The excavations at Bayrakli have unearthed a temple dedicated to Athena, and the wall of the lonian city which flourished here between the seventh and fifth centuries B.C. Pottery dating to the third millennium B.C. has also been uncovered.

On Kadifekale, Mt.Pages, stands the impressive ruins of a castle and its walls, built by Lysimachus in the reign of Alexander the Great, which still dominate Izmir today. The castle offers an excellent vantage point to enjoy the magnificent view over the Gulf of Izmir.

The Agora, or marketplace, in the Namazgah Quarter was originally constructed during the rule of Alexander the Great. What remains today, however, dates from the rebuilding under Marcus Aurelius after a devastating earthquake in 178 A.D.

The Sirinyer and Yesildere Aqueducts, two examples of Roman engineering which span the Meles River, supplied Izmir's water throughout the Byzantine and Ottoman eras.

Kizlaragasi Han, an 18th-century Ottoman inn, a fine example of the architecture of the period, is being restored to its former glory.

The symbol of Izmir, the Saat Kulesi, or Clock Tower, stands in Konak Square - the heart of the city. A gift from the Sultan Abdulhamid, and built in 1901, it is decorated in an elaborate, late-Ottoman style.

Recently-restored old houses fill the Old Asansor Quarter, also known as the Jewish quarter. In this quarter, Dario Moreno Sokagi is the main pedestrian street to the Asansor, an elevator from the 19th century which is fifty-one meters in height, and provides access between the lower and upper streets. If you find yourself on Havra Sokak in Kemeralti, notice the old buildings and synagogues.

Ephesus: The grandest of ancient Greco-Roman cities, Ephesus had 300,000 citizens at the peak of the Roman  Empire. The site is situated near Selcuk, 65 km south of Izmir. It contains ruins from the Greek, Roman and Byzantine periods and an Archaeological Museum. In addition to the Temple of Artemis, once considered one of the Seven  Wonders of the Ancient World, ruins include a theater, gymnasium, agora and the Library of Celsus.

House of the Virgin Mary: Situated near the top of Mount Nightingale overlooking Selcuk. According to tradition, Saint John brought Mary to Ephesus after Christ's death. A small house was built for her on Mount Nightingale, where she spent the last days of her life. Officially sanctioned by the Vatican, it is now a popular site of pilgrimage, visited by Christians and Muslims from all over the world. A commemoration ceremony is held here every year on the 15th of August.

Pergamon (Bergama): Once a great center of culture, Pergamon survives as one of Turkey's finest archaeological sites. It is located 89 km north of Izmir, near the modern city of Bergama. In the Acropolis, on a hill above the modern town, are the remains of the celebrated library, a steep and impressive theater, the Temple of Trajan and the Temple of Dionysus, the monumental altar of Zeus, the Sanctuary of Demter, a gymnasium laid out on three terraces and the Agora. Also visit the Archaeological Museum.