Original view from BALABAN villas                                                                                                                                                                              home
KUSADASI
 

   
About Kuşadası
KUSADASI
           
                               
   
Kusadasi, or Bird Island, is a lovely port built along the shores of a glittering bay. The terraced town overlooks the most beautiful inlet of the Aegean and seems to have been created purely for the delight of the holiday-maker.

    The Genoese fort on the island which gave the town its name is now full of cafés and discos. Its port welcomes luxury cruise liners, which discharge passengers keen to sample the town's extensive facilities and visit the archaeological sites nearby.

    There is a marina for yachts and you can watch the cruise liners coming into the harbour. Beach life is dotted around the nearby coastline and the nearest beaches are Long Beach, Ladies Beach, Green Beach and Tusan Beach. Windsurfing, waterskiing, sailing and beach volleyball are only a few of the activities on offer. Beaches can be crowded in high season, but there are plenty of quieter stretches along the coast, and the pretty pebbly bays of the Dilek Peninsula National Park. South  of resort is ideally situated for visiting historical sites.

    The most famous is the beautifully preserved Roman city of Ephesus, once the home to around 250,000 people. The Greek city of Prienne, the Temple of Apollo at Didyma and the ancient port of Miletus are also well worth seeing. When you want a break from culture, take an Aegean cruise or go on a jeep safari. Shopping is another of the resort's great pleasures. From fake designer labels to gold, leather and carpets, the choice is wide and prices are considerably lower than in the UK. As night falls, the town comes alive with an array of nightspots and discos. You can choose from traditional "lokanta"s to familiar English and Irish themed pubs. Many bars have live music and stay open late. Popular night clubs spots include Bar Street and the "Kale ici" areas of the town centre.

     
                               
   
Approx. distances From Kusadasi to
   
    IZMIR (airport)
    55 Miles   
  Istanbul
406 Miles
  Marmaris
136 Miles
   
    Ephesus
 11 Miles   
  Pamukkale
134 Miles
  Bodrum Airport
85 Miles
   
    Selcuk
 12 Miles   
  Soke
12 Miles
  Heraklia
42 Miles
   
    Virgin Mary
19 Miles   
  Prienne
21 Miles
  Aphrodisias
103 Miles
   
    Aydin
55 Miles   
  Miletus
34 Miles
  Sardes
103 Miles
   
    National Park
18 Miles   
  
  Didyma
45 Miles
  Fethiye
194 Miles
   
    Claros
25 Miles  
 Pergamum
115 Miles
  Sirince
16 Miles
   
    Around Kusadasi One can go around Kusadasi either by Minibus (Dolmus), Taxi or a Rental Car / Scooter.

There are 3 major ways to get around within Kusadasi. The first and the most common way is by minibus service (called Dolmus in Turkish) which is available between 7:30 AM and 12:00 AM during the high season which is between May 1st and October 1st Minibus routes and stops within town are shown by minibus signs by the roads. For minibus and routes within town click Map of Kusadasi.

The second way to get around in town is by taxi. Taxis are most useful especially late at night where the meter runs double. Most of the destinations within town are close (mostly 5 minutes range) so the taxi meters do not hurt that much.

The third way to get around in town is by foot. Most of the town is relatively flat and the scenery is nice. To walk from one end of town to another takes 30 minutes.