Situated on the western coast of Turkey just above Bodrum, the area of Izmir is one of the most exciting, vibrant and charming areas of Turkey and it can be difficult to know how to make the very best of your Izmir Holiday in 2021 with so many things to do.

You could of course spend all day on the beach and all night in the clubs and the rest of your time in the hotel but to do that would be missing out on some incredible fun, culture and world heritage sites. 

There’s certainly more than 5 reasons to visit Izmir, however, today we are going to run you though five of our favourite reasons to visit the area including Ephesus, the Ladies Beach, Kusadasi, the magnificent Pamukkale and the thrills and spills of Adaland Waterpark.

Ephesus

Probably the most well-known ancient site in Turkey and certainly in this local area, Ephesus used to be a major city back in the 10th century BC. Ephesus is home to the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World and is worth visiting for this reason alone. Even though most of the city is no longer standing you can still see some of the well preserved buildings including the impressive amphitheatre and the Library of Celsus.

The site is around 60kms from Izmir and many of the hotels in Izmir and Kusadasi offer tours and transfers to Ephesus.

The Ladies Beach Kusadasi

Sadly, this one-time ladies beach is no longer just for ladies! Known in Turkish as Kadinlar Denizi, the Ladies Beach is one of the most popular and busiest beaches in Kusadasi. Now everyone can enjoy the beach. This beach is located in Kusadasi and is one of the most attractive beaches on the Western coast of Turkey. There’s plenty to do here including jetski, water sports as well as lots of lovely bars, cafes and clubs along the waterfront.

Kusadasi

We already mentioned the best beach in Kusadasi but the very popular resort town of Kusadasi actually has eight (count them!) beaches, each different to the next. Long Beach is famous for surfing, the Ladies Beach for entertainment, whilst others all have their own individual charms. Kusadasi also has lots to do for kids aside from the beaches, including three very popular waterparks.

Once the kids have had their fill of beaches and splash parks and you finally get a turn at the entertainment then why not head of to Kusadasi’s ancient city walls, mosques and pretty cobbled alleyways? There’s plenty to do in the evening, with cocktail bars, street carts and fine dining restaurants aplenty.

Pamukkale 

There are some attractions that you really shouldn’t miss and these pure white hot springs are one of the most beautiful natural wonders of the world. The warm water in salt-cut pools look artic but are actually beautifully warm and soothing. This is one of the world’s most perfect natural spas and an unmissable treat for everyone. The Turkish word Pamukkale means cotton castle and when you visit this world heritage site it will be very clear why.

Adaland Waterpark

One of the three Kusadasi waterparks, the Adaland park is the biggest and best of the three with twenty waterslides. In the past it has been named one of the best water parks in the world. The park has a wide variety of water slides including a freefall slide, a head-first slide, body slides, loop slides, tube slides, speedy slides, slope slides, dark tunnel slides, and the world's longest family slide with tubes 2-6 people. There's a fountain with water shooting out of the ground set to music in an area called the Rain Dance where you can dance and enjoy the water. The park is a favourite with adults and children alike.

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