Istanbul + Izmir: the Aegean coast and Ephesus instead of another beach
Izmir is the calmest of Turkey's big cities, and around it lie antiquity, white villages and Pamukkale. For those who have done Antalya and want something else.
Why the Aegean, not the Mediterranean
Turkey's Mediterranean coast is hotels and everything that comes with them. The Aegean is arranged differently: the towns live their own lives, the shoreline is broken up, and the main sights are ruins rather than beaches. Izmir is a big port city without a tourist centre as such, and that is exactly what makes it pleasant: the Kordon waterfront in the evening belongs to residents, not visitors.
What to see from Izmir
Ephesus is the best-preserved ancient city on the Mediterranean: the Library of Celsus, a theatre for twenty-five thousand, streets rutted by carts. Go at opening and not on a weekend. Nearby is Sirince, a mountain village with fruit wine. Alacati has whitewashed houses, indigo shutters and the wind that brings the kitesurfers. Cesme is the sea. Pamukkale with its limestone terraces and Hierapolis is three hours away — a long day of its own. Another option is Bergama, ancient Pergamon, with a theatre on a steep slope and the sanctuary of Asclepius: fewer people go there and there is no less to see.
How to split a week
Three nights in Istanbul, four in Izmir. Of the four days in Izmir, two go on trips out (Ephesus with Sirince, Pamukkale), one on Alacati and Cesme, one on the city itself: the Asansor lift, the Kemeralti bazaar, the waterfront. If you want more sea, swap Pamukkale for a second day by the water — the terraces will wait, summer will not.
Getting there
Flights between Istanbul and Izmir are frequent and cheap, a little over an hour. Inside the region a car is the most convenient: buses run, but the connections between villages are timed inconveniently and the day goes on waiting. Return flights from Izmir exist, so the route builds as a loop.
When to go
May–June and September–October. Summer on the Aegean is hot but easier than on the Mediterranean — the wind helps, the same wind that keeps the kitesurfers in Alacati. In July and August Ephesus is seen before nine in the morning or not at all. In winter the coast is empty and damp, with half the places shut.
Ephesus without the crowd
Ephesus takes coaches from cruise ships, and the difference between nine in the morning and midday is the difference between a city and a queue. Arrive at opening and enter through the upper gate: then you walk down Curetes Street while the main mass climbs towards you. The separate ticket for the terrace houses is worth it — mosaics and frescoes under a canopy, with three times fewer people. Nearby, in Selcuk, are the Basilica of St John, a museum with finds from the Temple of Artemis, and the temple's own foundation: one column is all that remains of one of the seven wonders.
What to eat on the Aegean
Aegean cooking is noticeably lighter than the rest of Turkey: the point is olive oil and herbs rather than meat. A whole genre is zeytinyagli — vegetables stewed in oil and served cold. Wild greens (sevketi bostan, radika) are sold on markets by the bunch. From the sea: grilled mullet, octopus, mussels stuffed with rice eaten one by one on the street. And boyoz, the Izmir pastry for breakfast, baked nowhere else.
Practical matters
No visa. There is almost no shade in Ephesus — water, a hat and unfashionable shoes are compulsory. Tickets to Ephesus and Pamukkale get more expensive every year, and the annual museum card pays for itself by the third site if you are doing an ancient programme. Between Izmir and the surrounding towns run dolmus minibuses that leave when full rather than by timetable: cheap, but budget the time.
Moscow → Istanbul → Izmir
Route and nights go into the form — adjust the date and passengers.