The city of İzmir in Türkiye is a paradise for cyclists, history enthusiasts and food lovers

euronews (in English)

İzmir is the best place to cycle in Türkiye, as it’s part of the EuroVelo 8 – a route that crosses 10 Mediterranean countries.

Transcript

00:00I'm in Izmir, one of the most vibrant and diverse cities in Turkey.

00:16Here, the sound of the sea mixes with the breeze.

00:20It's paradise for cyclists, history enthusiasts and food lovers like me.

00:31I've heard that beautiful Izmir, the ancient city of Smyrna, is the best place to experience

00:36Turkey by bike.

00:38It's a key point on the Turkish leg of the Eurovelo 8, a 7,350 km cycle route through

00:4510 Mediterranean countries.

00:47The 495 km Smyr section starts in Pergamon, traverses 18 districts and ends in Ephesus,

00:54linking historical sites, natural and cultural heritage and the city, of course.

01:17A mandatory stop on this route is the little coastal town of Cesme, with its historical

01:32buildings, lush vegetation and stunning beaches.

01:37Another incredible experience is passing by the Flamingo Natural Park, located in the

01:42Gulf of Izmir, where you can easily spot these beautiful pink birds.

01:49And of course, you have to end your tour at the iconic Clock Tower to take some memories

01:54back with you.

01:57This is Ephesus, about 80 km south of Izmir.

02:04It's been a city since Neolithic times, but it came to full prominence under the Roman

02:09Empire as the capital of Asia Minor and second in importance only to Rome.

02:15Added to the UNESCO World Heritage Site list in 2015, Ephesus is unique in the world, believe

02:22me.

02:45There are many things to see in Ephesus, starting from the stunning Library of Kelsus,

02:51the third largest one in the Greek or Roman world.

02:54It used to contain approximately 12,000 to 14,000 scrolls and papyrus rolls of the period.

03:00On the facade, there are beautiful statues depicting the four virtues Wisdom, Bravery,

03:06Knowledge and Thought.

03:08This site has also a very important association with early Christianity, St. Mary's Basilica

03:14is believed to be the final resting place of the Virgin Mary.

03:18You can't miss the remains of the famous Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders

03:23of the Ancient World, considered as the beginning of European marble architecture.

03:29Time to go back to Izmir, well known also for its cuisine, I'm going to learn how to

03:37prepare one of the typical local delicacies, and taste it of course.

03:42Izmir's Boyosa, a registered geographical indication product, is a round flaky pastry

03:48made with thin layers of dough and three simple ingredients, flour, water and salt.

03:54It's not so easy to replicate at home though.

03:57It's like making a pizza, I can do it, I'm not sure, I'm not sure, how do you do it on this side, not really.

04:13The secret to making a real Boyosa lies in skillfulness, so perhaps it's better to leave

04:18it to the master.

04:20And once the dough is filled, they are ready to go into the oven.

04:34Other than the regular plain Boyosa, here you can also taste them filled with aubergine,

04:38cheese, herbs, chocolate and tahini.

04:43Of course you can find Boyosa in many Turkish cities, cycle anywhere else, or be fascinated

04:49by other ancient sites, but none of these will ever have the same taste as it does in

04:54Izmir.

04:55Koroşuruz!

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