General Information About Kusadasi
A brief travel information about Kusadasi, online maps, videos, tourist attractions, museums,
mosques, historical sites, old churches, shopping guide, landmarks, sightseeing places and more...
Kusadasi is famous with its international port and for
being a base for visiting the neighborhood historical
sites, the most famous one being Ephesus. Kusadasi is
officially a part of Aydin province and located at a
distance of 90 km (56 mi) to the south from the region's
largest metropolitan center of Izmir and a short
distance from the Greek Island of Samos, connected with
daily ferryboat service. The city stands on a bay in the
Aegean with the peninsula of Guvercin Ada sticking out
into the sea at one end, and the mountain of
Kaz Dagi
behind.
Besides being very close to many historical places
Kusadasi also provides a colorful nightlife, all summer
activities you can imagine and it has many beautiful
beaches around it. This makes Kusadasi unique among the
similar resort towns in Turkey. The town is also visited
in winter season by many tourists because the daily
tours to Ephesus, Pamukkale etc are available from
Kusadasi almost everyday round the year.
Landmarks and Museums
PS: Please see below map
to locate all these landmarks
Kaleiçi Camii - the mosque built in 1618 for Grand
Vizier Öküz Kara Mehmed Pasha.
The Öküz Mehmet Pasha Caravanserai is is a
caravanserai located in Kuşadası, built by Ottoman
statesman and military commander "Öküz" Mehmed Pasha
(died 1619). After its renovation, the building is being
used as a hotel today
Guvercin / Pigeon Island - Just off
Kuşadası harbor, a 350-meter-long causeway leads out to
charming Pigeon Island, where the remnants of a
13th-century Byzantine fortress (which later became a
pirates' lair) sit on the cliff. The island rampart
walls, which wrap partially around the island, are a
later addition dating to the early 19th century. Pigeon
Island is a favorite spot for a seaside walk, and there
is a lovely café here as well. This is the place to come
for an early evening promenade and to admire the sunset.
Dilek Peninsula
26 kilometers south of Kuşadası is the Peninsula lying between Kusadasi
and Aydin centre. It is in Western (Aegean) coast of
Turkey and it has many many rare plant species.
Full of gorgeous mountain scenery and rugged coastline
views, the Dilek Peninsula is a national park area that
makes an excellent, easy day trip from Kuşadası, 26
kilometers away. There are many beaches for swimming and
sunbathing - Aydınlık Beach and Karasu Köyü Beach are
the picks of the bunch. The Cave of Zeus (Zeus Maǧarası)
is a popular tourist attraction within the reserve, and
excellent hiking opportunities await on the park's
network of forest trails. This is top of the things to
do list for nature-loving tourists who want to get away
from town.
Old City /
Harbor Area
Most of Kuşadası's tourist attractions are found in the
harbor area. The Kervansaray (caravanserai) here was
built by Öküz Mehmet Paşa in 1618. Its battlemented
facade was restored in the 1960s, and it has served as
the Club Caravanserail Hotel since 1967. Just to the
southwest, you can still seek out some good examples of
19th-century half-timbered houses in the typical
traditional style of the region. The old town wall
southern gate still survives here as well. The bazaar
area, full of Turkish souvenirs, begins directly in
front of the harbor dock.
Ladies Beach (Kadınlar Denizi)
This beach, two kilometers from town, is the most
popular strip of sand in the area directly surrounding
Kuşadası. There are water sports galore to keep the
active happy, plenty of cafés if you're feeling peckish,
and you can rent sun loungers and umbrellas.
Unsurprisingly, in summer it can be crowded with both
local families and foreign tourists. Weekdays tend to be
slightly less of a jam, but don't expect empty sand at
any time during July and August. Come out of season,
though, and you may get a sprawl of shore all to
yourself.
Ephesus
Number one is the nearby and very impressive ruins of
Ephesus, the second largest city of the Roman Empire.
