A Traveler’s Guide to İzmir’s Surroundings: Ephesus, Çeşme & More

Sure! Let me list it here clearly so you can understand directly.

You can use a contactless credit card for most public transportation — metro, bus, ferry, and tram.

The only exception is the long-distance train called İZBAN (often used when arriving by plane).

İZBAN doesn’t accept credit cards because it calculates the fare based on the distance and refunds part of it when you exit, so you’ll need a local transportation card for that line.

If you buy a local transportation card, there’s a great benefit: within 90 minutes, transfers are free.

So, if you take multiple rides within 90 minutes, you’ll only be charged once per person and per card.

Our city center is Konak, so I’ll start from there:

We have the Clock Tower, built in 1901. It’s a nice place to start your tour.
📍 https://maps.app.goo.gl/MUaJhx3aQb4zvgiR6

From there, you’ll enter one of the biggest open-air bazaars in the world, called Kemeraltı (meaning “Under the Arch”). It used to be covered with arches. There are around 1,500 shops, so you can find almost everything here. However, as a tourist, avoid shops that call out to you—some may try to scam you. Prefer stores with visible price tags.

One of the nicest places inside the bazaar is this historical inn, built in 1744:
📍 https://maps.app.goo.gl/NmfE1WmwJfG8NSnv7
Right next to it is Hisar Mosque, one of the oldest mosques in the city center:
📍 https://maps.app.goo.gl/PohV3j1igyYqJnB17

In Konak, you should try these local foods:

• Kumru: A traditional and famous İzmir sandwich. This place is cheap and good, but they only accept cash:
  📍 https://maps.app.goo.gl/2tZMzVacUKTL6B3z7
• Şambali: A small İzmir-style dessert that you should try. This shop is famous and accepts cards:
  📍 https://maps.app.goo.gl/DzUMuNyFvHfV88Fo8
• Söğüş: A cold dish made with mixed offal (organs). I haven’t tried it myself, but many say it’s delicious:
  📍 https://maps.app.goo.gl/3mbPuDmxh4hRrvko6

After visiting Konak, you can go to the İzmir Elevator:

📍 https://maps.app.goo.gl/yBs3BZKR6ZTZgadZA
This place is nice and free to visit. It was built by a Jewish businessman to help people living in the hills access the upper parts of the city more easily. You can get there by tram.

After visiting the elevator, you can head to Alsancak.

This is the modern center of İzmir. You can reach and visit some of these places:

• This is Atatürk’s House Museum. Atatürk is the founder of our republic and the first president. The museum is free and easy to visit:
  📍 https://maps.app.goo.gl/yZdX4PeeizoQzL4D8
• You can also visit this lively street filled with many shops and restaurants. It’s one of the most popular hangout areas for locals:
  📍 https://maps.app.goo.gl/YdyuPkvHoAY7L2mu9

For food, here are some local suggestions:

• Bomba: A famous İzmir dessert filled with chocolate. It’s very popular and definitely worth trying. It’s not expensive and you can pay by card.
• Boyoz: A local bakery item from İzmir, similar to börek but unique. You should try it in the morning. This is one of the first places that started making it:
  📍 https://maps.app.goo.gl/Hq2DtxsCX2rMhPqA9
  It’s affordable and they accept cards.
• There are also some nice small cafés where you can try local carbonated drinks called gazoz. They come in different flavors. Here’s a good spot to try them:
  📍 https://maps.app.goo.gl/1CKcLUshwnbqWuTu8
  The street around this café is also great—it’s a popular area for students.

You can also consider staying near Alsancak, as it’s a nice and central area.

We also have some places outside the city that are worth visiting:

• You can travel to a Greek island from İzmir. It takes only about 30 minutes by boat. To do this, you need to go to Çeşme, which is a popular summer destination in İzmir. It’s great for swimming and has an atmosphere that resembles Greek coastal towns.
  Here is the central area of this district:
  https://maps.app.goo.gl/LPsjnq2ZfBJS5a1s9
• If you want to experience the Roman period, you can visit Ephesus. One of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World is located nearby. The entrance fee is around €40. There’s also the House of the Virgin Mary close to Ephesus, but there’s no direct transportation to it—however, hitchhiking works quite easily.
  Ephesus is really impressive. You can get there by local transportation, and it’s also easy to return.
  Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/ajQT3MQxgxjWj63H8
• Near Ephesus, there is a wine village famous for its fruity wines. You can also get there by public transportation from Ephesus. It’s a lovely place to visit.
  Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/EZVwb7n15ikMq88c6