Kusadasi, Turkey

Situated on the west coast of Turkey, around 90 km south of Izmir, Kusadasi is one of the most popular tourist destinations and expatriate residences on the Aegean coast. A large part of Kusadasi's popularity stems from its proximity to important historical sites such as Ephesus, Didyma, Priene, and Miletos, principal cities during ancient times, as well as it's port, where hundreds of cruise ships visit each year. Kusadasi is also one of the most popular places for party-goers and holiday-makers.

Kusadasi has a typical Mediterranean climate with hot summers and mild winters, providing a long tourism season. The city enjoys sunshine for 300 days of the year. Numerous powdery, sandy beaches with warm clear waters allow a great variety of water and beach facilities. Windsurfing, water skiing, scuba diving, and sailing are only a few choices for lovers of the active life. After sunbathing and watersports during the day, you may find yourself enjoying a spectacular sunset. As the sun sets, the cafes and restaurants through the palm-lined main boulevard ramp up for the evening. Kusadasi's restaurants serve a variety of fresh seafood, fish, and Aegean cuisine specialties, making for a delicious and relaxing meal as you watch the boats come and go and the people walk by. After dinner, you can occupy yourself until dawn at one of Kusadasi's many bars and night clubs.

History of Kusadasi

The region of the Aegean where Kusadasi lies had ideal conditions for the foundation of cities in the ancient world, such as climate, terrain, and numerous natural harbors. These cities might have existed for a longer period of time, were it not for the silting up of these harbors and receding costline because of the constant deposits of sediment made by two rivers which flow to the coastline. The soil brought down by these rivers, however, provided ideal conditions for growing tobacco, sesame and grain using various irrigation techniques.

Not much is known about the origins of Kusadasi itself, since no evidence of an ancient city has been found here. It is thought that when the harbor at Ephesus silted up, Kusadasi became a better option as a harbor. At one point, Kusadasi was used by the Byzantines who called it Ania, later the Venetians and Genoese re-named it as Scala Nuova. A small island, connected to the mainland by a causeway was used as the location for a fort which is still there and definitely worth a visit. During the Ottoman empire, this island was named "Kus Adasi," or "Bird Island." It is from this island that Kusadasi was named.

Since the 1970's, the population of Kusadasi has grown dramatically from 6,000 to around 50,000. This number doubles during the tourist season, when Kusadasi becomes a center for cruise ship passengers, party goers, as well as British and European holiday makers visiting their summer homes or taking advantage of cheap holiday packages.

Getting to Kusadasi

By Air

From Adnan Menderes Airport in Izmir (80 kilometers from Kusadasi), you can take a taxi to the main bus station (otogar), then take a bus to Kusadasi, which departs every thirty minutes. These buses run from 06:30 AM to 23:30 PM. You can also take a taxi directly to Kusadasi, which will be faster, but costs around 50 Euro. Many hotels and travel agencies in Kusadasi also offer airport transfers from Adnan Menderes airport, but these need to be arranged in advance. You can also rent a car from the airport, but this also should be arranged in advance.

From Bodrum Airport (130 kilometers from Kusadasi), you can get a shuttle or taxi to Bodrum's bus station, then catch a bus to Kusadasi which departs every two hours. Taking a taxi to Kusadasi from Bodrum takes around two hours, and costs around 80 Euro. You can also rent a car at the Bodrum airport or arrange an airport transfer in advance.

By Ferry from Samos

Ferries to and from Samos operate twice daily from April to October every year, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Once you arrive at the Kusadasi ferry port, you'll be in the heart of Kusadasi, on Liman Sokak ("Port Street"). Just across from the port is the Tourism Information Office (0 256 614 1103), where you can get a city plan and a list of over 400 hotels and pansiyons in Kusadasi.

By Bus

Kusadasi's bus station, or "otogar," lies a kilometer away from the main city, on the ring road running from Izmir to Soke. There you can arrive from, or depart to, any major city in Turkey. At the bus station, you'll find numerous kiosks operated by various intra-city bus companies. A bus trip from nearby Izmir takes about one hour. From the bus station, you can catch a taxi or a mini-bus (or "dolmus") into town.

By Car

If you drive to Kusadasi, you'll find several car parks including the covered car park on Inonu Bulvari and an open car park on Ataturk Bulvari. Besides this, numerous smaller car parks operate in and around the center of town. From there, you can drive or take a taxi to various places, they're rather cheap compared to European standards.

Getting Around Kusadasi

Transportation in Kusadasi, if you don't have a car, can be done by the numerous and inexpensive taxis, or by mini-buses which lumber to and from dolmus stations, stopping and picking up passengers as they go. Simply look at the placard on the front of the dolmus to see where it's going, and waive one down. The cost of a dolmus is only a few lira, and the price is posted on the inside of the dolmus, normally on the inside of the front window. Dolmus passengers customarily pass the fare to the driver by handing it to the passengers in front of them, who pass it on, so if someone behind you hands you some change, that's why they're doing it!

