Izmir is Turkey’s largest port after Istanbul and is located along the coast of the Aegean Sea in the Gulf of Izmir. This Gulf, which was earlier known as Gulf of Smyrna is now known as Izmir Korfezi. Izmir, which was known as Smyrna in the olden days, is Turkey’s third most thickly populated city and Turkey’s second largest port city.
The city of Izmir was once famous for figs, but today it is a major port and commercial center. The city that you see today is the new Izmir – a fire had wiped out most of the old city. You will find the city has good hotels and restaurants, a big bus terminal known as Otogar, and a busy airport.
The Aegean coast’s tallest building, the Hilton Izmir, is 32 storey’s tall and is located over the Izmir Bay, and very close to the Izmir International Fairgrounds. Some of the other hotels here are the Residence Comfort Izmir, the Movenpick Hotel Izmir, the Anemon Hotel, Hotel Beyond, and the Crowne Plaza.
Izmir offers you an excellent selection of restaurants which offers your choice gourmet cuisine. Some of these restaurants are:
• Asansor: Excellent food with live Turkish music and a stunning view of the city.
• Balik Pisiricisi: A place for good seafood. The queues outside vouch for this fact.
• Deniz Restaurant: This is another wonderful seafood restaurant.
• Dort Mevsim Et Lokantasi: This is a famous restaurant – try their Ocakbasi, Stuffed Aubergine Kebab, or the Kofte.
Izmir is a city where you will find a lot of interesting things. You have excellent hotels where you can stay in comfort and enjoy your stay in Izmir. The Izmir Adnan Menderes International Airport is close by. There are many beautiful things to see in this amazing town of Izmir. Go and see the beautiful Clock Tower, the Archaeological Museum, the Konak Yali Mosque, the Jewish Synagogue, and the Kadifekale Castle. These are only some of the sights, but there are a few more which you can explore.
The game of Golf was introduced in Turkey in the early 1800s. And, since then golf tourism has developed here quite rapidly, and Izmir is a city where golf is quite popular. The first golf club was started in Istanbul in 1895, and this was followed by a number of clubs in other places. There are a number of golf courses as well as a number of golf resorts in and around Izmir. A couple of famous golf resorts near Izmir are the Vita Park Golf Resort and the Kusadasi Golf Resort. Come and explore Izmir – you might fall in love with it.
