What's up guys, we're here in Izmir and in this video we're going to show
you the best things to do in and around the area. It's a really bustling city:
lots of stuff going on and there's some really cool day trips you can do
to some pretty spectacular stuff as well. So hope you enjoy the video.
We are Zac and Ine, full-time digital nomads from the United States and Belgium.
We met while studying abroad in 2018 and have been traveling the world together ever since.
We're here to inspire your next adventure, whether it's hiking in the Canadian Rockies,
a road trip through the U.S., or backpacking across Africa. On our channel you'll find
unfiltered videos of hiking guides and the best things to do in destinations around the world.
Izmir is located in western Turkey along the Aegean Sea. It's the third largest city in
Turkey after Istanbul and Ankara, with over 3 million inhabitants. It's a popular university
town in Turkey, so much of the population is made up of young students giving the city a youthful
and vibrant feel. The city offers a mix of cultural, historical, and archaeological sites.
Thus, it's a great place to visit if you want to immerse yourself in Turkish culture and enjoy the
unique local cuisine. You can combine your visit to Izmir with nearby beautiful beach destinations
such as Kuşadası, Çeşme, or Marmaris. Now let's dive into what this bustling city has to offer.
At number six, we have the neighborhood of Konak. Konak is Izmir's core historic area located right
next to the water. It's known for its busy square full of pigeons, but you can also find Izmir's
iconic landmark here: the clock tower. This was erected in 1901 and is now the most-photographed
monument in all of Izmir. But besides the clock tower, it's also a great idea to walk around,
dine, or shop at the Konak Pier, or simply enjoy the fresh air of the sea along the water.
So here I'm surrounded by pigeons and you can buy some little seeds from the locals and
feed them all around the square. There's like thousands of them.
Just like so many other cities in Turkey, modern day Izmir has an ancient past.
Known as Smyrna in the past, it was founded by the Greeks, taken over by the Romans,
and rebuilt by Alexander the Great before becoming part of the Ottoman Empire in the 15th century.
Today, there are only a few ancient ruins left such as the Roman Agora and the Kadifekale
castle that sits on top of the hill overlooking Izmir. You can also visit the archaeological
museum of Izmir, which has a large display of artifacts from the Greek and Roman periods.
The bustling neighborhood of Alsancak is located in the heart of the city. It's the center of
culture and entertainment, thus the ideal place to indulge yourself in the local Turkish culture.
There are many amazing restaurants, bars, shops, hotels, and nightclubs at your fingertips.
For that reason, it's also the best and safest area to stay in. We really encourage you to try
the different local foods here! This is something you absolutely have to try. It's a dessert called
"kunefe" and it's like a cheese baked with like coconuts and different things, it's delicious.
The third best thing to do in and around Izmir is to go on a one-day or multi-day trip to Pamukkale.
This magical destination is located about 230 kilometers or 143 miles from Izmir. It
can easily be reached within a day or two by bus, tour bus, train, or rental car. Pamukkale
is known for its one-of-a-kind thermal pools nestled within thick layers of white limestone.
The limestone pools are of course a unique and beautiful sight for pictures but there's so much
more than that at Pammukale. In fact, there's an entire ancient city behind the thermal pools.
This city is called Hieropolis and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988. Watch our
other video all about Pamukkale and book your day tour via the link in the description below.
The second best thing to do in Izmir is to visit the local Kemeralti Bazaar.
This is one of the liveliest and oldest parts of the city and lies right besides Konak Square.
Hence, it can be easily combined with a visit to Konak Square and even the
Roman Agora or other ancient sites of Izmir. The bazaar was one of our
favorite activities in the city because of the smells, flavors, coziness, and local atmosphere.
It's a historic market with many traditional shops and cafés,
but also historic buildings such as the Hissar Mosque which dates back to the 16th century.
One day you must come here and see the culture. Our bazaar is very old,
big, you can find all that you want. Handmade products also
good quality copies. And what's the name of your shop? "Red Bags"
and the name of the bazaar? Kemeralti.
The best thing to do in Izmir is to go on a day trip to Ephesus. Ephesus is our favorite ancient
ruin in all of Turkey. The ruins are located about 80 kilometers or 50 miles from Izmir, near the
city of Selçuk. You can easily get there by train, bus, or car, and combine it with a visit to the
house of Virgin Mary, a sacred place. Ephesus was an ancient port city and once considered the most
important Greek city and the most important trading center in the Mediterranean region.
Throughout history, Ephesus survived multiple attacks and changed hands many times between
conquerors. What's truly special about this site is how well the ruins are preserved.
You can find ancient toilets, a library, two theaters, and much more. We especially loved
the Terrace Houses with beautiful frescoes and mosaics, which can be visited for an extra fee.
Get a guide at the entrance and learn all about the history. We've also included a link to book
your own day-tour to Ephesus in the description below. Welcome to Ephesus city. My name is Farooq,
I'm a local guide and local citizen here, and born and raised here. Over two hundred thousand people
used to be living in this beautiful city Ephesus. All the roads goes to Rome, and in Asia all the
roads was going to and ending in Ephesus city. Incredible city, 10 kilometer all around,
and this beautiful day we have a chance to visit this beautiful city together with my friends.
There are some other things to do in and around Izmir that we didn't mention in this video.
These include visiting the Roman ruins of Pergamon Acropol which are located about a
two-hour drive north of the city, relaxing on the nearby beaches of Çeşme or Kuşadası,
and exploring the lesser-known ruins of Magnesia Ad Meandrum.
Alright guys that's it for our video on the best things to do in Izmir.
What activities are you most excited to do yourself? Let us know in the comments below. Make
sure to like this video if you found it helpful, subscribe to our channel for more Turkey videos,
and download our free giveaway in the description below. Catch you on the next adventure.