Eski Foça

We've gone to Eski Foça (also known as Phocaea) at least 2-3 times now (see I've already lost count).  It's an easy day trip from Izmir and entirely accessible via public transportation.  The bus can be a bit crowded and it takes over an hour, but the town is very quaint and the crystal clear waters are always a joy to walk along. The area is known for its local...

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Doğal Yaşam Parkı (Wildlife Park) Izmir

We love visiting the Doğal Yaşam Parkı and have gone more times than we can count.  I feel like the animal park is one of Izmir's hidden gems.  I have been to many zoos in the US, and while they have been nice, they are often crowded.  This park is spacious, clean, and well decorated. What keeps me going back to the park though is the amazing views of the animals....

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Ilica Beach, Izmir, Turkey

Ever since we discovered that we would be moving to Izmir, I've had my sights set on going to Ilica.  Today being a Turkish holiday, we set out to make that happen. We left Karşıyaka, gathered some supplies for the day, and made our way via metro to the buses in Farhetin Altay that depart for Çeşme.  I was surprised to see that these were not the normal dolmuş buses...

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Kilyos, Istanbul

 This week we finally made it to Kilyos.  I had been wanting to go for a long time, but I never quite knew how to get there on my own.  It turned out to be pretty easy, though admittedly it is a little far.  We took the 25E from Ortaköy to Sarriyer, and from there caught the 151RE up to Kilyos.  It took about two hours (including the transfer), but...

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The Princes' Islands

We've visited the Princes' Islands twice so far: once on our own, and once together with my mother-in-law.  They're a little farther away, but the ferry ride out is nice - and cheap - and they make for a nice little escape from Istanbul. There are four main islands that the ferry stops at: Büyükada ("Big Island"), Heybeliada, Burgazada and Kınalıada.  So far, we've...

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