From the agora, to public toilets, Celsius library,
large amphitheatre, and terraced houses, a guided tour
will help you appreciate the extensive excavation work
of which we see the results
House of Virgin Mary
Near Ephesus, in the green hills of Selcuk is the house
of the Virgin Mary. Said to be her last resting place,
monks and nuns operate the day-to-day running of the
establishment including frequent services of worship.
Regardless of whether you are religious or not, the
house is worth a visit.
See guided tours for Ephesus and the Virgin Mary’s house
Priene
Hemmed in by mountain vistas, the ruins of the
Hellenistic city of Priene are thoroughly photogenic.
This ancient port had its heyday between 300 BC and 45
BC, when its harbors bustled with commerce. The
silting-up of the Meander River caused the city's
demise, and by the 2nd century AD, Priene was abandoned.
The star attraction here is the Temple of Athena, with
its classical Ionian design, while the 6,500-seat
theater is exceptionally well-preserved. Priene makes an
excellent day trip, particularly when combined with
Miletus.
Miletus
Like Priene, Miletus is another great harbor city of the
Hellenistic period, though as its harbor did not silt
up, occupation here continued right through to the
Seljuk era of the 14th century. This means that that the
ruins here are more of a mix of the different time
periods. Not to be missed is the vast theater, with its
15,000 seats and excellent views from the top tiers. It
dates from the Greek era but was thoroughly
reconstructed by the Romans. Just above the theater are
some Byzantine fortress walls, and just to the east are
the remnants of the Temple of Apollo. The surprisingly
well-preserved Baths of Faustina lie to the south, past
a Seljuk Caravanserai and more ancient Greco-Roman city
ruins. There is also a very good museum dedicated to the
history of both Miletus and Priene on site.
Didyma
This Hellenistic religious center was home to the fabled
Oracle of Didyma and the ancient world's second-largest
temple. The Temple of Apollo still boasts its towering
columns (which once numbered 122) and is one of the
best-preserved examples of Greek temples in Turkey. The
Oracle of Didyma was considered of high importance in
the classical ancient world, only second in authority to
the Oracle of Delphi. It was only under the rule of
Constantine the Great and his conversion to Christianity
that the Oracle's influenced waned.
Sirince Village
Also in the hills of Selcuk, is the small but charming
village of Sirince. Known for their fruit based wines,
they also specialise in homemade olive oil and local
crafts and art. Wear your good walking shoes because the
village is hilly but also lends to some remarkable
landscape views.
Kirazli Village
The quaint village of Kirazli, surrounded by orchards
and vine-covered fields, has a timeless feel. This is
the perfect place for an afternoon of meandering through
alleyways lined by traditional whitewashed village
houses and soaking up the peaceful pulse of Turkish
village life. There are some lovely restaurants and
cafés here to while away a few hours of tranquil
contemplation. If you're a foodie tourist, come here on
a Saturday for the farmers market, which specializes in
local organic produce. Kirazli is 10 kilometers east of Kuşadası.
Selcuk Town
Spend one full day in the nearby and traditional town of
Selcuk. It has a museum as well as the ruins of the
temple of Artemis, although not much of it remains. This
excursion is more about delving into the culture and
traditions of daily Turkish life.
Love Beach / Sevgi Plajı
Beach lovers are in their elements when visiting
Kusadasi. Within the resort is the Long beach and Ladies
beach, which also has a wide variety of water sports on
offer. Head to the outskirts to discover beaches such as
Pamuk in Selcuk or Love beach in nearby Davutlar.
Shopping in Kusadasi
Kusadasi Grand Bazaar is the biggest shopping center ,
situated near the Kusadasi Harbour, one of the largest
shopping bazaar in Turkey, with well over 1000 Jewelry,
Leather, Carpet and Souvenir shops. Shops in Kusadasi
are open 7 days a week from 9 in the morning till
midnight ! Bargaining during shopping is a must and
having an offered drink (tea/coffee) while bargaining is
a tradition.
