Kemeraltı Market is İzmir’s heart and soul, and a great place to get lost for a few hours. There are bargains galore, especially in leather goods, clothing and jewellery. Seek out the flower and bead markets, then stop for a reviving shot of Turkish coffee and baklava in one of the delightful cafes at its core. Anafartalar Caddesi rings the main bazaar area and is its principal thoroughfare.
Within the main bazaar, the glorious Kızlarağası Han caravanserai (1744) is a much smaller, calmer version of İstanbul’s famous Covered Bazaar. It’s touristy, with many items from the far end of the Silk Road (China), but good for a wander. There’s a cafe in the courtyard, where merchants once tethered their camels.
The bazaar also contains Hisar Camii , the city’s largest mosque. The interior is quintessentially İzmiri: the blue-and-gold motifs on the domed ceiling are simpler and less Oriental than classic Ottoman designs. Also look out for the roses and grapes carved along the bottom of the women’s gallery and the designs on the stone staircase.
