İzmir is the third largest city in Turkey and one of the oldest settlements in the Mediterranean sea region. It’s a popular visitor destination owing to its cultural heritage sites, location on the Aegean Sea, and sunny weather. There are some terrific options for running in İzmir, with many kilometers of waterfront paths, some lovely parks, mountain trails just outside the city.
The best place to run in İzmir is along the series of waterfront paths — some 9 km along the Kordon, and 6 km across the bay along the Karşıyaka Waterfront, which includes numerous small parks. At the south end of the Kordon, we also love running paths in Engelliler Park, then aling the water to Inciralti Beach Bridge. For a great park run, enjoy the palm-lined paths of Kültürpark İzmir, which can be combined with the nearby Kordon or our Old Town/Archeological Sites tour. For those who want some hills and trails, the best bet is the National Forest in Balçova. Further outside İzmir are numerous mountains and forest preserves offering lots of trail running options.
All of our routes are accessible via İzmir’s excellent public transport system, which includes a subway, tram, and buses. Runners should note that summer weather is sunny and hot, with daytime temps consistently in the 30-35C range.