our cruise stops in izmir, turkey has anyone ever stopped at this port? if so, what to do on shore. thanks only there for a few hours is it close to istanbul?

No, Izmir is not close to Istanbul (an hour by air/8 or so by car). How long are you going to be in the city? If only a few hours, you won't have time to go anywhere like Ephesus, Sirince, Cesme and the like.

There is the Agora ruins in the city - haven't been there myself yet - but the pictures I saw were interesting and I plan to visit the next time I go to Izmir. You could also walk the waterfront promenade in Alsancak (starts close to where you would likely be docking and goes all the way to Konak where the iconic clock tower is located.

Here are some of the photos I was looking at recently.

http://www.pbase.com/dosseman/izmir

Enjoy your brief time in Izmir.

Also meant to note that there is an Archeological Museum in Kultur Park. Relatively small, but an interesting collection of artifacts from the days of antiquity. If I remember correctly, it is close to the Lozan Entrance of the Park (in Alsancak). (I think the Etnographic Museum is across the street from the Archeological Museum.)

Kadifekale, the citadel on top of the mountain, affords nice views - on a clear day. Haven't been there in ages, but I thought I read somewhere that it was cleaned up/renovated not long ago.

On the waterfront promenade stretching from the docks to Konak are lots of restaurants and cafes -- food used to be very cheap in Turkey, but I think the prices have gone up considerably in the past couple of years.

Another option might be to take the ferry across the bay to Karsiyaka for a stroll. Depending on the ferry schedule, you could catch a boat from the Alsancak pier or go to the main terminal in Konak.

I have no problems eating the food sold by street vendors and simit is a favorite of mine (think soft pretzel covered with sesame seeds). I usually get one of those, some cheese, and a cup of tea from a street vendor and sit on the waterfront promenade or somewhere in Kultur Park to enjoy an al fresco snack. (There is a version that is called "kumru", which can be toasted or not, and prepared more like a sandwich.) If you don't have a particularly delicate stomach - I'd recommend it.

Not promoting the website - but just to give you an idea of what's in the city: http://www.allaboutturkey.com/izm_site.htm

When we toured Turkey a few years ago, we stayed at Izmir and did take a day trip to Ephesus. If you're only there a few hours, this would not be possible, but if you stop there for a full day, you could. Ephesus, of course, would be well worth the trip. Izmir itself is a modern city that was rebuilt by the Turks after its war with Greece in the early 20th century. It is not much of a tourist destination. You could walk along the waterfront.

Ephesus is the big tour from Izmir and a really interesting tour