Tire sits southeast of central Izmir at the foot of the Boz Mountains, and it is one of the rare districts to have kept much of its Ottoman-era character intact. Leaving the airport, the drive first passes the olive groves and vineyards of the Torbalı plain, then the orchards around Bayindir; these farmlands are a good hint at why Tire's kitchen is as rich as it is by the time you arrive.
What Tire is best known for is its Tuesday Bazaar, widely considered one of the largest open-air markets in Turkey. Tracing back to the 1400s, it now spreads across close to two thousand stalls and draws both locals and visitors from across the country. The women's section, with its handmade lace, needlework and homemade produce, is the market's most distinctive corner. If your transfer date happens to fall on a Tuesday, you can simply ask your driver to drop you at the market entrance and pick you up from the same spot a few hours later; requests like this are easy to arrange on WhatsApp when you book.
In the town centre, the eight-domed Tire Bedesten, built in the 15th century, and the historic caravanserais around it are the clearest trace of the district's trading past. Known locally as the "Kapan Hani," the Bedesten has shopfronts opening onto four sides and served as the region's marketplace for centuries. A short walk through the narrow streets around it takes you into the authentic Tahtakale bazaar.
Tire's food reputation reaches well beyond Izmir: Tire kofte, a spice-free meatball that turns into Tire kebab once served on flatbread, along with herb-filled meze and slow-cooked kavurma, are what locals recommend first. The district is equally known for its dairy, with sheep's milk yoghurt, butter and cheese from local farms a regular feature on the table. On the road out toward Kaplan village, restaurants such as Gastro Tire, Cam and Dag are known for herb dishes made with produce gathered from Kaplan, Sarpca and Cukurkoy; Kaplan Dag Restoran has even been visited by Joan Roca, head chef of El Celler de Can Roca, once named the world's best restaurant, a fair sign of how seriously this valley takes its food.
If you would like to plan the Tuesday Bazaar, the old town and local food around your trip before you land, our FAQ page and travel blog have more detail on planning a day around Tire.
