Aegean Coast

Kuşadası

Kuşadası is the resort closest to Ephesus, which makes it the most practical base on this coast for combining a cultural trip with a beach holiday.

Ephesus is 20 km away, with the House of the Virgin Mary, the village of Şirince, and Priene, Miletus and Didyma all reachable on half- or full-day tours.

Kuşadası is also a cruise port, with day ferries to Samos. Ladies Beach and Uzun Kum are the main beaches, and the Dilek Peninsula national park is 30 km south.

Highlights

Ephesus
The House of the Virgin Mary
Şirince village
Dilek Peninsula National Park
Pigeon Island
The ferry to Samos

When to go

May to October. Ephesus is far more comfortable before June or after September.

Getting there

İzmir Adnan Menderes Airport (ADB) is 70 km, about an hour.

Other destinations in this region

Aegean Coast

Bodrum

Bodrum is not one place but a peninsula: whitewashed town centre, the marina at Yalıkavak, the fish tavernas of Gümüşlük, the jetty clubs of Türkbükü — each bay with its own character.

Aegean Coast

Marmaris

Marmaris lies in a sheltered bay ringed by pine-covered hills and has one of Türkiye’s largest yacht harbours.

Aegean Coast

Fethiye

Fethiye and its surroundings hold Türkiye’s most recognisable view: the enclosed lagoon at Ölüdeniz, Butterfly Valley, and the paragliders coming off Babadağ.