Product Description

Slow travel through the coastal gem of Izmir on this food and wine adventure that will take you through the province of ancient Smyrna. Experiment with, and learn about, the local cuisine, stay in charming hotels, and visit the world’s most impressive ancient sites.

This trip is designed for foodies who are interested in cultural experiences and love a relaxed and slow approach to travel. You won’t encounter long drives, big tourist attractions, and rushing from one place to another on this leisure adventure. Instead, you will taste organic wines & olive oil, partake in cooking classes, and learn about Turkish cuisine and ancient history. If you enjoy comfortable and charming accommodations, visiting cozy towns, and are also into arts and music, you will love this trip.

Highlights:

• A diverse range of quality food
• Local markets
• 3 Wine-tastings and 1 olive oil tasting
• 2 cooking classes
• Epic historic sites
• Charming accommodations

Aegean cuisine of Western Türkiye is best known for wild greens, seafood, vegetables, and wine. Our food & wine adventure deliberately balances rustic, traditional food, and top-of-the-line restaurants. You will experience street food, fine dining, and enjoyable cooking classes. We will visit the wineries of the Urla Wine Route and the Ephesus area, and go to colorful farmers’ markets.

This trip is not only about gastronomy and wine. We’ll also explore some of the world’s top archaeological and historic sites. These will include Smyrna, Asclepion, and the Museum of Ephesus. We’ll travel as little as 40-45 miles per day so we can spend more time experiencing Türkiye rather than on a bus. This form of slow travel is also better for reducing our impact on the environment. We drive less, and experience more.

Izmir province is not only a cultural and historical hotspot but also the best area with charming and authentic accommodation choices. It would be fair to say that this is the best food trip in Türkiye and the best value for your holiday budget. Izmir is Türkiye’s 3rd largest city, after Istanbul and Ankara, and sits along the Aegean coast.

Seasonal Notes: We would like to encourage you to travel in the shoulder season, which is a good way of reducing our impact on the environment and avoiding over-tourism. Also, it is a good way of traveling with fewer risks of being infected by viruses (COVID and otherwise). You will appreciate the tranquility and have time to discover and enjoy the area without the crowds. We know that some people don’t have much liberty in choosing vacation times, but if you do, it is much better to look at alternative times and types of travel. We believe beautiful places are beautiful all year round. That’s why our Izmir Food & Wine Adventure is available at any time of the year.

Western Türkiye is famous for fertile river deltas which brought prosperity for centuries to the region and have a great impact on the food culture. Depending on the time of the year, your experience will be slightly different. But no matter the season there will be a diversity of wild greens, vegetables, fish, and fruits.

Related Trips:

[8 days] Lycian Way Multi-Sport
[8 days] Hike & Sail the Turquoise Coast