Once upon a time in Turkey...

Izmir is a city on the Aegean coast of Turkey. Known as Smyrna in antiquity, it was founded by the Greeks, occupied by the Romans and rebuilt by Alexander the Great before becoming part of the Ottoman Empire in the 15th century.

It's Turkey's third largest city with a population of around 3.4 million and also the westernmost city in the country.
A large part of the population is Muslim and mosques are everywhere, but when you walk around the city centre, it's not necessarily obvious. Many women don't wear veils, alcohol is served on many terraces and locals like to meet by the sea to drink a beer and eat sunflower seeds or rice-filled balls (even during Ramadan).

It's impossible to remain indifferent to the festival of colors, smells and tastes that invades you as you wander through the Bazaar district - Keremalti Market. For me, the city's highest point.

And if you're planning to visit Izmir, set aside one day and go to Pamukkale.
Its name in Turkish couldn't be any different, Pamuk - Cotton and Kale - Castle, so: Pamukkale = "Cotton Castle". The name says it all: this phenomenon of nature looks just like cotton wool, the limestone formation gives the surreal appearance of these mountains over 200 metres high.
The "travertines" don't always have blue water, but the spectacle is incredible.
And if the heat is too much, you can also visit the Antique Pool, known as the Sacred Pool or Cleopatra's Pool, in this complex. It is said that the pool was built at the request of the Egyptian queen, but nobody knows for sure if this is true.
The spa has temperatures of around 35 degrees, and you can swim with beautiful palm trees and marble columns at the bottom of the pool (at an additional cost).
The facilities include bars, shops and changing rooms. Everything for an unforgettable day.

Another incredible feature of this country is its nationalism.
Perhaps because it coincided with Victory Day (30 August), our stay was decorated with flags and pictures of Atatürk.
And the soundtrack to this trip? Without a doubt: İzmir Marşı - Turkish War of Independence Song (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vddOreNyZRE).