With its stunning beaches and natural parks, Izmir Province is known in Türkiye as being the pearl of the Aegean. Indeed the Aegean Sea joins the Mediterranean Sea at the extreme end of the Karaburun Peninsula where the picturesque Sarpıncık Lighthouse is located. The Izmir section of EuroVelo 8 links the ports of Dikili and Cesme via Lesbos and Chios islands, and passes through 18 districts across Izmir Province. The general structure of the route is based on the interconnection of historical sites, ancient settlements and natural and cultural heritage. The route is 495 kilometers long and is ‘bookended’ by two very important ancient cities: Pergamon in the north and Ephesus in the south.