Izmir Adnan Menderes Airport (ADB) is the main gateway to Turkiye's central Aegean coast, a genuine full-service airport with car rental desks operated by international and local companies just outside the terminal, and it's a natural starting point for exploring one of the country's richest historical and coastal regions by road. The airport sits a short drive south of Izmir city center, with fast highway connections in every direction that make it easy to head straight out toward the coast rather than spending time in city traffic first.
From the airport, the ancient city of Ephesus, one of the best-preserved classical sites in the eastern Mediterranean, is roughly an hour's drive south near Selcuk, an easy half-day or full-day trip by rental car. Heading the other direction, the resort town of Cesme sits about an hour west on the Cesme Peninsula, known for its beaches, windsurfing coves and ferry connections across to the Greek island of Chios, making it a popular combined stop for visitors extending their Aegean trip. Closer to the airport, Izmir itself offers a long seaside promenade and a lively old bazaar quarter worth a stop before heading further afield.
Driving in Turkiye is on the right, and the country's modern motorway network uses an electronic toll system called HGS rather than cash tollbooths; rental cars in Turkiye are typically fitted with an HGS tag already linked to the rental agreement, though it is worth confirming this at pickup so tolls are billed correctly rather than accruing as a fine. Roads around Izmir and along the Aegean coast are generally well maintained and well signposted, with summer traffic near the coastal resorts a bit heavier than the quieter inland routes toward Ephesus and Selcuk. Fuel stations are frequent along the main highways, and drivers heading into the hillier stretches toward Selcuk should allow a little extra time during peak summer travel weeks.