İzmir is a neighbor to the cities of Manisa, Balıkesir and Aydın. It is home to the 7th largest harbor in Turkey. The city of İzmir is industrially developed. Out of the three metropolises of Turkey, İzmir is the only one that generates enough electricity for itself.

The effects of the Mediterranean climate are observed. On average, there are 10 days where the average temperature is below zero while there are 100 days where it’s above 30 °C. Its flora consists of plants like maquis shrubland, olive trees, terebinth trees. The forests make up 40% of the city’s land.

Also developed in tourism, İzmir’s Çeşme, Alsancak and Foça districts attract many tourists, local and foreign. In the year 2021 the number of tourists who visited İzmir is 1 million 36 thousand. Alaçatı district which is known for its beaches that are known for being suitable for windsurfing also has hotels and entertainment venues. And also Ephesus Ancient City and Erythrai Ancient City are historical sites that attract tourists’ attraction. Because it is in the Aegean region, İzmir cuisine is known for the region’s olive oil based dishes and side dishes.

The first historical setting that comes to mind in İzmir is the Ephesus Ancient City. It is located in İzmir’s Selçuk district and it is a part of the UNESCO World Heritage List. The ancient city, which is known to be built in BCE 6000, was moved next to the Artemis Temple in BCE. 560. In the 1.-2. centuries BCE, it was the biggest harbor city in the region. Although there are many structures to visit inside the ancient city, some of the must-see ones are as follows:

• Gate of Magnesia
• East Gymnasium and Scholastica Baths
• Upper Agora and Basilica of St. John
• Odeon Theatre
• Prytaneion
• Temple of Domitian
• The Pollio Fountain

A lesser known ancient city is the Erythrai Ancient City, also known as Ildırı. Ildırı, which is a town located in the Çeşme district, gets its name from the ancient city that is located in it. To reach the ancient city, you can take a walk from the center of Ildırı. Erythrai Ancient City was one of the 12 Ionian Cities, and was later ruled by Lydians and Persians. The structures worth seeing in the ancient city are the Temple of Athena Polias, St. Matrone Church, Theatre, Heroon, Kybele’s Place.