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About Kusadasi
Kusadasi translated means Bird Island (Kus meaning bird, ada meaning island and si meaning of) - Island of Birds. In times gone by, it was noted for the number of migrating birds that chose it as their destination. It is named after a small island, recognisable by its Byzantine Castle. It is now connected to the mainland by a causeway and is more commonly called Pigeon Island in English.
During the Ottoman Empire, the island was used as a strategic military fort to protect the mainland from invading forces and pirates - the castle is sometimes referred to as Pirate Castle.
Kusadasi has a resident population of 42,500 which swells to well over 4 times this number during peak summer periods.
Today, Kusadasi is one of Turkey's principle holiday resorts with something on offer for the old, young, sightseers, nature lovers, sun-seekers and back packers. Situated on the west coast of Turkey, 90km south of Izmir (Turkey’s third largest city) Kusadasi is considered to be one of the most attractive cities of the Aegean. It is close to important historical sites including Ephesus, Didyma, Priene, Miletos and other places of interest such as Pamukkale and the Greek Island of Samos.
HISTORY
The natural port at Kusadasi has been in use since many centuries BC. It‘s modern history began in medieval times when Venetian and Genoese traders came here calling it Scala Nuova. In 1412 the Ottoman sultan ordered the building of the old town (Kaleici), mosque, Turkish baths (Hamam) and city walls.
CLIMATE
Kusadasihas a Mediterranean climate with hot summers and mild winters, providing a long tourism season. It experiences over 300 days of sunshine a year.
AVERAGE TEMPERATURES
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ENTERTAINMENT
Kusadasi has something for everyone in terms of restaurants and bars. Bar Street (Barlar Sokak) is a very popular and lively nightspot and has a variety of bars.
The Old Town , Kaleici, serves a wider clientele having quiet bars, live music and cabaret, as well as a few nightclubs.
Restaurants are found throughout the city centre with everything from low budget snack bars and traditional Turkish canteens to more up-market eateries with full a-la-carte menus. Speciality Seafood restaurants are located around the seafront area close to the port. Ladies Beach is also very popular for those seeking a quieter eating experience with uninterrupted views of the sea - particularly good for watching the sunset.
Every taste is catered for and international cuisine such as Italian, Chinese and Mexican are on offer alongside Turkish and seafood cuisine.
BEACHES
The Kusadasi area has many beaches to offer - there is a town beach, but we would strongly recommend you try Long Beach, which is the closest beach to Sojcuak or Ladies Beach, the closest large beach to the town centre; both are regularly served by dolmus (local cheap taxi transport). Golden sands abound for the sunlover and a wide range of water sports in safe waters are available for those looking for a more active break with plenty of good beachside restaurants offering lunch and snacks.
Other popular beaches in the area include:
Kustur Beach, Silver Sands and National Park - again all served by dolmus
SHOPPING
Kusadasi is without doubt a shopper's paradise. The city centre has a wide range of shops offering everything from A-Z. There are weekly markets, every Tuesday and Friday, the latter being the larger and more popular. Both are located in the city area - just follow the crowds! Another popular choice is Soke market held on a Wednesday - Soke is approximately 15 Kms inland and frequently serviced by dolmus. Best buys in Turkey (apart from property!) are leather, jewellery and carpets. Less expensive items are great value in the markets and don't forget to haggle, it is part of market tradition in Turkey.
TRANSPORT
Two major airports -Izmir’s Adnan Menderes International Airport (around 45 minutes drive) and Bodrum’s Milas Airport –( approximately 90 minutes drive)-, serve Kusadasi.
It is also accessible by ferry from the Greek Island of Samos. Its main port welcomes many large cruise liners all year round which visit Turkey for shopping and sightseeing.
Internally it is very well served from every major town and city in Turkey with intercity buses arriving at its main bus station (Otogar) on the outskirts of the town.
GETTING AROUND LOCALLY
The most popular form of transport is the mini bus system called the dolmus - roughly translated, this means stuffed - try one at peak travel times and you will see why. It is an extremely efficient and cheap mode of transport servicing all areas of Kusadasi and the surrounding areas including main tourist areas and beaches. It also links Sojcuak to Kusadasi and to near-by towns and villages.
Taxis are in plentiful supply and are good value but do charge slightly more after midnight.
Cars, mopeds and bicycles are readily available to rent throughout Kusadasi.
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