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Kusadasi is known to be the gateway to gateway to EphesusThe city’s seaport is one of the largest on the Aegean coast.
However, if on your trip to Turkey you have plenty of time to visit this small tourist city, your decision will be full of reasons… like the ones we give you on this page: here we tell you what to see and what to do in Kusadasi, as well as other information of interest to get around the city.
Kusadasi is located on the Turkish coast of the Aegean Sea.
And more specifically, in an unbeatable location: in a beautiful bay surrounded by some green elevations that give a nice touch to the panorama.
In addition, it is located at few kilometers as the crow flies from Samos, one of the most beautiful and visited Greek islands of the neighboring country.one of the most beautiful and visited Greek islands of the neighboring country, and very close to other natural and cultural attractions of the area.
It is a city with more than 130,000 inhabitants. 130,000 inhabitants (according to the census of 2022) and is part of the province of Aydin.
Esta es una lista de distancias que separan a esta ciudad de otros destinos de interés de Turquía:
Because of its location and latitude, Kusadasi’s climate is especially kind to the traveler, practically all year round. friendly to the traveler, practically all year round.which is an attraction in itself.
Its winters are mild, with temperatures rarely dropping below freezing. 6ºC The rainfall is concentrated between November and March, with one rainy day in three, on average.
However, from spring to the first stages of autumn, temperatures become hot but without becoming oppressive, as the thermometers only slightly exceed the 30ºC in the months of July and August.
And in those months, rainfall is very low, practically non-existent in summer.
As we indicated above, the port of Kusadasi is one of the major gateways to the city and other nearby destinations.
But it is not the only possible option to get here, as we explain below.
And in fact, in our tours in Turkey we usually make use of air and road transport to bring our travelers to Kusadasi.
For those who wish to reach Kusadasi from other parts of Turkey, i.e. not coming from an Aegean cruise, the airplane is the fastest way to reach Kusadasi. the fastest optionAlthough there is no major international airport in the vicinity, there are two busy airports relatively close by.
The first is the airport of Izmir-Adnan Menderes airport, about 65 km away. north of the city.
To learn more about its air routes, you can consult the pages of How to get to Turkey or the Izmir destination page.
There are shuttle buses ( havas) from this airport to Kusadasi with several daily departures and a journey time of 90 minutes, but for those who wish to arrive by public transport, the buses (cheaper but much slower) stop before in the city of Selçuk (next to Ephesus) and there it is necessary to make a transfer.
By cab or private vehicle, the trip takes about an hour.
The other airport to consider when arriving in Kusadasi is Milas-Bodrum airport, located about 120 km from Kusadasi. Milas-Bodrum, located about 120 km from Kusadasi. south of the city.
However, the combination of transportation to get from here is very scarce (both shuttle buses and public transportation).
Therefore, the only feasible option to get from here is by private cab, with a journey time of just under two hours.
The D515 highway passes through Kusadasi, which can be considered a coastal branch of the D525, the road that runs through this southwestern sector of the Anatolian peninsula.
This D515 can be taken both in Selçuk (to the north) and around Soke (to the south), which speeds up the journey from Izmir and the north but also from Bodrum and the south.
To arrive from the east, and therefore from the heart of Anatolia (e.g. Cappadocia or Konya), it is necessary to take the D550, passing through the provincial capital Aydin.
This list of driving times from other cities will be useful to get an idea:
On the other hand, if your option is the road but in collective transport, the bus can also offer you some options.
The cities with which Kusadasi is directly connected by long-distance or short-distance buses ( dolmus) are:
Unfortunately, there is no train station, there is no train station in Kusadasi, neither high-speed nor conventional line.
The nearest train station is Selçuk (see the Ephesus page for more information), so the journey from this neighboring city must then continue by road (about 20 km).
As we were saying, the boat is a very popular option for travelers arriving to the port of Kusadasi.
But the vast majority of them do so in the framework of a private cruisewhich normally includes the Greek Aegean Islands and other coastal destinations on the Anatolian Peninsula.
However, those who wish to access Kusadasi on a regular ferry linethe only feasible option is the Samos-Kusadasi Samos-KusadasiThe airline operates mainly during the high tourist season (from April to October).
And being an international line, you will need to pay close attention to the bureaucratic procedures, as there are immigration formalities that may vary depending on your place of origin and that may lengthen the actual travel time.
The history of Kusadasi is, like that of the entire Turkish Aegean coast, the story of a melting pot of cultures and civilizations. melting pot of cultures and civilizationsThe history of Kusadasi is, like that of the entire Aegean coast, the story of a melting pot of cultures and civilizations, which follow one after the other: in some cases due to internal decline and in others due to external invasions and conquests.
The oldest nucleus of what is now Kusadasi is believed to have been in Yılancı Burnu, the pleasant green peninsula located next to the city center, and over time it may have moved to other points inland.
In any case, from the third millennium B.C. onwards, civilizations such as the léleges, the Aeolians or the Ionians.
Of course, it was fully integrated into the rest of Hellenistic Anatolia, after the conquest by Alexander the Great in the 4th century B.C. And the same was true in times of Roman Roman domination.
