Port City of Izmir Is Good Base

As you travel the Aegean-Mediterranean coast of Turkey, it would be a good idea to have some knowledge of the Bible and the Greek classics, as this archeologically rich stretch of the country is entwined with Ionian Greece and the New Testament, Alexander the Great, the Roman-Byzantine era, the Crusades and Ottoman Turkey from 1288 until the end of World War I.

Although Izmir, the ancient city of Smyrna and major port on the Aegean, has fewer antiquities than other towns along the coast, it is an excellent base for visiting the more impressive ruins of Ephesus and Bergama, the latter once the pre-Christian kingdom of Pergamum.

Apart from the hilltop castle-fortress and agora (marketplace) built by Alexander, modern Izmir is a bustling city set dramatically on a magnificent bay, its broad boulevards and bayside promenade lined with sidewalk cafes and horse-drawn carriages.

Getting here: Fly British Airways, Pan Am, KLM, Lufthansa or SAS to Istanbul, then take Turkish Airlines for the 45-minute flight to Izmir.

How long/how much? Give the town one day, but if it’s a base for visits to sites mentioned above, allow one day for each. Accommodations are moderate, good Turkish food is inexpensive.

A few fast facts: The Turkish lira recently traded at 2,200 to the dollar, about .00045 each. Weather is typically Mediterranean, with hot summers made bearable by sea breezes. And stick to bottled water at all times or pay the price.

Getting settled in: Otel Karaca (Necatibey Bulvari, 1379 Sok. 55; $73.50 B&B; double, $55-$60 winters) sits on a little street just off the main drag. Pleasant contemporary furnishings throughout with a few Turkish touches, bedrooms with balconies, TV, mini-bar. Karaca is convenient to restaurants, shopping and the old city.

The Pullman Etap Konak (Mithatpasa Caddesi 128; $87 double, $67 winters) is a new one on the water. Lots of cool marble and green plants in a modern lobby, and bedrooms with views of inland hills or the sea.

Grand Hotel Efes (Gaziosmanpasa Bulvar 1; $90-$120 double, $75-$92 winters) is a gigantic, ultra-modern facility located in city center. It has its own park and gardens a block from the sea, an enormous pool, tennis courts, a fitness center and tile-and-marble baths. Add a fine restaurant, a casino and a nightclub.

Regional food and drink: Critics rate Turkish cuisine right behind that of France and China. We heartily concur. What Turks can do with lamb is generally known, but they also produce inventive dishes with fresh vegetables, fruits and seafood from the Aegean.

Turkish meals, like those of Greece, always start with mezes , those hot or cold hors d’oeuvres. The variety is endless. The dolma of stuffed grape leaves, peppers, eggplant and tomatoes is a staple everywhere. Or you may see fried or cold-marinated squid, octopus or anchovies.

The most common forms of lamb come as sis kebapi on a skewer with vegetables; donner kebap , thin layers roasted on a vertical spit and sliced and bursa kebap , which is donner kebap on a pita-type bread topped with tomato sauce and browned butter.

Good dining: Deniz (Vasif Cinar Bulvari 2 in Izmir Palas Hotel), on Izmir’s bayside Kordon, has the best seafood in town, but there are plenty of other good restaurants nearby. The menu is crammed with sole, lobster, sea bass, mussels, squid and the Mediterranian’s barbunya , a delicious red mullet.

This is the place to try kilic sis , a version of marinated swordfish skewered with bay leaves and grilled. Sea bass at about $7 is one of the more expensive dishes.

Ilif Iskender (Cumhuriyet Bulvari 194) rates raves as Ismir’s best place for donner kebap , which is all it serves. You better get there before 9 p.m. when the day’s supply runs out. It’s a sidewalk cafe, where you sit under colorful umbrellas at communal tables.

A few steps away is a street that locals call Donner Alley, which is chock-a-block with restaurants on both sides. Altin Kapi (Sokak 14) is one of the better places to find donner and several versions of the addictive kofte , spicy ground-lamb patties usually served with broiled tomatoes and long, green peppers.

Seeing the ruins: Getting to and from archeological sites along Turkey’s coast can be a complicated and arduous task. To better understand their histories, travel with a cruise line or tour company that knows the territory.

On your own: Take a taxi to the crest of Mt. Pagos for a view of the town and bay from the ramparts of Alexander’s fortress. Afterward stroll through the agora rebuilt by Marcus Aurelius after a devastating earthquake in 178 AD.

Of more interest may be the ruins of Pergamum, 65 miles from Izmir. Dating back to almost three centuries before Christ, Pergamum was then one of the most beautiful and cultured cities of the Middle East.

Its Acropolis rises more than 1,000 feet, and the library with 200,000 volumes was second only to Alexandria’s 700,000. The Temple of Trajan, still magnificent and built by Emperor Hadrian, is being restored.

A short ride will take you to The Asklepieion, named for the Greek god of healing. Take a drink from the Sacred Well of healing water. Everyone does.

For more information: Call the Turkish Culture and Information Office at (212) 687-2194, or write 821 United Nations Plaza, New York 10017 for brochures on Izmir, all of Turkey, and a Turkish travel guide with hotel listing.