3000 BC is the year that Ephesus is thought to have been populated and evidence of Ion, Roman, Byzantine, Selcukian and Ottoman civilisations are still seen today. The city was initially founded by the Carians. Due to its location close to coast and religion, the ancient city was a good centre for trading. The town was known for the cult of Cybele, the Anatolian fertility goddess. Afterwards for Artemis, the virgin goddess for which a temple was built in her honour, however, the temple was destroyed in 356 BC.
Just after Ephesus was made provincial capital by the Romans, it became a busy town with great commercial, trading and political importance, and a population that grew to around 250,000. Due to problems connected to the harbour that was the main source of trade, the success of Roman Ephesus began to dwindle. The city was unliveable and was shifted near to St John’s Basilica by the 6th century. In 1090 it was taken over by the Turks.
The modern Kusadasi was founded by the Venetians in the 16th century. When the Malazgirt war broke in 1071, the Seljuk Turks started spreading in Anatolia. In the year 1304, the Turkish principalities were formed and Sasa Bey became the authority of Kusadasi. Given that Kusadasi was a harbor town, the Turks learnt maritime business. The town got attached to Seljuk Government in 1186. 200 years after the city became Ottoman.
During and after the First World War, Kusadasi went into the hands of the Italians, following a treaty. However the town became Turkish after Turkey’s victory in the War of Independence led by Ataturk (in 1923).
Kusadasi and Ephesus and the settlements around them live parallel to each other in history. The historical and tourist places are as following:
Panionian Agora, Roman Bath, Ilica Hill, Scala Nova, Pygale, Kadi Castle, Andiz Tower, Neopolis, Aquaducts, Ania, Melia, Kursunlu Monastery, Öküz Mehmet Pasha Caravanserai, The Castle on Pigeon Island, Ramparts surrounding the City, Kusadasi Houses, Kaleici, Mosques, Turkish Baths, Yacht Harbor and Dilek National Park.
The climate of Kusadasi is a typical Mediterranean climate; hot and dry summers, reaching around 30 degrees and cool and wet winters, getting cool and drop below 10 degrees.
You find be in crowded beaches and also more peaceful places to visit such as, Dilek Peninsula National Park, located 28 km from Kusadasi.
It is also possible to get to Greek island Samos by regular daily ferries. During the daytime you can attend to a boat tour or a safari. Beside, there are several activities can be done in Kusadasi as follows:
Swimming: The Gulf spreads south and south-east, with attractive beaches, bays and coves.
Yachting: Kusadasi Marina is one of the Turkey's most established marinas. It is a well-equipped harbour containing all the services and provisions any yacht would require. It is also close to the Airport.
There is a yacht port with 650 yacht capacity and two wharfs, where tourist ships are approaching. Motor voyages from Kuşadasi port to Greek Island Sisam (Samos) are organized in spring and summer. During winter months these voyages are turned as charters.
Blue Cruise: There are daily and hourly picnic touring passenger motors in the port. The Blue Trip organizing yachts are located in the yacht port.
Kusadasi offers many promises for shoppers. It has one of the largest shopping bazaars in Turkey. The following goods are for sale and regularly can be found: Turkish carpets, soft leather jackets, exquisite jewels and souvenirs. In short, you will be able to find all the Turkish delights from carpets to handicrafts but the best thing to buy in Ephesus is said to be Olive Oil production. There are also regional wines produces in Ephesus.
Some of the prominent shops of Kusadasi are:
Goldium jewellery, Goldium leather and Tual jewellery carpet and Kilim.
Kadinlar Denizi (Ladies’ Beach) located 3km south of town is the most popular beach. It is very easy to reach there. It is quite crowded in high season.
The beach of Guvercin island is a beach, though is rocky, possible to swim. There is a small beach 500m north of Yilanci Burnu peninsula. 15km north on the road to Selcuk is another beach named Pamucak.