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Aegean meze table, Izmir
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IzmirTravel Guide

Turkey4 stories

Turkey's laid-back Aegean metropolis, where a seafront promenade, a labyrinthine bazaar and a fiercely local food culture meet.

Is Izmir right for you?

When to come

Spring and autumn

Around 34°C by day in July, 13°C in January — recorded at the local weather station.

What it costs

Mid-range. Comfortable without planning around money, expensive if you stop counting.

What we've planned, and who for

We have a full day here planned hour by hour. Longer stays are covered by subject rather than by route.

When to go
January: around 13 degrees by day, 6 at night, 128 millimetres of rain, wet.
February: around 14 degrees by day, 7 at night, 107 millimetres of rain, wet.
March: around 17 degrees by day, 9 at night, 78 millimetres of rain, some rain.
April: around 21 degrees by day, 12 at night, 50 millimetres of rain, some rain. We recommend this month.
May: around 27 degrees by day, 16 at night, 33 millimetres of rain, some rain. We recommend this month.
June: around 31 degrees by day, 21 at night, 14 millimetres of rain, dry and hot. We recommend this month.
July: around 34 degrees by day, 24 at night, 3 millimetres of rain, dry and hot.
August: around 34 degrees by day, 24 at night, 7 millimetres of rain, dry and hot.
September: around 30 degrees by day, 20 at night, 24 millimetres of rain, dry and hot. We recommend this month.
October: around 25 degrees by day, 15 at night, 57 millimetres of rain, some rain. We recommend this month.
November: around 19 degrees by day, 11 at night, 100 millimetres of rain, wet.
December: around 14 degrees by day, 8 at night, 131 millimetres of rain, wet.
Cold to hot, by dayDry to wetWhen we would go

Spring and autumn

Average daily highs, recorded at Izmir, 1991-2020 normals.

Where this comes from

Turkish State Meteorological Service

Budget level

Mid-range

Typical cost profile for visitors

Combine it with
  • Mykonos, Greece190 km

    a short hop — comfortable overland · both good in May, June, September · a different price level (luxury)

  • Rhodes, Greece240 km

    a short hop — comfortable overland · both good in May, June, September · a different price level (mixed)

  • Santorini, Greece270 km

    a short hop — comfortable overland · both good in May, June, September · a different price level (mixed)

  • Athens, Greece300 km

    a short hop — comfortable overland · both good in April, May, June

Plan itWhere to stay in Izmirad · Booking.comTours and tickets
On the map

Finding Izmir

Open in Google Maps Larger map
The stories

Reading Izmir

Charcoal-grilled chicken shish skewers piled on a barbecue beside charred red peppers, flames visible below the grill
01
Food

What to Eat in Izmir: A Dish-by-Dish Guide to Turkey's Aegean Table

Boyoz at breakfast, kumru by the sea, stuffed mussels at midnight — the dishes that define Izmir, and where locals actually eat them.

Turkey · 2 min
The Ottoman-era Izmir Clock Tower rising over Konak Square, its carved stone pavilion ringed by people sitting on the steps, with date palms and streetlamps around the plaza
02
The List

Izmir for Culture Lovers: Ancient Stones, Bazaars and the Aegean's Deep Past

Ancient Smyrna sits underneath modern Izmir — and Ephesus and Pergamon sit just beyond it. The best of the city's art and history, ranked.

Turkey · 2 min
Walkers and a cyclist in silhouette on Izmir's Kordon promenade as the sun drops behind the hills across the Gulf of Izmir, banked cloud burning orange above the water and the wet path catching the light
03
Itineraries

Sunrise to Midnight: One Full Day in Izmir

Izmir is Turkey at its most relaxed, and one well-planned day can hold antiquity, bazaar chaos, a sea crossing and a long Aegean evening.

Turkey · 13 min
A cobbled lane in Alacati near Izmir, a canopy of magenta bougainvillea overhanging pale stone houses, cafe tables and chairs set out along the paving and a turquoise-painted hotel door at the right
04
Stays

Where to Sleep in Izmir: The Neighbourhoods to Book (and the Ones to Skip)

Izmir's visitor city is one narrow waterfront strip: book inside it and everything works, book outside it and you will spend your trip in taxis.

Turkey · 11 min
In pictures

Izmir, framed

Sesame-crusted simit rings stacked on a dark tray, the sesame scattered loose around them — the gevrek Izmir eats for breakfast
Photo: Yasin Onus / Unsplash
Aegean meze table, Izmir
Photo: Gamze Teoman / Unsplash
Aegean meze table, Izmir
Photo: Doğan Alpaslan DEMİR / Unsplash
Note on Çeşme and Alaçatı, Izmir
Photo: Deniz Demirci / Unsplash
Our picks

What we'd do in Izmir

See and do

Eat and drink

Before you go

Practical essentials for Turkey

Money

Turkish lira (TRY)

Language

Turkish; English is common in the big cities and the resort towns, much less so inland

Power

Type C/F, 230V 50Hz

Getting around

An Istanbulkart covers metro, tram, bus, funicular and ferry with sharply discounted transfers; contactless bank cards work on many turnstiles but not on the Marmaray, and charge the full fare every tap.

Tipping

About 10% in restaurants, in cash and handed to the server; round up taxi fares, and check whether a service charge is already on the bill.

Tap water

Tap water is treated to EU standards but old building plumbing means almost everyone drinks bottled water, which is cheap and everywhere.

Driving

Right-hand side; visitors need a 1968 International Driving Permit or a notarised Turkish translation of their licence — the 1949 permit is no longer accepted.

Emergency

112 (all services)

Country-level guidance, checked against official sources. Currency, fares and entry rules change — confirm anything time-critical before you travel.

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