A visitor wandering through the ruins of the region today, spread like an open-air museum, can sense how this land was once a cradle of civilisations, inspiring admiration and fascination and throughout the ages. Indeed. The Aegean and Mediterranean coasts of Turkey encompass the world’s richest collection of ancient ruins and monuments. The people, who live in the region today, now the second most developed area of Turkey, continue to be blessed by nature. The inland cities have also experienced a remarkable growth in recent years.

The most famous landmark of modern Izmir, the Clock Tower was erected as a present to Sultan Abdulhamit II in 1901.

IZMIR THE BEAUTIFUL
Izmir is the main city in the Aegean region and the third largest in Turkey. Its ideal location, on a natural by, enabled the development of a large port, which has contributed to the successful development of Izmir. This is one of Turkey’s most pleasant cities: its street are shaded by palm trees, the walkways are beautiful, the houses elegant. The hot summer sun is cooled by winds blowing in from the sea. Izmir is the ancient city of Smyrna, “the country of the sacred mother”. It existed even before the arrival of the Hittites and has been ruled by lonians, Persians, Romans and Ottomans. But unfortunately few traces of Izmir’s magnificent past remain.