Kusadasi
Kusadasi means ‘Bird Island’, and you couldn’t find a better place to spread your wings to. Each year many chose this large cosmopolitan resort, with its sandy beaches a plenty and old town centre filled with shops and entertainment. Surrounded by pine tree clothed mountains that guard the beaches and sea, you will find it all too easy to lose yourself in the rugged nature of Turkey.
Historic Attractions
There is a lot here to keep you busy, with the tranquil Lake Bafa and historic Ephesus of Izmir within travelling distance. The most popular place for visitors to spend their time is the Kaleici, an old town centre. Ottoman buildings fill the streets here, restored as hotels, pensions, shops and restaurants. You can spend your days buying souvenirs, stopping off in eateries and exploring the backstreets, feeling transported back in time as you do. The Ottoman Kervansaray is in particular an impressive building, and landmark to the town. All of this then livens up after the sun goes down with a range of clubs and bars dedicated to those that love a good night on the town.
Beaches
After all that mention of activity on offer you’re surely going to want to hear about the beaches. ‘Kadinlar playi’, also known as ‘Ladies beach’ is a central one, though for this reason can get extremely crowded. If you’re looking for somewhere a little quieter and more spacious then head further out and you’ll find many more sandy beaches that are just as heavenly. This isn’t the only way to wind down though, as there are some of Turkey’s most beautiful national parks nearby, including Kalamaki national park, which lays on the Dilek Peninsula 30 kms to the south. This setting is ideal for going on sun stroked strolls or having a picnic if you want a change of scenery.
So there you have it: Kusadasi. It’s the perfect base for relaxing and soaking up some of the countries culture, though equally great if you fancy going on a few day trips around the area. Just one more thing: don’t forget to look out for the rare wild horses and Anatolian cheetahs that roam the area!