Exotic (and cheap) city that’s now a flight away from Cork
One of the advantages that made the holiday so special was that we could use Cork Airport for the flights to and from Palma - it made everything so much quicker and smoother.
We left home in the morning, and 40 minutes later, we had parked, gone through security, and were enjoying a coffee and croissant before boarding. Coming home, it was such a joy to land, stroll to the car across the road, and be home with a cuppa half an hour later.
So, when Cork Airport announced a new destination for its 2025 rota last month, my antennae tingled.
The new, twice-weekly service will fly to Izmir, a city in Turkey, starting on May 31, 2025, and running through to October. Lufthansa and Turkish Airlines joint venture carrier, SunExpress Airlines, will operate the venture.
Cork Airport Communications Manager Barry Holland said: “Izmir is a fantastic addition to our route network. It’s the first direct Turkish connection in 10 years or so, and from what I hear from the travel trade, it will be a very popular service.”
I’m sure it will be a popular route to home and back for many Turkish people who have made Cork their home in recent years - not least some of the barbers!
However, I was left wondering what Izmir - a lesser-known Turkish city than, say, Istanbul, or even Ankara - had to offer as a destination for a weekend break or holiday. It turns out it offers a lot...
And if it’s a beach holiday you want, Izmir and the surrounding region is also home to popular resorts such as Kusadasi and Çesme, with cooling dips on hand in the Aegean Sea.
I took a deep dive into the attractions of this exotic city, which will be around four hours away from Cork when the new flights kick in next year. Perhaps it will persuade you to book a flight and take a trip there in the years ahead...
Izmir is on the western coast of Turkey, and is viewed as relatively westernised compared to the country’s other cities.
One item on the bucket list on any visit must be a trip to the ancient and classical ruins of Ephesus, around 80km from Izmir and close to the resort of Kusadasi.
The country sits in the very cradle of western civilisation, and Ephesus - a UNESCO World Heritage site - was built in the tenth century BC, several centuries before we got around to building Newgrange!
Its temple, long since ruined sadly, has been designated one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
However, much of Ephesus, which fell under Roman control, remains well preserved, and it is seen as the best place in the Mediterranean to get a feel for what life was like in ancient times. Well worth a visit.
Back in Izmir, the city has its very own versions of our English Market and Shandon Clock!
Built in 1744 - and so 44 years older than our market - Kizlaragasi Inn is a covered market in the bazaar district famous not for its food, but for its handicraft products, antiques, carpets, leather clothes, and striking souvenirs. A great place to enjoy a browse.
Meanwhile, Izmir Clock is the city’s main landmark, but the locals are a little more accurate than us and ensure all its four faces tell the correct time.
Still on a Cork theme, and this is also the place to buy the kind of Turkish delight that will take you right back to the old Hadji Bey’s shop on MacCurtain Street.
There is plenty of history to see in Izmir itself, such as excavations of the Agora, a public space built in the 4th century BC, and destroyed by an earthquake 600 years later.
Graffiti here is believed to form the world’s earliest known crossword, and happily, there is evidence that Muslims, Christians, and Jews all rubbed along here together, back in more civilised times.
Other attractions in Izmir include an art gallery and a car museum, as well as lovely places to eat and drink and watch the world go by. There are a wide range of nearby wineries, and the city was recently added to the Michelin Guide’s Turkish map.
Food-wise, one of the specialities in the city is Gözleme - ultra-thin dough crepes stuffed with just about anything and everything.
A pint of draught beer will set you back just a couple of euro or so, and an imported bottle just €3.
The variety of fresh food available here is something else.
One restaurant menu I browsed online was advertising a slap-up breakfast for two for €21 which comprised, deep breath... Cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, green and black olives, butter, ezine white cheese, izmir tulum cheese, chechil cheese, honey, cream, chocolate hazelnut spread, strawberry jam, quince jam, acuka (tomato paste, pepper and walnut spread), spicy French fries, baked sausage, cheese spread, cheese and potato filled pastry (börek), arugula, parsley, green pepper, watermelon, grape, boiled eggs, bread, and unlimited refill tea.
Omelettes typically cost from €3.50 to €7.30, a burger and chips meals is around €7.50, and a steak dinner can be had for €16.
Oh, and they love their coffees in Turkey, typically a latte will set you back only about €3.
Compared to Cork, Izmir is a great place for cheap and plentiful public transport too. There are buses, subways and tram lines, and a metro will take you from the airport to the city centre for just a few euro. Bicycles can be rented very cheaply.
All in all, it looks like Izmir is going to be a place we Corkonians will be hearing a lot more about in years to come.
And it’s all so easily accessible from our wonderful, friendly, neighbourhood airport.
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