Description

Kusadasi is a resort town on the Aegean Coast of Turkey, close to the ancient city of Ephesus. Once just a small fishing village, it is today amongst the most populated resorts in Turkey.
However in spite of its new found popularity, Kusadasi is a great holiday resort with an amazingly beautiful coastline and several archaeological sites nearby. The proximity to these historical sites and to the Ionian settlements of Miletus, Priene and Didyma makes this place an ideal base for travellers wanting to explore the Aegean coast.

Shopping

The Grand Bazaar in Kusadasi, which is situated near the harbour, is not only among the largest shopping zones of the area, but of the whole of Turkey itself. The area hosts over a thousand shops, which are open all days of the week from 9 am to well near the midnight hours. Haggling about the price of the goods is a must and sometimes quite a pleasurable experience too. Good bargains can be struck on a variety of attractive items like leather jackets, sandals, carpets and hand-made jewellery. Though most shops look traditional, they are mainly catering to the foreign tourists and definitely accept credit cards, travellers cheques and even foreign currency. Souvenir shops and carpet shops can be found all over the resort, but travellers should remember that bargaining about the prices is a must and is in fact a way of life.

Restaurants

There are numerous restaurants in Kusadasi that not only serve global delicacies, but offer an amazing variety in tastes and budgets as well. Turkish cuisine and delicious seafood are offered in most of the eateries and the majority of tourists prefer to have the same too, with almost all of these restaurants pricing the food moderately. International cuisine from Indian and Chinese to British and the more exotic ones are all on offer. There are a few fast food joints serving burgers and pizzas. Cinar Fish Restaurant is not only among the best seafood restaurants, but the most popular too, with visitors being offered a chance to watch their meal being prepared in the open kitchen and also dine with a splendid view of the sea. Those wanting to taste some amazing local dishes should not miss the Konyali Restaurant and the Erzincan.

Night Life

Kusadasi has among the most active nightlife in Turkey. The Bar Street, in the old town centre, is the center of attraction, with all the bars and pubs lining the street playing pulsating music until the early hours of the morning. The most frequented destinations are the massive open-air disco and the Ecstasy Bar, where famous European DJs anchor the shows. Young Brits mostly prefer to get together at Jimmy’s Irish Bar, which is located at the start of Bar Street. For those preferring it, Kusadasi offers a more sedate nightlife too, in the form of cabaret bars, Turkish folk taverns and cozy jazz clubs.

Activities

Kusadasi’s clean sandy beaches are the main reason for the huge influx of travellers to the place and most prefer to just laze in the sun and enjoy the sand and surf. The water is pretty safe and swimming is the most frequently conducted activity. The place offers a wide range of watersports through local operators and these range from the sedate boating and waterskiing to the more adventurous snorkeling and scuba diving. Beaches also organize boat trips to the various interesting islands and destinations on the Aegean coast. There are three water theme parks in the area and those fond of thrills will have an amazing experience there. On land, visitors can opt for horse riding or jeep safaris and can even visit some of the historical sites around the resort.

Communications

To call Turkey, the international country dialing code is +90. While calling from Turkey, the outgoing code is 00, followed by the relevant country code. There are internal dialing codes that are in use to call within Turkey; for example to call Istanbul Asya (Asia side) within Turkey is (0)216 and Istanbul Avrupa (Europe side) is (0)212. GSM 900 and 1800 networks cover most of the country. Internet cafes are available in the main towns and resorts.

Contacts

Turkish Tourist Office: +90 (0)212 573 4136 (Istanbul) or www.tourismturkey.org
Turkish Embassy, Washington DC, United States: +1 202 612 6700
Turkish Embassy, London, United Kingdom: +44 (0)20 7393 0066
Turkish Embassy, Ottawa, Canada: +1 613 789 4044
Turkish Embassy, Canberra, Australia: +61 (0)2 6295 0227
Turkish Embassy, Pretoria, South Africa: +27 (0)12 342 6053-7
Turkish Embassy, Dublin, Ireland: +353 (0)1 668 5240
Turkish Embassy, Wellington, New Zealand: +64 (0)4 472 1292
United States Consulate General, Istanbul: +90 (0)212 335 9000
British Embassy, Ankara: +90 (0)312 455 3344
Canadian Embassy, Ankara: +90 (0)312 459 9200
Australian Embassy, Ankara: +90 (0)312 459 9500
South African Embassy, Ankara: +90 (0)312 446 4056
Irish Embassy, Ankara: +90 (0)312 446 6172
New Zealand Embassy, Ankara: +90 (0)312 467 9054/6/8
Emergencies: 155 (Police); 112 (Ambulance)

Currency

TRY

Attractions

Ephesus is the largest and most important archeological site in the country. The city was established with a dock on the mouth of the Cayster River, and was the most important commercial station in Anatolia. The city went into decline during the Byzantine era with the silting up of the port and was finally deserted. Visitors need to have some imagination and creativity to see how the Roman city would have looked, but guides are available and can offer a rich insight into the history and architecture of the wreck. The city also had a very significant part to play in early Christianity. After the amphitheatres, wall paintings, mosaics, baths, fountains, brothels and columns, the streets lead to some great places of interest, like the colossal Library of Celsus, the notable Temple of Hadrian, a row of public latrines and the Grand Theatre where St Paul advocated to the Ephesians.

The well preserved Ionian settlements of Miletus, Priene and Didyma are also nearby and are well worth a visit too.

Language

Turkish

Language Description

The official language of Turkey is Turkish. However in almost all the main tourist areas, English is widely understood.

Tipping

Either small change or a percentage of the bill is the customary tip given for most services in Turkey. Big hotels and restaurants generally add a service charge to the bill, but whenever that is not the case, 10% to 15% of the bill is expected as a tip. While tipping taxi drivers, it is recommended to round up the bill. Attendants at Turkish baths expect 15% of the total bill as tips if the service offered has been good.