Izmir is a city that is often part of our tours in Turkey . Turkey tours, sometimes as a startingsometimes as a starting or ending point. But because of competition from other important Turkish destinations (Istanbul, Cappadocia, Ephesus, Pamukkale…), it is not always visited by foreign tourists. However, all the people we list below have reasons to travel to Izmir. So if you are one of them, do not miss this interesting city bathed by the Aegean Sea.
Lovers of ancient Greek literature
Smyrna was probably the birthplace of Homer. Although not everyone admits it due to the lack of documents, this possibility is strongly defended in this city. Whether or not it is true, modern experts maintain that he came from ancient Ionia, the region in which Smyrna was located. And they base their claims on linguistic features of his works, among which the Odyssey and the Iliad undoubtedly stand out.
Christian pilgrims
Our catalog has several pilgrimage circuits for Christians. And Smyrna is part of some of them because of its close links with early Christianity. For example, for having been a church to which St. John addressed by letter from Patmos in his famous Apocalypse. In fact, it was home to one of his disciples, St. Polycarp, to whom a temple is dedicated in the city.
Sephardic Jews (and non-sephardic Jews)
After the expulsion of the Jews from the Iberian Peninsula (from Spain in 1492 and from Portugal in 1496), many of them (known as Sephardim because Sepharad is the name they use for that territory) had to seek refuge in other parts of the world. And it was the Ottoman Empire that was the most receptive. Many landed in Istanbul, but Izmir was one of the cities that welcomed the most Sephardim. Proof of this are the numerous synagogues of this type that are still preserved today. However, in the area known as the Jewish quarter, around Havra Sokağı (Synagogue Street), there are many other Jewish temples of different origin and equally interesting. Some of them, in a dilapidated state, but others in perfect working order, replete with beauty, the La Senyora and Bet Hillel stand out.
Cruising in the Aegean
Izmir is the third largest city in Turkey, and the second largest port in the country. And thanks to its beautiful location right on the Aegean coast, it is not surprising that it is a daily port of call for large ships sailing various routes in the Aegean Sea, including the Greek Islands. After docking, it is possible to go on excursions around the city or its surroundings, boosting local commerce and hospitality. That is why its main tourist icons, such as the promenade (Kordon), the Kemeralti Market and Konak Meydani Square with its clock tower, are always crowded with tourists.
Travelers in search of leisure
Among the Turks themselves, Izmir has the reputation of being the most open and lively city in the country. Its coastal character influences in it, but also an economic dynamism that has favored a certain cosmopolitanism. It is for this reason that numerous nightclubs are located here, but also bars where you can enjoy the local coffee specialty, the fincanda pisen Turk kahvesi, in a cup and not in a copper container. It is also a dynamic city at the academic level, with a large presence of students: from university students to linguistic tourists who come here to learn Turkish.
These are just five reasons to travel to Izmir, but everyone can find their own, because the city offers many other faces: contemporary architecture, Roman archaeological remains, classical music, jazz and folklore… So if you want to organize a tailor-made trip to Izmir, do not hesitate to contact us.
