For anyone who has to be at their desk on Monday morning but wants to make the most of two days, we have put together an hour-by-hour İzmir escape. This route has been tested: it moves at a good pace without rushing, allows properly for meals, and sends you home on Sunday evening tired but happy.
Friday Evening: Arrival and a Gentle Start
Whether you arrive by coach at the intercity terminal (4 km from us), by air (25–35 minutes on the motorway) or in your own car, getting to Bornova is easy from every direction. Settle into the hotel and walk to the Bornova bazaar for dinner: family-run restaurants, student-friendly cafés and patisseries are waiting. Go to bed early; the real programme starts tomorrow.
Saturday Morning: Konak and Kemeraltı
Have breakfast in the bazaar with boyoz and gevrek, or head straight for the metro down to Konak. After a photograph of the Clock Tower, plunge into Kemeraltı: coffee at Kızlarağası Han, the bazaar atmosphere of Havra Street, and lunch at a traders' restaurant. The detailed plan is in our Kemeraltı guide.
Saturday Afternoon: The Lift and the Kordon
From Konak, move on to the historic Asansör; the colourful houses of Dario Moreno Street and the bay view from the top give you the best photographs of the day. Then go down to the Kordon: a break on the grass, a walk along the shore and İzmir's famous sunset. For dinner, a tavern in the side streets of Alsancak or a café on the seafront — our nightlife guide will point the way. The metro runs until a set hour at night; for a late return a taxi is short and inexpensive.
Sunday: Two Strong Options
Option A — History: Set off early and visit the ancient city of Ephesus (an hour's drive), then spend the afternoon in the stone streets of Şirince. Option B — The Sea (summer): the combination of breakfast in Alaçatı and the coves of Çeşme, timed so that the drive back coincides with sunset. Both routes let you return to the city in the late afternoon and continue home from there. Without a car, the Ephesus route works by İZBAN and the Çeşme route by coach from the intercity terminal.
Why Base Yourself in Bornova?
The secret of this programme is where you stay: MyMahall Hotel connects instantly to Saturday's plan by metro and to Sunday's routes by motorway. Thanks to free parking, your car is not a problem all weekend; you tour Saturday entirely by metro and jump into the car on Sunday morning. You also save on central hotels' weekend rates.
Small but Important Notes
Kemeraltı is largely closed on Sundays — which is why we put the bazaar on Saturday. On summer weekends, leave the beach around 17:00 to stay ahead of the Çeşme return traffic. If a tavern is on the plan, book ahead for Saturday.
For reservations and information: (0232) 461 95 95 — view our rooms in the gallery, or find us on our contact page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is İzmir enough for a weekend trip?
Yes — Saturday for the city centre (Konak, Kemeraltı, the Asansör, the Kordon) and Sunday for Ephesus and Şirince or the Çeşme route makes a full 48-hour programme.
Where should I stay for a weekend break in İzmir?
Bornova, with both metro and motorway connections, is the most practical base for combining the city with the surrounding area, and its rates are more reasonable than central hotels.
What can you visit in İzmir on a Sunday?
Since Kemeraltı is closed on Sundays, the most efficient plan is to reserve Sunday for routes outside the city such as Ephesus and Şirince or Çeşme and Alaçatı.