Turkey (Izmir)

Turkey (Izmir) – What you should know

Izmir is Turkey's third-largest city, set on a deeply cut bay of the Aegean. The climate is Mediterranean with a hot, absolutely dry summer — July brings 1 mm — and a wet winter at 121 mm in January. At 34°C in July and August with 12.7 hours of sunshine, midsummer is too hot for sightseeing.

The region's real strength lies in its excursions. Ephesus, one of the best-preserved ancient cities in the Mediterranean, is an hour south by car — and a tour there takes hours, largely without shade. April, May and October at 22–26°C are the right months, spring bringing flowering countryside as a bonus.

Swimming happens in the suburbs along the Çeşme peninsula, where the Aegean reaches 26°C in August and stays at 22°C into October. Thanks to its steady northerly wind, Çeşme is also one of Turkey's best windsurfing grounds. Winter is mild at 12–14°C but grey: 4.6 to 4.8 hours of sunshine in December and January is low by Mediterranean standards.