A day in central İzmir on foot

This route covers the centre of İzmir in one day. It starts at Konak Square, goes through the Kemeraltı bazaar to the Agora of Smyrna and continues to the Asansör lift in Karataş. It ends on the Kordon seafront in Alsancak. Kemeraltı, the Agora and Kadifekale have been on UNESCO's tentative World Heritage list since 2020 as parts of the historic port city.

Konak Square and the Clock Tower

Konak Square is named after the Governor's Mansion on its edge. The Clock Tower in the middle was built in 1901 for the 25th anniversary of Sultan Abdülhamid II's accession. It is 25 m high and was designed by the Levantine French architect Raymond Charles Péré. The clock was a gift from the German emperor Wilhelm II. Next to the tower is the small Yalı Mosque, faced with tiles from Kütahya. The M1 metro has a station at Konak, with tram and ferry connections.

Kemeraltı bazaar

Kemeraltı begins at the square and runs inland as far as the Mezarlıkbaşı quarter. The bazaar grew in the 17th century on the filled-in inner harbour. Its main street, Anafartalar Caddesi, is curved because it follows the old shoreline. Shops sell copperware, ceramics, carpets, leather goods and Aegean food.

Kızlarağası Hanı is a caravanserai built in 1744 by Hacı Beşir Ağa. It has a courtyard and a two-storey covered market. It was restored between 1988 and 1993 and is now used for shopping. Hisar Mosque, from the late 16th century, is also in the bazaar. Several synagogues stand on and around Havra Sokağı.

Agora of Smyrna

The Agora is in the Namazgâh quarter, at the upper end of the bazaar. The marketplace of ancient Smyrna was founded at the end of the 4th century BC. An earthquake destroyed it in 178 AD, and it was rebuilt under Emperor Marcus Aurelius. Almost everything that stands today dates from that rebuilding. Visitors see the basilica, the west portico and a row of Corinthian columns. About three thousand Roman-period graffiti were recorded in the basilica. Excavations began in 1933 and still continue. The ground on the site is unpaved.

Asansör in Karataş

Asansör is a lift tower in the Karataş quarter, built in 1907 by the businessman Nesim Levi. It links Mithatpaşa Caddesi near the shore with the street on top of the cliff. Before the lift, residents climbed a stairway between the two. The entrance is on Dario Moreno Sokağı, named after the singer who lived there. At the top are a cafeteria and a viewing balcony over the gulf. The Karataş stop of the Konak Tram is the next stop after Konak İskele.

Kordon at the end of the day

Kordon is the seafront in Alsancak, between Cumhuriyet Square and Alsancak Port. This stretch is about 1,700 m long. The strip by the water opened to the public on 15 June 2000, with lawns, footpaths and a cycle path. Cafés and fish restaurants face the sea. Near Konak Square, Konak Pier is a former customs building from 1875–1890, attributed to Gustave Eiffel and now a shopping centre. The provincial tourism office lists the Kordon for its sunset views.

Practical notes

Check the opening hours of the Agora with the site before you go, and the ferry timetable with İZDENİZ. Ephesus, Şirince, Alaçatı and the Pergamon Acropolis are separate day trips from İzmir and have their own pages in this guide.