Kusadasi is one of the most popular resort towns on the southern Aegean Coast, overflowing with shiploads of tourists in summer who increase the year-round population several times over. Once a small fishing village, today the busy town is packed with curios and carpet shops; its proximity to the ruins of Ephesus making it an ideal base for Aegean cruise ships.
Kusadasi is situated amid splendid coastal scenery and several significant archaeological sites, including the three well-preserved Ionian settlements of Miletus, Priene and Didyma. There are plenty of good hotels and restaurants, and ferries link it with the nearby Greek islands of Samos and Mykonos.
Kusadasi insider information
- Bar Street (Barlar Sokak) is the centre of the tourist area and open until the small hours during the summer. For a non-tourist experience head for the market on Friday mornings.
- Ladies Beach (Kadinarplaji) is the town beach and very busy although there are less crowded ones to the south and north of the town. Cruise ships call in here, and prices often go up when they are in port.
- Visit the ruins of Ephesus which was once the boom town of Asia Minor. St Paul lived here and converted many people to Christianity. The local silversmiths objected to his presence as their trade in figurines of the “local” goddess Artemis was threatened.
