Planning a Trip

Getting There

By Plane -- Izmir's Adnan Menderes Airport is serviced by Turkish Airlines, plus a number of private established and upstart airlines, from Istanbul. Turkish Airlines's Izmir office is located below the Büyük Efes Hotel, in the plaza next to the Tourist Information office, Gaziosmanpasa Bulv. No. 1/F (tel. 0232/484-1220), and at Izmir's Adnan Menderes Airport (tel. 0232/274-2424 or 0232/274-2043). Onur Air, and the lesser-known newcoming, Flyair (Talatpasa Bulvari Dora Apt. No. 50/1 Alsancak; tel. 0212/444-4359) are both represented locally by any number of travel agencies.

Havas bus service (tel. 0212/444-0487) runs daily from the airport into the center of Izmir with a drop-off point at the Turkish Airlines offices in front of the Hotel Grand Ephesus on Gaziosmanpasa Bulvari, next to the Hilton. Bus departure times are coordinated with flight arrivals; expect the ride into the city center to take around 30 minutes. The fare is about 9YTL ($7).

A taxi to your hotel will cost between 47YTL and 54YTL ($35-$40), depending on traffic, whether or not the meter is running, or the driver's "fixed price." If you're not sure how much to spend, try out your haggling abilities on several consecutive taxis, until you figure out how much the ride should really cost. Remember that prices are more expensive between midnight and 6am.

By Bus -- Bus service is frequent and comprehensive in and out of Izmir. Service from Istanbul takes around 9 1/2 hours; from Ankara, 9 hours; from Kusadasi, 1 1/2 hours; from Bergama, 2 1/2 hours; and from Bursa, about 5 1/2 hours. As with anywhere else in Turkey, prices vary from one bus company to the next by as much as 14YTL ($10), so shop around before buying your ticket.

Izmir's main otogar (bus station) is laid out much like an airport, without the user-friendliness that comes with the efficient posting of signs in multiple languages. The exit to the bus station faces a busy parking lot with absolutely no indication as to where you need to go. If possible, ask the bus company that brought you if they provide free minibus service to their ticket offices in the town center. Otherwise, take a deep breath and cross the parking area toward the uncovered section and you'll spot a sleepy lineup of dolmuses -- none of which will take you where you want to go. Instead, get in line before you cross that last street to the dolmus stand and wait for an antique sedan (possibly bright red) that will stuff in the first few people waiting in line. Expect to pay about 9.50YTL ($7) for the excruciating half-hour ride -- through the exhaust fumes of those ahead of you -- to one of the busy corners near your hotel. Keep an eye out for that urchin eyeing your luggage; he actually loads up the trunk when the dolmus finally arrives.

By Train -- Turkish State Railways (www.tcdd.gov.tr/yolcu/trenler.htm) operates two trains daily from Ankara: the Karesi Ekspresi leaves at 7:10pm for the 15-hour trip. A seat on the train costs 18YTL ($13). You have the option of sleeping in a bed on the Mavi Tren, a 14-hour sleeper train that can accommodate up to three per couchette 63YTL ($47) per person for single passengers, 48YTL ($36) per person for two. A seat on the Mavi Tren costs 22YTL ($16). If you're heading north from Selçuk, hop on the Göller Ekspresi, which arrives in Selçuk at 5:16am on its way to Izmir (arrival at 6:56am; 13YTL/$9.60). From Istanbul, you can connect to the Marmara Ekspresi in Bandirma with the help of a connecting ferry from Istanbul; trains depart at 4pm and arrive in Izmir at 10:39pm. The fare is 15YTL ($11). Trains arrive into Izmir's Basmane Gari (tel. 0232/484-8638 or 0232/484-5350 for reservations), about .8km ( 1/2 mile) northeast of Konak, the town center. From Basmane Gari you will need to take a bus or taxi the short ride to your hotel.

By Ferry -- In 2004, Turkish Maritime Lines (tel. 0212/249-9222) discontinued service between Istanbul and Izmir.

Those combining a visit to Turkey with a romp through the Greek islands may hop on a ferry in Chios for service to Çesme, an hour-long bus ride from Izmir's otogar. Ferries run daily from July through September 15 with fewer runs off season.

