Things to Do in Europe

Situated within the four-story former St Roche Hospital, the Izmir Ethnography Museum houses some fascinating artifacts relating to the Seljuk period of Turkish history, exploring everything from camel wrestling and weaponry to jewelry and embroidery. The site makes for an interesting visit with photographs and dioramas to browse, plus various examples of local arts, crafts, clothing and customs from the period, demonstrating the way of life in Izmir and its surroundings.

The legendary city of Istanbul straddles Europe and Asia, washed by the Bosphorus on the Sea of Marmara. Sail past the minarets and domes to dock near the medieval Galata Tower, then make a date to bargain hunt in the markets, soak up Ottoman history in the palaces and mosques, or visit the Turkish islands for the day.

How to Get to Istanbul
Cruise liners dock at the Yolcu Salonu passenger terminal, on the Bosphorus waterfront at Karakoy. Trams run from Karakoy across the Galata Bridge to the Spice Bazaar, Sultanahmet, the Blue Mosque and Topkapi. It’s a 10-minute stroll if you’d like to walk to the Galata Bridge. Or you can catch a taxi to Taksim Square and pedestrianized Istiklal Caddesi to stroll past bustling shops and restaurants.

One Day in Istanbul
There’s so much history crammed into Istanbul, historically known as Constantinople. Visit Byzantine churches turned Ottoman mosques, the most famous being Hagia Sophia, and tour the sultans’ exotic Topkapi Palace. Get ready to haggle at the Great Bazaar, or sail off for a car-free day on the idyllic Princes Islands.

For the best overview of this seductive city, an Istanbul in One Day sightseeing tour includes all the highlights, plus a visit to the tiled Blue Mosque. And if your visit extends into evening, dine on Turkish cuisine accompanied by the glitter and glamour of belly dancers with an Istanbul by Night dinner and show.

Port Information
Istanbul is one of Turkey’s most important cruise ports, visited by liners operated by Princess, Celebrity, Oceania, Costa, Cunard, Hapag-Lloyd and MSC Italian. The currency is Turkish Lira, best sourced from banks and ATMs. Turkish is the official language while Arabic and Kurdish are also spoken. But English is widely understood at the major tourist sites, shops and bazaars so you should not encounter many problems when communicating with the locals.

Sitting on the coast of the Aegean Sea, Izmir is Turkey’s third largest city and second largest port. Once known as Smyrna, its history goes back to around 3,000 B.C.  Today, Izmir is a modern city with a European feel that serves as a jumping off point for visits to nearby Ephesus, Pergamum and Asclepion.

How to Get to Izmir

Arriving in Izmir, you’ll dock at Alcansak, about a 20 minute walk from Konak Square – the center of town. If you don’t feel like walking, taxis are also available outside the terminal. A one-way trip should cost around 12-15 Turkish lira. The terminal is also about a 5 minute walk from the upscale Alcansak neighborhood, which offers plenty of shopping and dining opportunities.

Another option is to join the city’s hop-on hop-off bus sightseeing tour, which passes right in front of the port every thirty minutes.

One Day in Izmir

More likely than not, if you dock at Izmir, you’ll hop on one of your cruise ship’s excursions to Ephesus, Pergamum and/or Asclepion. If, however, you decide to hang around Izmir, there’s enough to keep you busy for the day.

Izmir’s hop-on hop-off bus tour mentioned above is a great way to familiarize yourself with the city and get around easily. Make your first stop at Konak Square in the center of town. The square is known for its clock tower, built in 1901, as well as the Konak Yali Mosque and the Kemeralti Bazaar located nearby. Then, head over to the bazaar to peruse the stalls of ceramics, jewelry, carpets and copper and try your hand at haggling.

To get a taste of old Izmir, make your way up to Kadifekale, an old castle sitting on a hill above the city, and visit the ruins of Agora, a marketplace dating to the 1st century B.C. that was once one of the most impressive in the Roman Empire. Izmir also has a few small museums worth checking out, including the Archaeological Museum and the Ethnography Museum located in Bahribaba Park, as well as the Ataturk Museum, the Izmir Museum of Arts and Sculpture and the Izmir Museum of Commercial History.

On your way back to the port, wander through the narrow streets of the Alsancak neighborhood to check out the old Greek houses and perhaps stop for a drink along the way.

Port Information

At the port, you can find a variety of shops and cafes as well as city maps offered by the local chamber of commerce. There is also an internet café about 200 meters away from the terminal. The official language is Turkish but visitors should be able to get around fine speaking English.

Scotland's largest island, the Isle of Skye is a pocket of wilderness jutting off the coast of the West Highlands. The area is a treat for nature lovers, with its dramatic sea cliffs, windswept valleys, and glittering lochs.

Messene is a massive ancient city next to Mount Ithomi in the southwest of the Peloponnese, Greece. Ithomi is the name of the mountain that served as a natural fortress for the city. It was renamed Messene after a queen of the region. The area was once under the control of the Spartans and though it is less well-known than other sites, it remains one of the best preserved archaeological sites of ancient Greece.
Classic structures including the city walls and gates, and theater — as well evidence of daily life taking place in a once bustling metropolis: the agora, stadium, gymnasium, Asklepieion, sanctuaries and religious sites — are all very well intact. In addition, remnants of the ancient past from coins and pottery to art and sculpture have been excavated here. Until excavations began in 1895, most of the city lie buried under the earth, undisturbed and waiting to be discovered. No other settlement has ever been built on its site.

Istiklal Street, known in Turkish as Istiklal Caddesi, is one of the most well-known avenues in Istanbul.  Stretching for about three kilometers, it is the main pedestrian thoroughfare in the city and welcomes as many as 3 million visitors on any given day.

Known as Grand Avenue during the Ottoman Period, the avenue was renamed Istiklal (Independence) in 1923 to commemorate the declaration of the Republic of Turkey after the Turkish War of Independence. Running from the Galata Tower to Taksim Square, it is lined with late Ottoman era buildings built in a variety of architectural styles, ranging from Neo-Classical to Art Deco.

Istiklal experienced a downturn in the 1970s and 1980s, but by the late 1980s a massive restoration project was underway to revitalize the historic area. Historic buildings along the street were restored, pavement was laid for full pedestrianization and the tram that once ran up and down the length of the avenue was reinstalled. Today, it is teeming with art galleries, boutiques, shops, cafes and nightclubs, making it a center of activity in Istanbul day and night.  Together with Taksim Square, it also plays host to a number of parades, demonstrations and celebrations throughout the year.