|
|
Kusadasi, or Birds' Island, is
known as a "fisher- men's village. Originally it is
a quiet garden where farmers harvested thyme, sage,
wild roses, figs, grapes and olives. It is - and we
hope it will stay long - an animated village.
It has an unimpressive
beach, however, the waterfront promenade makes for a
great sunset stroll. Ladies Beach, a topless beach,
is located 3.5kms south of town. Acting as a buffer
between the Greek island of Samos and the Turkish
mainland, Dilek National Park offers some isolated
beaches with pine trees. Perhaps the main attraction
of a trip to Kusadasi is a journey to the nearby
ruins of Ephesus. Other significant ancient sites in
the area include: Miletus, Priene, and Didyma.
It was ruled by the Ottoman Empire after the
invasion of Sultan Mehmet Celebi in the year 1413.
During the reign of Ottomans, glorious new
structures were built in Kusadasi Okuz Mehmet Pasa
Caravanserai is the principal legacy of the Ottoman
architecture in the city, and was built by the man
of the same name, who was the vizier during the
reigns of Sultan Ahmet1 and Osman2. The fortress is
gates and walls and many mosques in the centre of
Kusadasi, as well as the citadel of the castle in
Pigeon Island, were built in the Ottoman period,
reflecting the architectural style of the era. "Kusadasi
" that means "bird island" and took its name from
Pigeon Island.
Kusadasi is the heart of the Turkish Aegean seaside.
It is one of the most beautiful places for
recreation and fun holidays. Thanks to the marina
and great harbor, Kusadasi is a favorite calling
place for yachts and tour vessels with the result
that there are many good shopping opportunities to
be found. Also is a a very good start point for
trips at Ephesus, Pamukkale, Miletos, etc.
Turkey's national language is Turkish. In Turkey,
especially in Kusadasi, most people can speak
English and also some can speak some other foreign
languages such as German, French, Italian and other
languages. The national currency is the Turkish Lira
(TL). But currencies like USD, GBP, or DEM are
universally accepted at various places at current
exchange rates.
Foreign currencies and travellers cheques can be
changed all over Kusadasi in banks, hotels and money
exchange offices. Banks are open nationwide Monday
through Friday except public holidays between 8:30
am and 17:00 pm. Some banks and money exchange
offices remain open until midnight, especially in
summer.. Major international credit cards, such as
Visa, MasterCard, Maestro,
|
