老澳门六合彩开奖记录

I pedaled behind my cycling guide, a young 19-year-old Turk by the name of Yi臒it 鈥 properly pronounced monosyllabically, he informed me. 鈥Yeat. Like the rapper.鈥

A generation older than him, I did not know about 鈥 nor any Gen Z pop-culture reference for that matter 鈥 yet as we rode through the countryside of Turkey鈥檚 陌zmir Province, I knew that we鈥檇 be bonding over bicycles and the local scenery rather than our taste in music.

Many travelers rush through the province of 陌zmir solely for its famed archaeological attractions, such as the ancient Greek city of Ephesus and the House of the Virgin Mary. The region, however, richly rewards exploration beyond its main sites. Adjacent to ancient Ephesus is a 3000-year-old yet most modern city that鈥檚 considered the country鈥檚 most Western-oriented metropolis. (Plus, its seafood restaurants are not to be missed.) Surrounding this cosmopolitan center is a relaxed countryside extending along the central west coast of the country, with a peninsula that reaches out toward the Greek Isles. The province鈥檚 landscapes include farmland and vineyards, rugged mountains, beaches and seaside villages 鈥 and are all best experienced on a bicycle. I decided to pedal my way through the province on a cycling tour with , which included a support van and a guide.

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Erik Trinidad and his guide, Yi臒it, stop for a photo on the coast 漏 Erik Trinidad/老澳门六合彩开奖记录

From coast to coast on the Karaburun Peninsula

On our first ride, Yi臒it led me across the Karaburun Peninsula, a northward extension of the bigger, westerly 陌zmir Peninsula. We pedaled about 51km (32 miles) from the Aegean coastal town of 脟别艧尘别 to 陌莽meler, a seaside neighborhood in the district of Urla. The ride began on a coastal palm-tree-lined promenade, the red-tiled roofs of affluent homes on one side, the turquoise and azure waters of the Aegean Sea on the other. The route continued down small roads through seaside communities, eventually leading up to higher ground as we headed east on country roads to cross to the peninsula鈥檚 other side. The terrain gradually climbed in elevation 鈥 we鈥檇 gain about 700m (2300ft) in total 鈥 bringing sights of rocky hills and olive trees in a dusty, shrub-filled landscape. Using our muscles to power through, we eventually made it to the peninsula鈥檚 east coast, and rode the shoulder of a local highway with rugged seaside views that could have been mistaken for the Pacific Coast Highway in California 鈥 if not for the occasional mosque on the side of the road.

鈥淵ou want to ride faster?鈥 Yi臒it asked me.

鈥淣o, this is a good pace,鈥 I told him. Perhaps he was itching to speed up after telling me stories of reckless mountain-biking adventures with his friends, the kind of stunts that come with youth. He was fairly passionate about the tales, told in English. 鈥淚 pretty much learned English by following memes on TikTok,鈥 the Zoomer told me.

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A cheese plate and white wine make for a perfect tasting in Urla 漏 iStock

Stopping to dine and sip in Urla

In the middle of the 陌zmir Peninsula, Urla is a worthy destination of its own, a popular getaway for 陌zmir urbanites. Before the next ride, I spent some time here enjoying the spectrum of its culinary scene. I attended a wine-tasting session at , one of several wineries that comprise the thriving . I dined in the garden at , an elevated, experiential farm-to-table restaurant by celebrated chef Osman Sezener. I also enjoyed traditional fare, including 丑补艧濒补尘补, a classic Turkish lamb stew; and 办辞谤辞办别莽, the Turkish delicacy of grilled sheep chitterlings. While served with tomatoes and other toppings in Istanbul, the 陌zmir rendition is simply grilled to perfection (neither too hard or too rubbery) and served on its own, or sandwiched in a toasted long roll.

