Turkey’s Most Overlooked City: Izmir

Café on Izmir’s Kordon

Most visitors to the spectacular ruins of Ephesus fly into Izmir, Turkey’s third largest city—and hightail it out of town as fast as possible. Shame on them. And on me. Two years ago, when I wrote the Iconic Itinerary: Turkey, I suggested that daytrippers to the ancient Roman metropolis overnight nearby in the postage-stamp size village of Sirence, with its sweet old farmhouses and vine-covered fields. But the secret’s clearly out. When I went back to western Turkey in September, Sirence’s small streets were stuffed with tourists, tour buses, and tchotchke vendors. All that’s bad enough, but I realized then that even if Sirence were still a sleepy hamlet, it’d be a poor match for the serious Ephesus pilgrim. To really appreciate Ephesus as it once was—a vibrant, cultured, and cosmopolitan city, the place where Antony shacked up with Cleopatra—it makes much more sense to pair it with its modern-day equivalent, Izmir. An hour’s drive north of the ruins, Izmir has a celebrated history too (the ancient name Smyrna may ring a few bells) but it’s the glimpse it offers of modern Turkey that’s even more appealing. A prosperous and progressive port city, Izmir has a sweeping seaside promenade (Kordon) that draws a fascinating mishmash of strollers and café patrons—packs of head-scarved women side by side with packs of college girls in short shorts, mustached fishermen, slick-suited businessmen, and serial shoppers clutching Zara bags (with the palm trees and slew of name-brand boutiques, Izmir might easily pass for Santa Monica). And now, judging by this last trip of mine, there are more reasons than ever to linger in Izmir. Here, a guide to the perfect pit stop before or after a trip to Ephesus:

Where to Sleep

Earl Starkey, one of the Condé Nast Traveler Top Travel Specialists, turned me on to the year-and-a-half old Key Hotel, a 1950s bank turned sleek crash pad right on the Kordon. The high-tech rooms, most with sea views, are especially suited for business travelers (except, perhaps, for the mirrored ceiling above the bed). But the warm staff, swell breakfast spread, and great location, make it a good pick for pleasure travelers too.

What to Do/See

Izmir isn’t exactly known for its museums—that’s more Istanbul’s cup of çay—but Lucien Arkas, an Izmir-born shipping tycoon and serious art collector is trying to change that. Earlier this year he opened the small and elegant Arkas Art Center inside the French consulate, a stone’s throw from the Key Hotel and the Kordon. The exhibits change every few months and take in everything from contemporary photography to French post-impressionists. Through the end of the month (December) is a dazzling show by Turkish photographer Ahmet Ertug of grand opera houses and libraries around the world.

Where to Eat

As luck would have it, there are two good restaurants a stone’s throw from the museum, both recommended to me by the charming young curator of the Arkas Museum, Károly Aliotti. La Cigale offers a little bit of everything—French, Italian, Turkish—in a cheerful dining room tucked away in the garden of the French Cultural Center, across the street from the museum. And just up the street from Arkas, facing the Kordon, is the elegant Deniz Restaurant, which Károly swears serves the best fish in town.

via Turkey’s Most Overlooked City: Izmir : Condé Nast Traveler.