Events and festivals

The Izmir International Festival starts in early June and lasts until the first days of August. As part of it, numerous concerts and performances by dance groups take place. In turn, the International Trade and Industry Fair is held from the end of August to the middle of September, which take place in Kultur Parks and remind us of the well-known Poznań fair. During their duration there may be problems with finding accommodation in Lzmir. Every year 9 September, the townspeople celebrate the liberation from the Greek rule. There are parades along the streets of the city, and festivals are organized here and there.

Drive, orientation, connections

We can get to Izmir directly from almost every corner of Turkey, and trips from Bergama are quite frequent (2 time., 3,5 USD). The bus terminal is located approx. 6 km from the city center, and most companies provide service minibuses, which will take us to the Dokuz Eylul Meydam (pl. 9 September – date of Izmir's liberation from Greek rule in 1922 r), that is, a large roundabout with a fountain in the shape of a globe in the middle. Five wide boulevards run off the roundabout, the most important of which, Gazi Buk, goes straight west, to the bay. At the roundabout is also the entrance to the large Kultur Parks, that is the municipal park of culture, where we can breathe fresh air. South of Chodji Anafartalar Cad., which after a while we will reach Basmane train station, on its left side. The second most important street in the city runs west from the station – Fevzipa$a Buk, also extending to the wharf, along which stretches the Ataturk Cad., being from Cumhuriyet Meydani (pl. Republic) the seaside promenade (known to the locals as the so-called. Cord). This square is the second most important square in Lzmir – in the center there is a large equestrian statue of the founder of the republic. Second square, Konak Square, is located approx. 1,5 km south. It is the heart of the city, because this is where the buildings of municipal authorities are concentrated, there is a famous clock tower and a small one, tiled mosque (Konak Mosque). East of the square is the shopping district, forming one large bazaar, with the main street – Anafartalar Cad., which meanders through the shops and stalls all the way to the train station.

As befits a metropolis, the bus terminal is huge (interesting, contemporary architecture), and we will go by bus to each side of the country. On the lower level, we will buy tickets for long-distance routes and we will depart from there, and in the upper one to the nearest towns, like for example. Pergamon, Salihli (Sardinians) or Selsuk Tickets can also be bought in Izmir itself, in numerous offices located at Dokuz Eylul Meydani and in the vicinity of Cumhuriyet Meydani (at Gaziosmanpaja Buk). If the company did not substitute dolmusz, who would take us to the city, we have to take a city bus or dolmus with the inscription Cankaya (0,4 USD). He rides through Dokuz Eylul Meydani, where to get off. To get to the station, we get on this square to the dolmus marked Yeni Otogar or at Fevzipaja Buk (near the post office) to the bus with the word otogar.

There are two train stations in Izmir, the more important of which is Basmane Istasyon. This is where all long-distance trains depart from. It is situated in the very center, near Dokuz Eylul Meydani, that is, close to the hotel district.

Lotnisko izmirskie (Adnan Menderes) is located approx. 20 km south of the city. It handles both domestic flights, as well as several international ones. Havas provides regular connection to the airport (in front of the office THY), but you can also get there by commuter trains from the second train station – Alsancak Station, as well as any train going to Denizli from Basmane Station. There are also several city buses and dolmus to the airport and back. A one-way taxi ride shouldn't cost more than 20 USD. The booking and sale of tickets is carried out by the Turkish airline's office (THY) at Gaziosmanpasa Bulv. 1/F, at the Bijyiik Efes Hotel, tel.: (232) 48412 20, fax: (232) 483 62 81.

Accommodation

Izmir is not a tourist city, therefore the accommodation base is not very happy, when it comes to nice guesthouses, which there are plenty of in Turkey. Here we have a choice of either expensive, luxury hotels, or very cheap serving Turks coming from the provinces to shop in the city. If we want to spend the night in decent conditions, and we cannot afford the luxuries, we must choose a one-star hotel or a hotel of a similar standard. The greatest variety of hotels is located around Basmane Station, more precisely in the square between Gazi Bulv., Gaziosmanpasa Bul. oraz Anafartalar Cad.. coming to 9 September Square. This district is called Cankaya. At the eastern end of Fevzipasa Bulv. and at 1368 Many. there are three hotels.