Sin embargo, siempre tuvo un papel secundario, a la sombra del gran puerto de la zona: Éfeso.
Sin embargo, a medida que el port of Ephesus became clogged with sediment and lost gradually became less and less important, the enclave of Kusadasi gradually replaced it, to the point of being renamed Ephesus Neopolis in Byzantine times. Byzantine period.
Over the centuries and before it fell into Ottoman hands (14th-15th centuries), this Byzantine enclave came under the economic influence of Venetian and Genoese merchants. Venetian and Genoese tradersThe city was also known as the “City of the Sea”, the great sailors of the Mediterranean.
And it was at that time when it received another of the names by which this city was known: Scala Nuova (Puerto Nuevo).
In fact, a castle and military garrison was created on the Isla de las Palomas, which still survives today.
During the Ottoman period continued its progressive expansionThe island of Kusadasi, with the expansion of the city and its aforementioned fortress.
By then, this island (now connected to the mainland by a pleasant seawall) was already its great hallmark, as reflected in the name it received thereafter: Kusadasi means in Turkish “bird island”, as its silhouette resembles that of a bird when viewed from the coast.
However, in the 19th century there was a certain stagnation stagnation The city was left out of the Smyrna-Selçuk-Aydin railway line, whose cities grew in the heat of this infrastructure.
At the beginning of the 20th century, the city was involved in the war with war with Greece: due to its proximity to the Greek islands, especially SamosThe city of Samos was also involved in the war with Greece: due to its proximity to the Greek islands, especially Samos, an important Greek population resided here and had to leave the country as part of the exchange of populations after the war.
Nowadays, Kusadasi has developed an important tourism industryIt is one of the main pillars of its economy, as evidenced by its marina and cruise port, welcoming tourists with high expectations as far as quality of services is concerned.
Although Kusadasi does not have as great a cultural and monumental heritage as other cities on the Aegean coast, it does have enough attractions to set aside some time to discover the city center and its surroundings.
Its most iconic place is the Pigeon Island which, despite its name, is no longer an island: this small islet off the coast of Kusadasi is reached by a jetty where pleasure boats are often moored.
This is the site of the castle The Byzantine-period city walls and the central garrison, which has been adapted today as a small museum space, have been preserved.
Today it is a pleasant park much frequented by visitors and local citizens.
By its outer perimeter, in addition, there is a path with beautiful views of Kusadasi.
Another pleasant space for a stroll is Yılancı Burnu, the peninsula located on the other side of the coast: although it was probably inhabited centuries or millennia ago, today only some ruined defensive structures remain.
And to complete a green walk around the city, you can climb the main main hill on the mainland, with the Sevda Tepesi viewpointwhich offers the most characteristic view of Kusadasi, as well as a monument to the omnipresent Atatürk.
Already in the urban area of the city, its main mosque, Kaleiçi Camii, stands out. its main mosque, Kaleiçi CamiiThe building dates back to the seventeenth century, with a huge central dome and a large Ottoman-style minaret.
In addition, another interesting construction from the historical point of view is the Öküz Mehmed Pasha CaravanseraiThe Caravanserai, dating from the 17th century, is a good example of this architectural typology so characteristic of Turkey, in which the defensive, commercial and housing functions are mixed.
And of course, the great excursion that can be made in the surroundings of Kusadasi is Ephesus, one of the tourist jewels of Turkey and which we talked about extensively in this other page.
As a good coastal destination, the main things to do in Kusadasi are related to the sea and nightlife. with the sea and nightlife..
A lo largo de la línea de costa de la ciudad, tanto al norte como al sur del casco urbano, hay interesantes playas en las que darse un chapuzón.
Algunas de ellas son de carácter natural, como Green Beach, mientras que otras han surgido de manera artificial pero están bien integradas en el entorno y son muy usadas por los turistas, como la playa urbana situada entre el puerto de cruceros y el deportivo.
But undoubtedly, the most famous and suggestive beach of Kusadasi is that of the Ladies (Kadinlar Denizli). Ladies (Kadinlar Denizli)located to the south of the center.
It stands out for its length (as its width is not excessive) and the variety of catering establishments in the first line.
Another refreshing attraction for the whole family is the Adaland Aquaparkone of the largest water parks in the area, with large slides and themed pools for a day of relaxation and fun.
And when night falls, Kusadasi has a lively atmosphere for those who wish to extend the day until after midnight.
Known as the Bar Street (Barlar Sokak) is probably the one that offers the highest concentration of locals, with Irish-style pubs, karaoke bars and other options for chatting or dancing.
Being such a tourist destination, there is a tourist office in Kusadasi. a tourist office in Kusadasi where you can get information about the city, its monuments and leisure activities.
It is located next to the cruise ship dock, specifically at Liman Caddesiand it offers maps, leaflets and other materials, with staff to answer tourists’ questions.
The city has an efficient network of urban minibusesline, the 5 being the most ‘touristy’ line, as it connects the central station (otogar) with the beach of Las Damas.
However, the most comfortable way to get around is by cabThere are taxi ranks all over the city and they are always available to offer service to those who travel between your resort and the center, or even for trips outside Kusadasi, such as Ephesus and the House of the Virgin.
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