Located in western Turkey on the shores of the Aegean, İzmir, the pearl of the Aegean, is the third largest city in Turkey. With its 8.500 year history, fertile lands, favorable climate, 629 km coastline, 300 sunny days a year, a sea that offers every shade of blue and the heritage left behind by the 32 civilizations it has been a home to, İzmir is ready for you to discover.

 

İzmir owes its position as an economically and socially dynamic city to its location, climate and the fact that it has been home to many different cultures and religions. Persians, Ancient Greeks, Assyrians, Romans, Byzantines and Ottomans are just a few of the dozens of different civilizations that the city has hosted throughout its long history.

 

The fact that almost half of its population of 4 million are under the age of 30, makes İzmir a city full of life. The city hosts tens of thousands of university students; educates scientists, artists, business leaders and academics.

 

With its perfect climate, İzmir has a wonderful natural environment for agricultural products such as olives, figs, grapes and cotton. Various sea foods, wines, local herbs, olive oil and its delicious cuisine make İzmir an attractive city also for gourmets.

Kusadasi – one of Turkey’s beach resort town and a major cruise ship destination on the western Aegean coast - 90km south of Izmir - offers an excellent environment for an unforgettable holiday.

Kusadasi is reputed for being one of the most attractive cities of the Aegean and it is a jumping-off point as it is close to the important historical sites including Ephesus, Temple of Artemis, Goddess Artemis, House of Virgin Mary, Seven Sleepers, Didyma, Priene, Miletos.

Kusadasi takes its name from the Turkish for ‘Bird Island’, a reference to Pigeon Island, which is connected to the mainland of Kusadasi by a short causeway.

Kusadasi has a typical Mediterranean climate with hot summers and mild winters, providing a long tourism season. The city is bathed in sunshine for 300 days of the year.

Istanbul is a very large city of fantastic history, culture and beauty. Called Byzantium in ancient times, the city's name was changed to Constantinople in 324 CE when it was rebuilt by the first Christian Roman Emperor, Constantine. The name "Istanbul", perhaps surprisingly, comes from Greek and could be translated as a corruption of "to the city". While the term had been in widespread use for centuries, it only became the official name of the city upon the foundation of the Republic of Turkey in the 1920s.

 

The most populous city in Europe, Istanbul forms the financial and cultural center of Turkey and confidently straddles the borders between Asia and Europe as it has for millennia: this is the result when you mix ancient Christendom, a medieval metropolis and the modern Middle East. Situated on either side of the Bosphorus, Istanbul retains its metropolitan status: the city's population is more than 14 million people, making it one of the largest cities in the world.