Visitor Information

Tourist information offices are located in several high-traffic areas: Gaziosmanpasa Bulvari 1/1 in the Büyük Efes Hotel (tel. 0232/484-2147), Akdeniz Mahalesi 1344 Sokak No. 2 Pasaport (tel. 0232/483-6216), and the Adnan Menderes Airport (tel. 0232/274-2214). There's also an ad-hoc information booth in Konak behind the Clock Tower at the entrance of Anafartalar Caddesi. Free maps are provided at the Tourist Information office and often in your hotel room compliments of Ramtur, a local travel agency organizing guided excursions to Ephesus, Pergamum, Miletus-Priene-Didyma, Pamukkale, and Cappadocia (tel. 0232/445-9980; fax 0232/445-7432; www.ramtur.com).

Orientation

Konak, named for the Ottoman government mansion (Hükümet Konagi) located nearby, is where you'll find all the interesting stuff: a bustling seafront park, the little Konak Camii, and the Clock Tower (Saat Kulesi), the symbol of Izmir.

Just behind the tourist information booth at Konak Meydani (the main square) is Anafartalar Caddesi; judging by the magnetic stream of people pouring in, this must be the entrance to the shopping district, also known as Kemeralti. Winding through the oldest section of town are the narrow back streets of Izmir, where an unexpected 17th-century mosque, several synagogues, and a bedesten (privately owned marketplace) cohabit an area long overtaken by inexpensive stores selling inexpensive gold chains.

To the north along the waterfront is Konak Pier, constructed as the Customs Building by Gustave Eiffel between 1875 and 1890 and reopened as a glossy shopping and dining destination. About a 15-minute walk farther up is Cumhuriyet Meydani, punctuated by an equestrian statue of Atatürk, and the grassy waterfront park and promenade of Kordon. This neighborhood around Cumhuriyet Meydani is home to a cluster of four- and five-star hotels, car-rental offices, and travel agencies. It's also part of the residential district of Alsancak, which boasts some restored homes, and another Atatürk Museum. At the northernmost tip are the harbor and ferry terminal. South of Konak Square is the neighborhood of Karatas, once a thriving Jewish community where you will find the Asansör and the restored houses of Dario Moreno Sokak.

Up on the hill is Kadifekale, the fortress established by Alexander the Great. The views are great, and the trip is free, but save yourself the hassle and have a drink in the Hilton Hotel's Windows on the Bay instead.

Getting Around

Much of what might hold a non-native's interest is located in convenient little clusters at various points around the city. Unfortunately, it's all too obvious in bigger cities like Izmir that Turks are lousy at giving directions, so I suggest a taxi. Otherwise, most of your sightseeing and shopping can be done on foot in and around Konak, which includes the museums and main-square attractions, as well as the bazaar, also known as Kemeralti. From Konak, Alsancak is reachable on foot along the scenic waterfront, but for those unable or unwilling to walk, there are municipal buses running regularly from the major bus hub at Konak (just in front of the Atatürk Cultural Center and on the street below the Archaeological Museum). If you're staying in one of the major hotels around Cumhuriyet Meydani, you're just about dead center between Konak and Alsancak. The historic Jewish quarter, today called Asansör for the 19th-century elevator that provides access to the cliff-top residential area, is just south of Konak and also reachable by bus. The bus fare is 1.50YTL (about $1.10).

Public ferries crisscross Izmir's bay between Konak and the busy residential shopping area of Karsiyaka, between Pasaport (at Cumhuriyet Meydani) and KarsIyaka, and between Pasaport and Alsancak. Fares on the ferry are about 1.35YTL ($1) each way. Purchase your jeton at the ticket window prior to boarding, and double-check the destination of the boat, particularly if you're returning to Alsancak from Karsiyaka; it's a relatively long walk from Konak Square to Alsancak if you get on the wrong boat.

The most useful bus line is the no. 200, passing by the Clock Tower at Konak on its way up and around the Bay of Izmir through Alsancak. Look above the windshield for Teleferik-Mavisehir.

At the risk of plowing through millennia of archaeological remains, Izmir has completed the construction of a brand-new one-line metro, usefully connecting Konak with Basmane Train Station and Bornova, a residential suburb known for its thermal springs. The metro runs frequently between 6am and midnight Monday through Friday; service is sparser on weekends. One ride costs 1.50YTL (about $1.10).