Izmir in 5 Days
Five days is a full Aegean loop: two days in Izmir, then Ephesus, Pergamon, and a beach day at Çeşme and Alaçatı.
Day 1
Start at Konak Square (the 1901 Clock Tower, the 1755 Yalı Mosque), then walk into Kemeraltı Bazaar for the 1744 Kızlarağası Han and the 1592 Hisar Mosque, cash in hand for spices, textiles, and street food. Walk the Kordon toward sunset and eat in Alsancak, seafood and meze at a Kordon-side spot or a meyhane near 1453 Sokak, roughly 500-800 TRY per person (~$11-17, verify).
One concrete tip: get an İzmirim Kart today, it covers every transit mode you’ll use for the rest of the trip, including the İZBAN train out to Selçuk later this week.
Day 2
Morning at the Agora of Smyrna and its atmospheric vaulted cisterns, then up to Kadifekale for the panoramic bay view. Afternoon at the 1907 Asansör and Dario Moreno Street, then an İZDENİZ ferry crossing to Karşıyaka (15-20 minutes, a few TRY on the İzmirim Kart) with dinner on that side of the bay.
One concrete tip: cross to Karşıyaka in late afternoon so the ride itself catches the sunset.
Day 3
Ephesus, near Selçuk, is about an hour south and UNESCO-listed since 2015. Regional train from Basmane station to Selçuk (roughly 1h20-1h30), then a short dolmuş to the entrance. The Library of Celsus and the Great Theatre are the headline sights; the Temple of Artemis nearby is just scattered rubble and one column, manage expectations. Entry runs roughly €40 (~$43), Terrace Houses add roughly €15 (verify both). Go for the 8am opening.
One concrete tip: if you have energy left, add Şirince on the way back, 15-20 minutes from Selçuk, for fruit wine and cobblestone lanes.
Day 4
Pergamon (Bergama), 90 minutes to two hours north, UNESCO-listed since 2014. Intercity bus from Izmir Otogar (roughly 2-2.5 hours), then a local bus or taxi to the site. The hillside Acropolis has one of the steepest ancient theatres known and the remains of a library that once rivaled Alexandria’s; a cable car covers the climb in about 15 minutes. The separate Asklepion nearby was an early medical center. Admission runs roughly €15 for the Acropolis and €13 for the Asklepion (verify, separate tickets).
One concrete tip: eat lunch in Bergama town before the return trip, since food options at the site itself are limited.
Day 5
Çeşme and Alaçatı, 45 minutes to 1.5 hours west, close out the trip with beach time. Çeşme town has a 16th-century Ottoman castle turned museum, a marina, and beaches like Ilıca along its roughly 29km coastline. Alaçatı, a short hop further, is an old Greek village of cobblestone streets and restored stone houses, globally known for windsurfing and kitesurfing thanks to consistent wind. Buses run from Izmir Otogar or Üçkuyular terminal to Çeşme, with an onward dolmuş to Alaçatı since there’s no fully direct connection.
One concrete tip: base your last afternoon in Alaçatı rather than Çeşme town itself, the beach and cafe scene there is the better way to end an Aegean trip.
For the two beach or wine-country day trips this itinerary skips, read the day trips guide , and see the Izmir travel guide for visa and transport basics.