Private 5-Hour Shore Excursion from Izmir: Izmir City Sightseeing

Your private guide will meet you at Izmir port at a time that fits with your cruise schedule: a full refund is offered should you miss this shore excursion because your ship is delayed.

Your first stop on your tour of the history-laden city of Izmir is Kadifekale, the Velvet Castle. First built by Lysimachus, one of the generals who divided Alexander the Great's empire after his untimely death in the fourth century BC, the impressive walls you see today are medieval. Pause here on Pagos hill for a while to soak up the views of Izmir, once known as Smyrna, and the Gulf of Izmir.

Next, admire the ruins of the ancient Agora, a Roman market complete with colonnades, chambers, and cisterns that's probably the best preserved in Asia Minor.

Izmir Archaeology Museum and Izmir Ethnography Museum sit right next door to each other, so you'll visit both. The archaeology museum is home to spectacular sculptures from Greek and Roman times, as well as artifacts dating back to the Bronze Age. The Ethnography Museum provides a fascinating introduction to Turkish culture, focused on local arts, crafts, and customs, from pottery to felt-making.

Round off your tour by grabbing pictures of the 82-foot (50-meter) Clock Tower that's a symbol of the city, before shopping for souvenirs in a traditional store. You'll be back on board in good time for departure: in the unlikely event your ship has already sailed, your local operator will arrange transportation to the next port of call (terms and conditions apply).