IZMIR TRAVEL GUIDE AND TOURIST ATTRACTIONS FOR 2024

Izmir, with its bay lined by seaside walkways shaded by palm trees, wide avenues and green parks, is truly "the pearl of the Aegean". It is mentioned in countless myths and has the remains of many past civilisations, along with vibrant fishing harbours and popular holiday villages. The famous historian Herodotus described the Aegean coast as "having the most beautiful skies in the world and the best climate". All along the coast there are endless beaches protected by olive and pine trees growing from steep slopes overlooking unspoilt bays, peninsulas and islands.

Through its great and historic harbour, Izmir is the gateway of Western Anatolia opens onto the world.

It is a major trade and cultural centre and thus extraordinarily well suited for meetings, conferences and congresses.

It is also home to many luxury and first class hotels, a great variety of restaurants, sporting activities, entertainment, shops, and a year-round temperate climate.

Being one of the oldest city settlements of the Mediterranean basin, Izmir is known to be one of Turkey's most populous cities and also labelled as the country's largest port after Istanbul.

The city itself is situated in the Gulf of Izmir, by the Aegean Sea. There are altogether 9 metropolitan districts that make up Izmir Province :-

•   Balova
•   Bornova
•   Buca
•   Cigli
•   Gaziemir
•   GUzelbahce
•   Karsyaka
•   Konak
•   Narldere

Each of these districts has its own set of features.

Izmir is well known for its busy schedule of trade fairs, exhibitions and congresses.

The city hosts an international arts festival during June and July, and the Izmir International Fair which is one of the many other fair and exhibition events found in Izmir.

The event is held annually in the beginning of September at Kulturpark.

Some of other prominent landmarks in Izmir includes :-

•   Forum Bornova Shopping Center is inspired in concept by Izmir's traditional architecture
•   Konak Quay
•   The populars Izmir Clock Tower at night on Konak Square
•   Sirinyer Hippodrome in Buca
•   Izmir Stock Exchange Building
•   Inciralti Sea Museum

•   By Road: There are direct bus services to the closest and most important cities.
•   By Air: Izmir International Adnan Menderes Airport is 10 km from the city centre.
•   By Rail: There is a direct service to Ankara.
•   By Sea: Izmir Alsancak port and the harbours at Cesme, Aliaga and Dikili are all important sea ports which receive cruise liners and ferries.

All the characteristics of a Mediterranean climate, mild and wet winters, hot and dry summers.

Annual average temperature is 14-18 degrees Celsius, sea average temperature is 17.60 degrees Celsius. Summers are fairly long.

•   Ephesus
•   Kadifekale
•   Agora
•   Sirinyer
•   Kizilcullu Aqueducts
•   Mosques dating from the Seljuk and Ottoman periods
•   Kizlaragasi Cave
•   Historical Asansor (Lift) Building
•   Clock Tower
•   Sirince Village

•   Izmir Archaelogy Museum
•   Ataturk Museum
•   Bergama Museum
•   Cesme Museum
•   Efes Museum
•   Odemis Museum
•   Birgi Cakiraga Mansion
•   Tire Museum
•   Ethnographical Museum
•   History and Art Museum
•   Selcuk Yasar Art Museum
•   Pristina City Archives and Museum

•   Old/Early Christian Mounments (visits to Ephesus and House of the Virgin Mary)
•   Classic City Tour
•   Ancient Civilisations and Natural Wonders Excursion (Pamukkale, Hierapolis and Aphrodisias)
•   Early Period Ottoman Architecture and Classical Archaelogy (Mosques and Manisa Archaelogy Museum)

There are 629 km of Aegean coastline in the Province of Izmir. Of this, 101 km are natural sandy beaches famous for their sand :-

•   Selcuk-Pamucak
•   Urla and Gulbahce
•   Cesme-Ilica
•   Gumuldur
•   Ozdere
•   Dikili
•   Candarli
•   Foca-Yeni Foca

•   Cesme Camel Wrestling (January)
•   International Agamemnon and Folk Dancing Festival (May)
•   International Izmir Festival (June-July)
•   Foca Culture and Art Festival (August)
•   International Izmir Trade Fair (August-September)
•   Urla Peninsula Games (September)
•   International Foca Occasional Sea and Fishing
•   Documentaries Festival (September)

•   Hunting
•   Mountaineering
•   Youth Tourism
•   Wintersports (Bozdag Ski Centre)
•   Water Sports
•   Scuba Diving
•   Sailing
•   Yachting

Izmir cuisine is a genuine combination of Aegean, Mediterranean and Anatolian influences. Some favourites :-

•   Bulgamac (thick) soup
•   tarhana (curds) soup
•   water cress soup
•   sakiz stew
•   Izmir meatballs
•   stuffed artichokes
•   tomato stew
•   yer elmasi
•   semolina
•   spinach borani
•   Efes arapsaci
•   ebegumeci
•   radika salatasi
•   kumru
•   gerdan sweet
•   Kemalpasa cherry
•   tulum cheese

•   Dried figs
•   Sultanas
•   Bergama tulum cheese
•   Lokma
•   Odemis silk (Pembizar)
•   Silk Textiles
•   Needleworks
•   Yemeni and Gorece evil eye pendants are all locally produced.

Efes Convention Center

Sehit Nevris Bey Bulvari no : 2 Alsancak / IZMIR Tel : +90 232 445 48 56 Fax : +90 232 445 47 57

Conference Facilities This is Izmir's principal congress centre boasting 12 meeting halls, a 5000 square metres fair and exhibition area, 3320 person meeting capacity, 1410 person banquet capacity. Technical Services Visual communicatins equipment, fax, telephone, computer, internet connection, ventilation, catering services, car park, car hire service.

Kulturpark Fair Area

Sair Esref Bulvari No: 50 Kulturpark / IZMIR Tel : +90 232 445 39 94 Fax : +90 232 445 00 40

Conference Facilities The area includes a total of 55,000 square metres of exhibition area with 14 indoor exhibition venues and meeting rooms. Technical Services Visual communications equipment, fax, telephone, computer, internet connection, ventilation, catering service, car park, car hire service, open air pool, accommodation (5 star)