Today NetFerry takes you to Turkey, a land of rich history, art and culture. This country has some beautiful cities that slowly reveal their charm, so let's explore! Izmir lies on the Aegean coast and is one of Turkey's oldest cities. Formerly known as Smyrna, the city established itself as a maritime hub with an important port, and today it is still a critical commercial and industrial city, as well as being a fascinating cultural centre.

Izmir's ancient past ...

From its beginning, Izmir has always been rich and was built on land covered in myrrh shrubs and the city's first name, Smyrna, means myrrh shrub.

Founded by the Greeks, history tells us that this was the birthplace of Homer; and Alexander the Great reconstructed many areas of Izmir during his reign. Alexander the Great was responsible for expanding the buildings built by their Greek predecessors, he financed lots of public works, developing the city economically and culturally. In 133 a.c. the city passed to the Romans, and then an earthquake destroyed cast areas of the city, which were rebuilt by Marcus Aurelius. In the fifteenth century, it became part of the Ottoman Empire, and after the First World War, a treaty put Izmir under Greek administration. After several bloody battles that razed the city to the ground, the Turkish army reconquered, led by Kemal Mustafa Atatürk.

Many parts of Izmir date back to Greek antiquity, and the city was built on a temple dedicated to Athena. From this site in the district of Bayrakli, an Ionian town flourished, whose walls were excavated along with fragments of pottery from the third millennium. There are archaeological sites everywhere around Izmir, which make you as if you are in an open-air museum! The castle, known as Kadifekale, was also built by Alexander the Great and is another archaeological wonder. It lies at the top of a hill, chosen as a safe location on which to build the fortress, which today marks the city centre. It is an enchanting place and leaves you quite breathless, if not only for the hike up there but also from the beautiful views you'll get. On the way up you'll see the Kurdish women who weave rugs.

Alsancak is one of Izmir's ancient neighbourhoods, and an area not to be missed! The lovely traditional houses in this part of town have been turned into great cafes for sipping Turkish tea! Izmir is also home to the Hisar mosque, a large and magnificent piece of architecture dating back to the 16th century; it will leave you spellbound. And finally do not miss the liveliness and colours at Izmir covered market. The city is just bursting with mosques, synagogues, parks and lots of greenery.

Ferries to Turkey 

Here at NetFerry, we can help you find ferry tickets to Turkey, just visit our site to access the online booking portal where you can book your ferry to Turkey independently. You can also find out about departure times, choose your route and browse the Turkish ports that take your fancy. Here at NetFerry, we always provide the most useful and up-to-date information on the ferries to Turkey!

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