- Resort beaches
- Bird island
- Where to go with children?
- Neighborhood Kusadas
- Delicious points on the map
The Turkish beach resort of Kusadasi gets its name from a small rocky island located off its coast. Many birds nested on the island, and the name was derived from the words kuş - bird and ada - island. The beaches in Kusadasi are washed by the Aegean Sea. Its coast was developed by the Roman Empire in the II century. BC BC, but there is archaeological evidence that the first ancient Greek tribes came here nine centuries before.
Not far from the resort are the ruins of Ephesus, known to us from the history books of the Ancient World. In the VI century. BC NS. in Ephesus, the temple of Artemis was built, attributed to the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. In short, local guides will be happy to answer the question of where to go in Kusadasi. The resort's travel agencies organize a variety of excursions for lovers of antiquities.
Top 10 attractions in Kusadas
Resort beaches
The first and main point of the program of any guest is local beaches. Where to go with children, and where is it better to have a rest for lovers of noisy parties and active water entertainment? There are beaches for every taste in Kusadasi:
- Ladies' beach south of the embankment is famous for its fine sand, clean water and infrastructure sufficient for a comfortable stay. You will find on it rental offices for sun loungers and umbrellas, several cafes and souvenir shops, where, in addition to gifts for relatives, you can buy trifles necessary for relaxation.
- In the village of Duvutlar to the south of the resort, there is a Long Beach, the length of which, as the name suggests, is quite impressive - almost 6 km. The beach is suitable for families: it has a gentle entrance to the water, the sea warms up quickly here. If you like to alternate your tanning sessions with active entertainment, Long Beach has a variety of proposals from organizers of parasailing, banana rides and pedal boats.
- In the village of Guzelcamli, several beaches follow one after another, the names of which can inspire romantics and lovers of beautiful sea views. Golden Beach is famous for its special shade of sand, Silver Beach is famous for its perfectly clear water, and Paradise Beach is preferred by lovers of art photography.
You can freely come to any beach in Kusadasi and use toilets and changing rooms, but you will have to pay several tens of Turkish liras for renting a shower stall, an umbrella and a sunbed.
Bird island
In the sea opposite Kusadas you will see the islet of Guvercinada, connected to the mainland by a narrow dam. A road was laid along it, but Guverzinada is still called an island. There is an old castle on it, the construction of which began at the end of the 15th century. The first architect was Ilyas Aga, but the main work was carried out later under the direction of Hayreddin Barbarossa. A great Ottoman pirate and a talented fortification engineer, he fortified the citadel and made it his impregnable outpost.
The stone for construction work was delivered from Yalandzhiburnu, and the walls built from it and surrounding the entire island around the perimeter reached a height of three meters. The castle gates are located on the south side between the two towers. The North is pentagonal, while the South rests on a cylindrical base. The towers appeared later than the main walls, as evidenced by the inscription on one of them. It says that they were built in 1242 AH, which corresponds to 1826 in the modern chronology.
Where to go with children?
For children's recreation in Kusadasi, water parks have been built, where it is pleasant to spend time with the whole family. Tortuga Pirate Island Theme & Water Park is one of the few in Turkey that has such a diverse range of attractions and is equipped with the latest technology. Wibit is an active amusement zone of the park, where you can spend hours enjoying water jumps, overcoming bridges and slides and racing along endless pipes. The Anaconda slide impresses with the speed that a daredevil descending from its 135-meter height manages to develop. The depth of the Wibit pool is 140 cm, and the area of this section of the water park is more than 600 square meters. m. In total, Tortuga Pirate Island Theme & Water Park is equipped with eight pools of different depths, including a pirate pool, a children's pool, an octopus pool and pools with water slides of different heights and steepness.
Adaland will appeal to both children and adults. The water park has a huge number of attractions: water slides, pipes, downhill spirals and various pools. You will find on its territory a swimming pool with artificial waves, an outdoor jacuzzi, a river for rafting, jumping jumps, a safari park and a tropical beach with comfortable sun loungers for fans of lazy relaxation. There are restaurants and cafes in the park and there is a small hotel. Not far from the park, there is a dolphinarium, which hosts daily shows with the participation of marine life. At Adaland Marine Park, visitors can swim with dolphins, feed fish and rays, and dive in a special cage at the bottom of the shark pool.
