Initially, there were several reason for visiting in Izmir, Turkey, but the city itself was not one of them. However, once there, I warmed up to it 🙂 The amount of tourists seemed low, so it gave off a genuine vibe. I stayed in Konak, the city centre, and it felt compact, and manageable, despite the city being the country’s third largest. I spent a day and a half only, but with not too much to see and do, I found it to be enough. My highlights were the beautiful Konak Square, and the relaxing waterfront promenade. Markets are not my thing, but Kemeraltı Bazaar was ok. As it was on the way from Konak Square to my hotel, I figured I might as well pass through it. I liked it, because it was not so crammed. Felt more like regular streets with continuous store awnings. I also had time to pop by the Culture Park / Kültürpark. Not a must-do, in my mind. Could be there were cool stuff elsewhere, as I didn’t cover the whole thing. It is big. Has nice running tracks though. Konak is the business district, and everything closed at 6-7 o’clock. Receptionist at the hotel told me, the evenings are busy in the areas where people live. Could be it should be taken into account, when choosing accommodation.
For history buffs, it might be worth checking out the agora, Agora of Smyrna. For me, a visit to the hammam was bull’s eye 🙂
Website: visitizmir.org — The receptionist at the hotel runs his own website: izmirguide.com
Waterfront
Kültürpark / Culture Park