A cyclist stops to look down at Butterfly Valley, Oludeniz, Fethiye, Turkey
Stopping to admire the views of the Turquoise Coast is never a bad idea 漏 Getty Images / iStockphoto

On the (country) road again

Our stomachs full (mine perhaps more filled than it needed to be), Yi臒it and I got back in our saddles, starting at the ruins of the ancient Greek city of Klazomenai. We pedaled southward, this time traversing the 陌zm谋r Peninsula latitudinally about 29km (18 miles) to the seaside resort town of S谋臒ac谋k. We briefly weaved through the congestion of Urla鈥檚 town center before picking up quieter farmland roads, through fields of flowering artichoke plants and the regular sight of slow-moving tractors, encountering one lone donkey in the middle of the road. Herds of goats became the norm as the fields expanded out to bigger meadows, some blanketed with bright yellow and crimson wildflowers, and flanked by giant, distant wind turbines jutting out of the horizon. Views of hay bales were soon replaced by sights of palm trees as we reached the coast of the Icarian Sea.

鈥淵eah, we made it!鈥 Yi臒it proclaimed with a smile. We refueled with a fresh seafood lunch at the marina, and a quick tour around the small archaeological site of Teos.

The Library of Celsus, Ephesus, Izmir, Turkey
A visit to the ancient city of Ephesus, with its extraordinary amphitheater, is a must 漏 Mehmet Emin Menguarslan / Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

An uphill slog through 厂别濒莽耻办

The 厂别濒莽耻办 district, south of the peninsula, is where you鈥檒l find the popular showcase Greek city of Ephesus, its extraordinary amphitheater (which once accommodated 24,000 people) carved into the west slope of Mt Pion. The surrounding terrain features other small mountains and the valleys between them 鈥 in cycling terms, more challenging routes, especially when inclement weather rolls in.

For our third and final route, Yi臒it and I started in the charming village of 艦irince for what was to be a steep but short route toward 厂别濒莽耻办鈥檚 town center. After the main drag of shops and cafes, the route continued almost entirely uphill; walking the bikes became more frequent as the rocky paths grew steeper. The consistent rain made for slick and muddy conditions that really didn鈥檛 agree with my road bike. Even Yi臒it found the rainy route a little challenging for his mountain hybrid. 鈥淭hey wrote 鈥榤ountain bike tour,鈥 as the route,鈥 he said. 鈥淏ut it鈥檚 a 29-inch, full-suspension e-bike route.鈥

鈥淲ith full suspension, this would be amazing,鈥 I told him. With the rain getting heavier, we decided to throw in the towel. Instead, we strolled around 艦irince, had lunch and a wine tasting (a nice fallback plan!), before hopping in the Argeus support van to tour the popular archaeological sites (bikes aren鈥檛 permitted there).

Before we parted ways, I gave Yi臒it a bottle of wine I鈥檇 bought in Urla. Surprised, he returned a smile. 鈥淭hanks, man,鈥 beamed the 19-year-old. I was happy that his Turkish TikTok generation could still appreciate a bottle of wine.

I myself appreciated his guidance on our cycling tour. Even with our last ride cut short, I was still able to admire the beautiful countryside as we walked our bikes in the rain. On two wheels rather than a tour bus, I could truly smell my surroundings: the scent of cut grass, wildflowers, bales of hay 鈥 even the odor of manure came with a hint of sweetness. I could hear the sounds of passing tractors, the bells and baas of wandering goats and every call to prayer from a distant minaret. Above all, experiencing the province of 陌zmir by bicycle came with one added bonus: I got to work off some of those delicious 陌zmir calories.

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Izmir has a large cycling culture, with several celebrations throughout the year 漏 Mehmet Emin Menguarslan/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

How to make it happen

While 陌zmir鈥檚 vibrant cycling culture includes designated routes on and trail apps like , renting a bicycle locally can be a challenge for long routes beyond the capital. A cycling-tour company like Argeus can provide bicycles, a guide and support van. (The trip I took, including a domestic flight from Istanbul, starts at $2425 per person for a group of eight, with individual prices increasing for smaller groups.) Another option is , the cycling division of , which has guided or self-guided options, ranging from $1500鈥$2100 for eight days/seven nights.

Erik traveled to Turkey on the invitation of the 罢眉谤办颈测别 Tourism Promotion and Development Agency. 老澳门六合彩开奖记录 does not accept freebies in exchange for positive coverage.

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