Daily Izmir City Tour from Kusadasi – Clock Tower, Agora & Kemeralti

Izmir City Day Trip from Kusadasi: Old Smyrna, Konak and Kemeralti Bazaar

This daily Izmir city tour from Kusadasi takes you north along the Aegean coast to Turkey's third-largest city, the place the ancients called Smyrna and later travellers nicknamed the pearl of Asia Minor. In one guided day tour you move from an Ottoman landmark to a Hellenistic marketplace and finally into the lively lanes of a centuries-old bazaar.

Shore Excursion for Cruise Passengers in Kuşadası

Arriving in Kuşadası on a cruise ship? The Izmir City Tour is one of the shore excursions we regularly arrange for cruise guests calling at the port of Kuşadası. Because it runs as a private tour, we plan the timing around your ship: your guide and driver meet you at the cruise terminal, and the programme is adjusted to your all-aboard time. Tell us how many hours your ship stays in port and we will confirm that the full programme fits comfortably. Send us your ship name and the date of your call in Kuşadası and we will confirm availability.

Day Trip to Kuşadası from the Greek Islands (Samos and Patmos)

Holidaying on Samos or Patmos? The Izmir City Tour is an easy day trip from the Greek islands: take the morning ferry to Kuşadası, join the tour, and sail back in the evening (from Samos the ferry takes 45 minutes; from Patmos the ferry takes about 3 hours). We meet you at the Kuşadası ferry port with your private guide and vehicle and time the programme to the ferry schedule. For longer itineraries we check the ferry timetable first and confirm that the full programme fits your day. Please bring your passport and check the Turkish entry requirements for your nationality before travelling.

• Izmir Clock Tower on Konak Square, completed in 1901
• The Asansor, the historic lift building set in its own neighbourhood
• Agora of Smyrna, the civic marketplace founded in the Hellenistic era
• Hisar Mosque, reached on foot past the stalls of the neighbourhood fish and produce market
• Kemeralti, a busy trading quarter since the 18th century

The Clock Tower is the emblem of the city. Its architect, the Levantine Frenchman Raymond Charles Pere, created it to mark the 25th anniversary of Sultan Abdulhamid II's reign, and its clock was a gift from the German Emperor Wilhelm II. Its richly carved stonework is a fine example of late Ottoman decoration. The Asansor rises in another district and is still seen as a symbol of the many communities and faiths that once lived side by side in Izmir; over a coffee your guide explains the story of the district.

The Agora takes you back to the Hellenistic period, when this square was where the city was administered and its public life unfolded. From there a short walk through the fish and vegetable stalls leads to the Hisar Mosque and into Kemeralti, a maze of shops, workshops and cafes whose commercial role has never faded. It is an ideal place to look for souvenirs and to stop for lunch.

This daily excursion is fully guided in English, with transport in an air-conditioned vehicle, pickup in Kusadasi and entrance fees for the visits in the programme. The walking pace is easy, so the day suits most travellers.