Izmir Traveller Health Guide: Cesme, Alacati and Aegean Health Tips
Health guide for visitors to Izmir and the Aegean coast: meltem wind, water sports injuries, street food, pollen, summer heat and how to see an English-speaking doctor 24/7.
E-rx.onlineIzmir is a big Aegean city with a long coastline of resort towns to its west: Cesme, Alacati, Urla, Foca, Seferihisar, Karaburun and Dikili. Visitors arrive for beaches, windsurfing, food and festivals, as well as the ancient sites inland. The health picture is a mixture of a large city and a summer holiday region, and it changes noticeably between the old bazaar quarters and the quiet bays.
The Meltem Wind and Water Sports
In summer a strong northerly wind, the meltem, blows across the Aegean in the afternoons, and it is the reason that Alacati is a world-famous windsurfing and kitesurfing spot. It also explains many of the injuries doctors see here: sprained wrists and ankles, cuts from equipment, sunburn on exposed shoulders and swallowed sea water. Wind cools the skin and hides how hard the sun is burning, so reapply sunscreen and wear a rash vest. If you are a beginner, take lessons and wear a helmet.
Summer: Heat, Sea and Dehydration
Izmir’s summers are long, hot and dry, and the beaches of Cesme and Urla are crowded on weekends. Dehydration, heat exhaustion and sunburn are the common problems, along with swimmer’s ear. Walk early or late, rest in shade in the middle of the day, and drink more than you think you need, particularly if you are drinking coffee or alcohol.
Street Food and Traveller’s Diarrhoea
Izmir is proud of its food: boyoz pastries, fish, olive-oil dishes, and the stuffed mussels sold from street stalls. Stuffed mussels in hot weather are a well-known cause of food poisoning in Turkey, so eat them only at a busy, reputable place, and avoid them if the weather is very hot or they have been sitting out. Peel fruit, wash salads in bottled water, and choose food that is cooked fresh and served hot. Most stomach bugs pass in two or three days with fluids and oral rehydration salts.
Spring and Autumn: Pollen and Changeable Weather
Spring brings olive, grass and cypress pollen, and many visitors with hay fever notice it for the first time. Autumn is warm and pleasant but evenings cool quickly after swimming, so colds and sore throats are common. Izmir’s weather can also change fast when a cold front arrives from the north.
Winter
Winters in Izmir are mild and wet. The seasonal flu, colds, bronchitis and sinus infections come with the damp weather, particularly in the dense city quarters. People staying in rented apartments in Alsancak, Karsiyaka or Bornova should make sure they can heat their home properly, and keep up fluids and rest if they fall ill.
Getting Medical Help in Izmir
Izmir has large public and private hospitals in the city centre and clinics in the resort towns. Call 112 in an emergency. For everyday illness, an on-demand doctor can see you by video, send an e-prescription to a nearby pharmacy and arrange a home or hotel visit in selected areas. Select your town below.
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