Izmir, Turkey:
Izmir is the third biggest city in turkey and it expands across the coast of the Aegean Sea. It has remained as one of the most secular cities in country with very welcoming people. There are many different gorgeous sights to see and explore along this coastal landscape. Within Izmir there are multiple different providences to explore.
Cesme:
Known for its gorgeous beaches, with turquoise water. These were the nicest beaches of the whole trip. The house within the city were all stones with red roofs, fro which the town Alacati gets its name.
Urla:
- An up and coming city with-in Izmir. there was some any cool areas to explore. Many of the influential and popular inhabitants of the larger cities in Turkey are beginning to move near this region.
- Urla Sarapcilik: this is a winery that looks like you are in Italy. The drive up the winery itself is gorgeous.
- Urla art street: There are many different stores and restaurants to check out and explore. We got drinks at Istifci, a cute outdoor restaurant.
Cesmealti:
Gelinkaya
A little beach town with crystal clear waters. This can just be a few hour stop during your trip. There is a lot of renovation going on around the area.
Kusadasi, Turkey
Kusadasi is about an hour and a half away from Izmir and is a must do. It is also along the Aegean Sea so it has the pretty beaches and blue water that is surrounded by mountains but there is alot of historical ruins around the city.
Ephesus
About 20-30 minute drive from Kusadasi located in Selcuk, Turkey. It is one of largest ancient cities in the world and was built in 1oth century BC. It was part of the Ionian regime and came under control of the Roman Republic. Along with Roman history, it is an important site for Christian history as well. It is believed to be the final resting place of Mary.
Library of Celsus, shown above, is one of the many sights within the city. Other must see ruins include Ephesus amphitheater, main harbor street, and The Church of Mary.
Cost: about $19 to enter. You can get a tour guide to take you around the city as well.
We visited during the spring time and went about 2 hours before it closed and were able to see everything we wanted.
Things to Know:
- If you are flying into Istanbul, all these places are about a 10 hour car drive from Istanbul. What I did was stayed in a centrally located hotel in Istanbul and walked everywhere and then flew to Izmir. An alternative option is to use a bus service from Istanbul to Izmir (or any other location). Tourism bus services in Turkey include Nilufer, Kamil Koc, Varan, Pamukkale; these are very luxurious with great service.
- The flights for any domestic destination in Turkey are very cheap about $50 a flight (subject to timing of travel).
- I do recommend getting a rental car. They drive on the right side of the road.
- I would recommend staying in Cesme for 3 days, Urla for 1 day and Kusadasi for 2. I think you would able to hit everything you wanted in that time period.
- My trip will be different than most since we went to visit my boyfriends family but that just means I was able to explore Turkey like a local so hopefully it is helpful for your adventure!
- Keep in mind that our trip was in April and summer months can be much more crowded when visiting these touristic destinations.
Up to the Sky 