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Izmir is the main city in the Aegean region and
the third largest in Turkey. Its ideal location,
on a natural bay, enabled the development of a
large port which has contributed to the successful
development of Izmir. This is one of Turkey's
most pleasant cities: its streets are shaded by
palm trees, the walkways are beautiful, the houses
elegant.
The most summer sun is cooled by winds blowing
in from the sea. Izmir is the ancient city of
Smyrna, "the country of the sacred mother".
It existed even before the arrival of the Hittites
and has been ruled by lonians, Persians, Romans
and Ottomans. But unfortunately few traces of
Izmir's magnificent past remain. A fire at the
end of the Turkish-Greek war in 1922 destroyed
a great part of the city, and the newly built
Izmir today is modern and gleaming. Its economic
development is linked to the port and the various
industrial enterprises. The final destination
of the "King's Road", which links with
Iran, Izmir continues to be a focal point of tourism
and entertainment, renowned for its fish restaurants
along the shore, its bars, discotheques and night
clubs. Its hinterlands are rich in monuments and
ruins which tell the tale of countless ancient
civilizations.
Çesme
The summer resort of Çesme is very popular with
the residents of nearby Izmir. The white sandy
beaches stretch lazily along a road lined with
exquisitely built houses, several large hotels
and a number of restaurants which serve excellent
seafood and Turkish specialities.
Every year an international music festival is
held here, attracting some of the world's leading
performers. Modern Çesme is adjacent to a historic
city which is blessed with a 14th century castle
and the ruins of an ancient caravanserai.
Foça
Foça is situated on the site of the ancient city
of "Phocea", and is said to have been
founded by the very same people who founded the
French city of Marseilles, Attalia in Corsica
and Ampurias in Catalonia, Spain.
In 600 BC, the inhabitants decorated their buildings,
temples and ships with wooden statues of cockerels.
According to legend, one such statue has been
hidden somewhere in the town itself, a tale still
widely believed and the reason for much local
hunting.
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