Neighborhood Kusadas
An excursion to Ephesus is an obligatory point of the educational program of all tourists who have a rest in Kusadasi. The ancient city was founded in the 10th century. BC NS. like a seaport. He quickly achieved prosperity thanks to active trade, but Ephesus also owes its glory to the cult of Artemis. The ancient Greek goddess of fertility was awarded her own temple, the construction of which began in the 6th century. BC. The sanctuary turned out to be so majestic and beautiful that it was included in the list of the Seven Wonders of the World of Antiquity. Funds for the construction of the grandiose structure were donated by King Croesus of Lydia, known for his fabulous wealth. The finest sculptors and artists of Ancient Greece took part in the decoration of the temple, and the sculpture of the goddess that adorned it was made of ivory and gold. The height of the columns of the sanctuary reached 18 meters, and there were 127 of them in total, and they supported the roof. Two hundred years later, the temple was burned by Herostratus, who became famous for his crime for many centuries.
The Greek island of Samos, where boats sail from the port of Kusadas, is famous as the birthplace of Pythagoras and the goddess Hera. The first people settled on it in the III millennium BC, and in 720 BC. NS. on Samos, a temple was erected in honor of Hera, entered by descendants in the list of the Seven Ancient Wonders of the World. The ruins of the temple have survived to this day. A monument to Pythagoras is erected in the capital of the island. The best view of the island and the Aegean Sea is from the Spilianis Monastery. The abode is located on a mountain above the island's capital, Pythagorio. Pilgrims also visit the Timiu Stavru and Megali monasteries in the town of Kumaradi in the mountains.
The House of the Mother of God is another must-see item on the sightseeing tour around Kusadas. A small chapel is located on the site where the Mother of God lived after the execution of Jesus. Scientists did not find documentary confirmation of this fact, but according to the testimony of some believers who had visions, having lost a son, the Virgin Mary retired to Ephesus. She was accompanied by John the Evangelist, who preached the Gospel. Despite the lack of official recognition of the building as the house of the Virgin Mary, hundreds of people come to it every day, and some popes honored the Turkish Ephesus with their visit.
Isa-bey jami mosque in Selcuk near Kusadas is a place of pilgrimage for those who profess Islam. It is considered the oldest architectural monument in Anatolia, preserved from the time of the existence of feudal formations, which were called beyliks. The mosque was built in the 70s. XIV century by an architect from Syria commissioned by the bey Aydinoglu Isa. The material was stones from the ruins of Ephesus. Despite the antiquity, the mosque has been and remains active throughout its existence.
Delicious points on the map
Try Turkish fast food! It's the perfect way to have a snack on the go and enjoy it. Do not neglect the small street cafes and stalls that sell shawarma, dolma, gözleme cakes or grilled cheese pies. Oriental coffee is worthy of a separate story, and it is excellently prepared absolutely everywhere.
Top 10 must-try Turkish dishes
If you are aiming for a serious dinner, pay attention to establishments with Turkish cuisine. It contains thousands of tastes and aromas, and each dish can give your date or a friendly meeting a special charm and mood:
- In Erzincan, you will find absolutely everything that a gourmet oriental cuisine is associated with. It serves lamb and vegetable meze, all kinds of snacks and fruits, fish and seafood dishes and delicious desserts. Breakfasts in the restaurant are served in a buffet style, and therefore each guest finds a dish to their liking.
- A family meal will be perfect at Some Where Else. In addition to special dishes from the children's menu, little visitors will find a play area and attentive animators.
- The variety on the Saray menu is created by dishes from different nations. You will find Mexican, Indian, Chinese and Arabic food here, and in the evenings, musicians and dance nights are organized.
- Vegetarians will enjoy delicious and healthy food at Kusdasi King's Place. However, vegetables and fruits are not the only products in the refrigerator in his kitchen, and cafes often come to enjoy desserts and pastries.
- Do you prefer European cuisine or just want the familiar classics? Then you should go to Ponz, whose terrace is one of the most pleasant places for a romantic dinner in Kusadasi.
All the resort's establishments are open until late in the evening and are often open until the last guests leave the restaurant well-fed and happy.
