This article was automatically translated from the original Turkish version.
Hello everyone! As you can see from the title, I will tell you about a week my three friends—Emine, Beyza, and I—spent in İzmir. We met in 2023 during our preparatory class, and without that year, I doubt we would have met at all. Emine studies nanotechnology engineering, Beyza studies computer engineering, and I study English language teaching, so we are in three completely different departments. Since we met, we have never drifted apart, and this year, when Emine invited us to İzmir, we went on a trip we never thought would actually happen.
I came from Sivas, and Beyza from Ankara, and we all traveled to İzmir. On the first day, we went to Sığacık. It is a small but incredibly peaceful place. As you might guess, there were many cafes, pensions, boutiques, and jewelry shops. The streets were very narrow but colorful. After walking around a bit, we left and headed to Azmak Beach. Because we have a habit of bringing storms wherever we go, this time we brought the storm to the beach too, and spent two hours battling the wind while trying to enjoy the sea—assuming we could keep sand out of our eyes.
On the second day, Emine took us on a mini tour, and we visited the Archaeological Museum, Konak, and Alsancak—all in the same day. We ate kumru, kazandibi, and bomba. You absolutely must try the chocolate bomba; when I ate it, I was devastated because I knew I wouldn’t be able to have it again in Sivas. :( As for the places we visited, unfortunately, the Archaeological Museum was not arranged in an engaging way—even the statues lacked proper descriptions. Konak is somewhat like Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar, offering many things to see. Alsancak was my favorite of the day. Despite being full of all kinds of people, it has a waterfront so charming that I could sit there for hours without getting bored. (My Sivas roots were very obvious :/)
On the third day, still exhausted from the previous day, we stayed entirely at home. We had walked so much that I started crying in Konak because my feet hurt—it was a total mess. On the fourth day, we barely managed to make our way to Selçuk. We visited Selçuk Castle and the nearby İsa Bey Camii. Looking down from the top of the castle felt deeply peaceful, and once inside the mosque, especially in its courtyard, you won’t want to leave. From Selçuk, we went to the Ancient City of Ephesus. It was extremely crowded, especially around the most famous section everyone wants to see. There was no access to the area where the theater is displayed, so we contented ourselves with examining the stones. We climbed all the way to the top to see everything, and we were barely able to make it back down.
On our last two days, we went to a village in Ödemiş. Before reaching the village, we visited Birgi. The moment you step out of the car, you are greeted by a pleasant humidity, and the place is simply delightful. The Çakırağa Konağı is a site where every detail has been carefully preserved. After Birgi, we moved on to the village. I can say without hesitation that the days we spent in the village were the most fun. On the first day, despite building a small controlled fire, nearly ten locals from the village coffee shop were about to report us to the gendarmerie. On the second day, the three of us sat together on a hammock—even though it was obvious we were going to fall—and just as I was on one side, the rope snapped. For a moment, I saw the sky and then my own feet. Luckily, no one was hurt. We returned to the city center, and it was finally time to leave...
This was the most enjoyable, unforgettable week of my life, and the one where I truly felt young again. I tend to be a bit wordy, but I hope you enjoyed reading this blog. Until our next adventure!
What did we do?