Hand made Turkish Carpets, soft leather jackets and
exquisite jewels are among the most desired items by
visitors. The main reason for such trend is the low
price and high quality of these items. Almost all of the
shops accept credit cards, travelers checks and any
major currencies. Most products come with manufacturer's
warranty and you may return them within a certain time
period. Salesmen and saleswomen are very friendly and
speak most of the major languages.
The Kusadasi Market is held every Friday, where you can
find anything you desire. It starts at the bottom of a
hill and winds its way up hill passing fruit and
vegetables, olives, cheeses, honey, live stock spices,
jeweler and clothing stalls. There is the Orient Bazaar,
with the wild bargaining for rugs. The downtown streets
are filled with vendors and the delicious local candy,
the Turkish delights. Anything leather: jackets, purses,
gloves - or oriental rugs available with very steep
prices but they last a lifetime. Jewelry is also a major
business in Kusadasi and many jewelers line the street
Barbaros.
The "downtown" area near the waterfront is quite modern,
with many stores and an open air bazaar. Offerings range
from typical souvenirs to fine jewelry and Turkish rugs.
Hawkers frequently implore passersby to come inside, but
with patience, visitors can find quality items at prices
often somewhat better than in large cities. Bargaining
is expected, and essential in the bazaar.
There are many showrooms displaying traditional Turkish
handmade silk and wool carpets where staff happily
explain the rug making process. Learn about silk
production, natural color dyes and the art of
traditional carpet weaving. There will be some pressure
to buy, but should you wish to purchase a traditional
Turkish rug, it will be sent to your home by world wide
delivery if its available.
Kusadasi Transportation
There are scheduled bus connections to Kusadasi from all major cities and
towns of Turkey. Izmir is the nearest airport to Kusadasi, (about 70 km)
and there are frequent flights from Istanbul Ataturk Airport to Izmir.
Hotels and travel agencies provide private airport transfers to Kusadasi
hotels from Izmir airport, with extra payment. There are also plenty of
public buses to Kusadasi from Izmir bus terminal. If you are starting
from Izmir Adnan Menderes airport, take the ESHOT 204 bus to the Izmir
otogar. On the ground floor of the Izmir otogar there will be tickets
stands for the various bus companies, e.g. Metro, Pamukkale. Bus tickets
cost around 4-5 US Dollars and will drop you off at the Kusadasi otogar.
Visitors arriving with their rental cars can also arrive by highway (from north, south, and east); the city is
linked by a modern six-lane highway to İzmir's Adnan Menderes Airport.
There are daily ferry services to and from the nearby Greek island of
Samos.
The city is a port of call for cruise ships plying the Eastern
Mediterranean. In a controversial deal in 2003, the previously public-owned
port was leased to a private company and renovated to attract luxury cruise
liners. Today, Kuşadası is the second busiest cruise port in Turkey, after
Istanbul, mainly due to the archaeological attractions at Ephesus. The
Kuşadası docks are right downtown, and terminals offer a good selection of
stores including a duty-free shop.
To get around within the city there are 2 major ways. The first and the
most common way is by minibus service (called dolmuş), which is available between 7:30 AM and 12:00 AM during the
high season from May to October. Minibus routes and stops within town are
shown by minibus signs by the roads.
The second way to get around in town is by taxi. To find a taxi, you’d
rather go to their office or call one of the taxi companies than waiting on
the street. Taxis are yellow with company names on side; and fees are paid
according to taximeters : distance calculater which the driver switches on
when you get in the taxi.
Kusadasi Travel Map
Click here to open the map in full screen
Kusadasi Travel Activities
Daily Tours and Excursion in Kusadasi
Daily tours and excursions in Kusadasi by reputable travel agency of Turkey
Ephesus - Kusadasi -Pamukkale Tour from Istanbul by Plane (2 Days-1
Night)
Flights from/to Istanbul, hotel transfers, 1 night
accommodation in Kusadasi in 4 star hotels , English speaking tour guides,
entrance fees, some meals . 2 full day tours of Ephesus and
Pamukkale.
Click here for other Turkey tour package which includes visiting
Kusadasi (Ephesus)
Kusadasi Hotels
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