Mega Kart

In Konak, right at the heart of İzmir, Mega Kart offers an indoor karting track in the very centre of Turkey's third city. The sheltered layout can be driven whatever the weather, which makes it an easy outing all year, a short walk from the seafront and the main shopping streets. People come as a family or with friends for a few timed laps, in a format that favours instant fun and friendly rivalry.

Karting stays open to all, with no licence or experience: a briefing, a helmet, and you head off to find your best lap on the covered layout. The short format suits beginners as much as regulars working on their lines, and groups happily set up short races to sort out the drivers. For opening times and prices, which can vary, it is best to check before coming. People happily come back to beat their time session after session.

Konak is the central district of İzmir, laid out around its famous square and its clock tower, the emblem of the city. The long Kordon promenade along the bay, the great Kemeraltı bazaar and the historic Asansör lift, which links two levels of the city with a view over the gulf, are all walkable. İzmir, a major Aegean port, also opens onto the ancient sites of Ephesus and the beaches of Çeşme, less than an hour away. The city is reached by tram, metro and the Adnan Menderes airport, which makes it a handy base for exploring the Aegean coast.