The harbor of the city is the second biggest in Turkey. It is lively and cosmopolitan all year especially during International Art Festival in June/July and International Fair in August/September. 

   Izmir was founded in the 3rd millennium B.C. in Bayrakli. During that time it had the most advanced culture in Western Anatolia. In 1500 B.C. it was conquered by Hittite Empire. Izmir, with its ancient name Smyrna was one of the most important cities of the Ionian Federation in the 1st millenium B.C. Homer is believed to live here. In 200 B.C. the city was conquered by the Lydians until the 4th century B.C. when the Persians got the control. They built a new city in Kadifekale. From the first century B.C. to 1415 it was conquered by the Byzantines, Seljuks and at last by the Ottoman sultan Mehmet Celebi.

   There are a few museums in Izmir. Archeological Museum of Izmir located in Konak Square which has the statues of Poseidon and Demeter. Next to the Archeological Museum there is Ethnography Museum which has the collection of folkloric artifacts, Bergama and Gordes carpets, traditional costumes and camel bridles. The Ataturk Museum which is located on Ataturk Street has the collection of photographs of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk and his personal belongings. The Fine Arts Museum is located in Konak which has the collection of famous Turkish painters. The Selcuk Yasar Art Museum is on Cumhuriyet Boulevard which has the collection of 20th Century Turkish Art. There is also the Natural History Museum and Ege University Botanical Garden in Bornova.