Kusadasi City Center

The tourism information office is basically in the center of Kusadasi, right across from the ferry port, on Liman Caddesi (meaning "port street." This street runs from the ferry port to the Okuz Mehmet Pasa Kervansaray, an ancient stop for caravans now converted to a luxury hotel with a Turkish theme. In the evening, they often put on shows called "Turkish Nights," which is certainly worth a visit. To the right of the kervansaray is the Orient Bazaar, where you can find numerous souvenirs, carpets, and other items for sale displayed in the shop windows.

A walk down Liman Caddesi will bring you to a corner where to the left you'll find Ataturk Bulvari, the main street which runs along the coast of Kusadasi. Just a short distance down Ataturk Bulvari and to the right is a wide pedestrian street called Barbaros Hayrettin Bulvari which runs alongside the kervansaray. As you walk along this pedestrian street, walking away from the water, you'll see the Kale district to the left. The Kale district features numerous traditional houses, many of which have been converted into restaurants and bars. At the end of Barbaros Hayrettin Bulvari and to the right is where most of the best pansiyons are, situated among more traditional houses and streets. As you walk around in this area, you'll run across Barlar Sokak (or "Bar Street") which has a large metal sign over the street entrance announcing its presence, for those who haven't found it by following their ears. Bar Street in Kusadasi offers several Irish Bars and other drinking establishments which play various types of techno and house music. These places are where most of the party crowd goes in the evening and can be rather loud. If you'd like a quieter, or more Turkish experience, go back to the Kale district, which is a better place to have a good conversation over a beer or cocktail in the evening.

Beyond this area, further from the coast, is a section called "Friday Market," which as its name suggests is where vendors line the streets to sell their produce and wares every Friday.

Guvercen Adasi, now called "Pigeon Island," is that small island from which Kusadasi first got its name. It's located on the coast just south of the ferry port and is an excellent place to visit for a quiet stroll or to spend an afternoon in its little cafes and snack bars. Along the causeway to Pigeon Island are where you can find a boat to take you out for a relaxing day trip on the water. If you have the time, it's well worth taking one of these trips while you're in Kusadasi.

Kusadasi Beaches

City Beach

This is an artificial beach located on the shore between the main harbor and the yacht marina. It's quite small, somewhat dirty, and rather crowded during the tourism season, but it's handy if you're staying in a hotel in Kusadasi town center.

Ladies Beach (Kadinlar Denizi or Kadinlar Plaji):

This is Kusadasi's most popular beach, around three kilometers south of the town center. Dolmuses regularly travel to and from Ladies Beach (you'll see the destination on the front of the dolmus), which was named during a time when only women were allowed to use it. This straight stretch of beach is lined with various restaurants, shops, and bars. Ample facilities, including umbrellas, beach chairs and water sports equipment are available.

Paradise Beach

The next beach south of Ladies Beach, Paradise Beach is smaller and quieter with only a few shops and bars.

Tusan Beach

Around five kilometers south of Kusadasi town center, Tusan beach features hard-packed sand and the Tusan hotel, which rents out equipment for water sports and relaxing on Tusan Beach.

Pamucak Beach

Often preferred by the local Turks and by those wanting a more quiet beach experience, Pamucak beach is less developed than the other Kusadasi beaches, except for a couple of complexes on the south end. Pamucak beach is around 15 kilometers north of Kusadasi, and you'll see signs for it as you drive between Kusadasi and Selcuk. You can catch a dolmus headed for Selcuk on the main coastal road (Ataturk Bulvari) and get off at the northern end of Pamucak beach.

Kalamaki National Park

Part of a national park on the Dilek peninsula, Kalamaki's main beach, located on the right of the park entrance, has clear water and clean sand. Facilities include showers, a restaurant, picnic tables and beach chairs. It's around 30 kilometers south of Kusadasi town center. There are also a few pebble beaches in Kalamaki National Park having similar facilities.

Long Beach

This six-kilometer, sandy beach got it's name from its length. Here you'll find hotels, villas, and residential complexes. Beach chairs, umbrellas, and water sports equipment are plentiful during the tourism season.

Papaz Beach

Just to the south, and next to the causeway of Pigeon Island, Papaz Beach is a small pebble beach. At Papaz you'll find beach chairs, umbrellas, various watersports equipment available, as well as cafeterias and a restaurant.

Water Parks

Kusadasi has two of the largest water parks in Turkey, Adaland (0256 618 1252) and Aqua Fantasy (0232 893 1111). They're both located on the coast-side of the road between Kusadasi and Selcuk, and if you drive to Kusadasi through Selcuk, you'll see them on the right side as you approach Kusadasi. Both of these water parks have a variety of water slides and, well, just about anything you could possibly want to get wet and have fun. You can get to either water park with the dolmus which travels between Kusadasi and Selcuk.