Izmir
Practical know-how for Izmir: when to go, getting around, money, tipping and the small things that make a trip easier.
Plan your Izmir trip
- Flight + Hotel PackageRecommended Best option if you want the trip arranged together. View Packages Packages
- Hotels Prefer to book accommodation separately? View Hotels Hotels
- Flights Already have accommodation? View Flights Flights
- Things To Do Tours, attractions and experiences. View Activities Activities
- Best time to go
- April–June and September–October.
- Currency
- Turkish lira (TRY). Some tourist businesses quote in euros or pounds, but you usually get a better rate paying in lira.
- Tipping
- Around 10% in restaurants is usual; round up for taxis.
- Language
- Turkish. English is widely spoken in tourist areas.
- Plugs
- Type C/F (two round pins), 230V. UK visitors need an adapter.
- Emergency
- 112
Getting there and around
Airport: İzmir Adnan Menderes (ADB). Direct flights from London take about 3h 57m.
Public transport: a single ticket is typically £0.4–£1. A day pass or a travel card is usually better value if you ride several times a day.
Money and tipping
Currency: Turkish lira (TRY). Some tourist businesses quote in euros or pounds, but you usually get a better rate paying in lira..
Tipping: Around 10% in restaurants is usual; round up for taxis.
Take a debit or credit card with no foreign transaction fees if you can, carry a little cash for markets and small cafés, and when a machine offers to charge you in pounds, choose the local currency.
Typical daily spend: see the Izmir cost guide.
Language, culture and daily rhythm
Language: Turkish. English is widely spoken in tourist areas.
Rhythm of the day: Dinner is relaxed and late. During Ramadan some daytime restaurants are quieter outside tourist areas.
- Haggling is normal in bazaars: smile, compare and walk away if the price does not suit.
- Cover shoulders and knees and take off your shoes to enter mosques; avoid prayer times.
- Insist on the meter in taxis, or use a taxi app.
Booking ahead and saving money
Free things to do: 5 of the 9 places in our Izmir guide are free. See them.
Book timed-entry sights, popular restaurants and weekend trains ahead. Flights and hotels are usually cheapest booked 6 to 12 weeks out for city breaks, and earlier for summer beach holidays.
Safety, health and watch-outs
Emergency number: 112.
- Prices change quickly with inflation: treat our figures as a guide and check current ones.
- Check GOV.UK foreign travel advice for the latest entry rules before booking.
A UK GHIC gives you access to state healthcare in the EU on the same terms as locals, but it is not a substitute for travel insurance. Take out insurance that covers medical care, cancellation and your activities.
Practical details
Plugs and voltage: Type C/F (two round pins), 230V. UK visitors need an adapter.
Tap water: Most visitors drink bottled water rather than tap water.
Entry and documents: Entry rules, passport validity and any pre-travel registrations change. Always check the GOV.UK foreign travel advice page for your destination before you book and again before you travel.
General guidance for Turkey, written for UK travellers. Rules, prices and opening hours change: check official sources (GOV.UK foreign travel advice, venue websites) before you travel.