You can stay at this hotel for a cheaper price than you think. The hotel has a spa and sauna room and even a rooftop pool with stunning views of all of Izmir.

There are a number of different rooms to choose from, including a king guest room, deluxe room, king superior sea view room, king deluxe sea view and king junior suite, all of which are great but if you're on the budget to spend the extra. We recommend going for a room facing the Aegean Sea.

Piano Hotel

If you are not sure where to stay in Izmir on an attractive budget, then Piano Hotel is highly recommended by us. Piano Hotel is the most affordable hotel we have mentioned so far.

If you want to explore Izmir and do not need a luxury room, this three-star hotel is for you. If you want to have extra facilities in this hotel, which offers the same facilities as other hotels, it is of course possible, but of course, these come at an extra price.

Breakfast is served seven days a week between 07:30 and 10:00 at Piano Cafe, where you can taste local cheese and vegetable varieties, organic jams and different flavors of local Aegean breakfast.

Compared to other hotels, this hotel offers space to socialize and make friends with new people. The main cafe has a living room area where you will get breakfast, so after you finish your breakfast you can relax on the sofa with a cup of coffee and talk to the other people staying at the hotel.

 Located in the center of Izmir, the hotel is within a short walking distance of 17 minutes to Konak Square, 11 minutes to Kültürpark, 16 minutes to Kemeraltı Bazaar and 12 minutes to Kordonboyu.

This hotel has four different room types: single, eco double, double, and superior room. All rooms are simply furnished and the price will vary depending on which room you decide to stay in.