Izmir City Tour with a Professional Guide
- 5 hours
- Free cancellation up to 24h before
- Guided in English
- Mobile ticket
Highlights
Discover the rich history, culture, and local character of Izmir on an immersive city tour led by a licensed professional guide. Begin at the historic Izmir Elevator, where you can enjoy panoramic views of the city. Here, you may also choose the optional experience of watching traditional Turkish Ebru marbling art. Continue to Konak Square, home to the iconic Izmir Clock Tower, one of the city’s best-known landmarks. From there, explore the vibrant atmosphere of Kemeraltı Bazaar, where historic streets, traditional shops, local culture, and daily life come together. The final stop is the Agora of Ancient Smyrna, one of Izmir’s most important archaeological sites. Discover the ancient history of Smyrna and learn about key figures connected to the city, including Alexander the Great and Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius. Throughout the tour, your guide will share insights into Izmir’s history and cultural heritage. Travel between stops on foot or comfortably by public transportation.
Inclusions
What's included
- Public transportation
- Licensed professional tour guide
What's not
- If experienced, the lunch or snacks can turn out to be a gastronomic experience. Cost is up to guest's decision.
- Smyrna Agora Entrance Fee
- Private Tour Arts Show
- Group Arts Show
Itinerary
We will visit the historic elevator, which has been in operation since 1907. After reaching the viewing area, approximately 40 meters above the ground, you will enjoy a breathtaking panoramic view of İzmir. Here, we will also have the opportunity to discover Ebru, the traditional Turkish art of marbling. You will learn how this fascinating art is created and, if you wish, have the chance to try it yourself. Or we will watch a local artist creating handmade leather bracelets. If you wish, you can even take part in making your own bracelet. Making this arts activity can take aproximately 20 minutes more. And Ebru Arts activity needs to be extra paid as explained in the tour details.
The İzmir Clock Tower was built in 1901 to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the accession to the throne of the Ottoman Sultan Abdülhamid II. Designed by a French architect, the tower features elegant craftsmanship with North African influences. It quickly became one of the most recognizable symbols of İzmir and remains perhaps the city’s most iconic landmark. We will have the opportunity to take a closer look at this beautiful monument and appreciate the elegance and artistic details that reflect the spirit of its era.
Yalı Mosque, also known as Konak Mosque, is one of İzmir’s most recognizable Ottoman landmarks. Built in 1755 by Ayşe Hanım, the mosque stands beside Konak Square and the Clock Tower. Its elegant octagonal design, distinctive red-tiled exterior, and charming ceramic decorations make it a beloved symbol of İzmir.
The historic Kemeraltı Bazaar is İzmir’s oldest commercial district, with a history that stretches back to ancient times. As an open-air marketplace, it is also one of the largest historic bazaars of its kind in the world. Kemeraltı has long been the heart of İzmir’s trade and remains one of the most important commercial and cultural centers in Türkiye. During our visit, we will explore the historic bazaar, including an Ottoman-era mosque and a traditional caravanserai. You will have plenty of time to browse the shops and do some shopping at your own pace, while also discovering and tasting some of the more exotic and delicious flavors of Turkish cuisine.
Built in 1744, Kızlarağası Han was one of İzmir’s important Ottoman commercial centers. Located near the historic port, it served merchants and travelers as a place for trading, storing goods, and accommodation. Its courtyard once welcomed caravans from Anatolia. Today, the beautifully restored han houses traditional shops, cafés, handicrafts, and local souvenirs.
Hisar Mosque, built in 1597–1598 by Yakup Bey, is one of İzmir’s largest and most impressive Ottoman mosques. Named after the fortress once located near the harbor entrance, it features a magnificent central dome supported by eight pillars. Its richly decorated interior showcases Ottoman calligraphy, painted ornamentation, and fine craftsmanship.
At Smyrna Agora, visitors can explore the remains of ancient İzmir’s Roman-era marketplace and civic center. Highlights include impressive vaulted galleries, marble columns, inscriptions, fountains, and the well-preserved underground water channels. The site also reveals traces of the ancient basilica, where important civic, commercial, and administrative activities once took place.
Cancellation
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.
Know before you go
- Meeting point
- We will meet you by the Konak Clock Tower. Our guide will be waiting for you wıth a sign wıth the lead traveler's name.
- Pickup
- Everyone meets at the starting point; there is no pickup.
- Ticket type
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Group size
- Up to 10 travellers
- Operated by
- Tour Fantasia
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
How it compares in İzmir
- Its from-price is 83% below the median of the 482 experiences we list in İzmir.
- It is shorter than most of them.
- The operator lists free cancellation on it.
About İzmir
İzmir is Turkey's third-largest city, an Aegean port with an old bazaar, a seafront promenade and the ancient ruins of Ephesus and Pergamon within reach.
İzmir, known to the ancient Greeks as Smyrna, lies at the head of a deep gulf on the Aegean coast. Konak Square has an ornate clock tower from 1901 and the small Konak Mosque, and the Kemeraltı bazaar sprawls behind it with workshops, mosques and old caravanserais. The Asansör, a historic lift in the Karataş district, rises to a terrace overlooking the gulf, and a long promenade, the Kordon, runs beside the water.
Top-ranked sights in İzmir: Pergamon (Pergamum), Sardis (Sart), Bergama Asklepion (Pergamon Asclepeion).
Special offers in İzmir
Was/now prices come from the operator, never from us.
