Kusadasi is one of the touristic places of Aydin province and has many beautiful places to visit, apart from its beaches. It is one of the first places that come to mind when it comes to holiday destinations during summer holidays. It is located approximately 70 km west of Aydin city centre. It also has a coast to the Aegean Sea, which fascinates those who see it.
It is one of the most touristic places in Turkey. It is one of the places that visitors want to see again and again. It is highly admired for its magnificent nature, beaches and historically important structures and natural formations. This place, where the most beautiful shades of green and blue come together, hosts thousands of local and foreign tourists every year. It has many places to visit, from castles to caves.
Kusadasi Attractions – Guvercinada
Guvercinada (Güvercinada). Surrounded by the clear and blue sea, the island is very close to the land. Guvercinada, whose history dates back to the Genoese, fascinates its visitors. There is also a Genoese castle on the island. In the future, the island joins the territory of the Ottoman Empire. As a result, some work is done in the castle located on the island. The island, which was accessed by boats in ancient times, is connected to the mainland with the works carried out in 1957. If you do not want to use the passage made to pass to the island, you can join the boat expeditions.
Around the island, there are quite wide walls surrounding the island. Although these walls are wide, they also have a length of approximately 3 meters. There is a staircase to the south of the walls to enter the island. The security of the island is ensured by the castles built on both sides of the stairs.
Built by the Genoese, an inner castle was also built during the Ottoman period. The inner castle was built by Barbaros Hayrettin Pasha. The very wide walls of the castle were built during the Ottoman Empire Period. The walls were built by İlyas Aga to provide security during the Peloponnese Revolt.
National Parks and Beaches
Buyuk Menderes National Park (Dilek Yarımadası Büyük Menderes Deltası Milli Parkı). This park, which is one of the most beautiful places in Kusadasi, welcomes thousands of local and foreign tourists every year. It fascinates its visitors with the magnificent nature of the Dilek Mountains and the Aegean Sea. There are many activities that can be done in this natural wonder place where the most beautiful shades of green and the color blue meet. It also contains many places and structures to visit within the borders of the national park. Here, you can relax and do activities such as walking and cycling, and you can visit places to visit at the same time. In addition to these activities, there are more than one activities such as botanical tours for those who are interested in plants, paragliding for those who love fencing sports, and bird watching for those who are interested in bird species.
There are many places in this park such as Lale Island, Buyuk Menderes Delta and Bükler. Along with these places, there are also beautiful beaches with a blue flag where you can relax and swim. In short, if we talk about these beaches:
- Icmeler Bay Beach (İçmeler Koyu). Although it is the closest beach to the entrance of the national park in terms of its location, it is the only beach with fine sand among the beaches in the park. This bay, where you can cool off in its clean waters and enjoy the sea and the sun, offers facilities such as showers and parking.
- Aydinlik Bay Beach (Aydınlık Koyu). The cove, which consists of a stony area, has clear waters that are very clean. You can enjoy nature by swimming in the cool waters of the Aegean, or you can sit on the tables and chairs set up in shallow areas.
- Kalamaki Bay Beach (kalamaki Koyu). Surrounded by a lot of poplar trees, this bay offers its visitors the most beautiful shades of both blue and green. The beach, which consists of stony ground, is also known as Kavakliburun beach.
- Karasu Bay Beach (Karasu Koyu). Consisting of a stony area, this bay, with its clear blue waters and magnificent nature, offers both a relaxing and a pleasant environment. At the same time, Karasu Bay beach is one of the last points of the national park that can be reached by car or on foot.
Cave
Zeus Cave in Kusadasi (Zeus Mağarası). Dilek Peninsula is located at a distance of approximately 200 m before reaching the Buyuk Menderes National Park. This natural wonder cave, which is free to enter, offers opportunities for its visitors to take a comfortable walk. In order to reach the cave, it is necessary to pass through very rough and dangerous roads.
For this reason, there are platforms made of wood for convenience and safety on the road leading to the cave. There is a natural pool that forms spontaneously in the cave. While this pool has a depth of approximately 15 m, its width varies between 13 and 20 m. The source of the water in the pool is sea water and fresh water sources from the mountains. Many people swim in the water here.
Kusadasi Center – Walking, Shopping and Entertainment
Kusadasi Bazaar (Kuşadası Çarşı). Kusadasi attracts a lot of visitors with its natural formations and magnificent natural areas. This place, which is one of the touristic areas in Turkey, also has many opportunities for tourists. One of these possibilities is the bazaar, where there are various souvenirs and which is quite different in structure. There are three shopping malls in the bazaar. There are also global restaurants and fast food brands in shopping malls. For this reason, visitors, especially from abroad, can eat the food they are accustomed to.
- The Castle Gate, located in the bazaar, is one of the places that local and foreign tourists want to see. There is a historical fountain located behind the Castle Gate. According to a belief, those who drink water from this fountain come to Kusadasi again. For this reason, it is very famous and is a building that many people want to see.
- There is also Kaleici Mosque in the bazaar. This mosque was built in 1618. The historical mosque, located right next to the Castle Gate, is also visited by many people.
- There is also an area called Balıkhane in the bazaar. There are several restaurants in this area. You can buy fish that are delicious in the fish shop and cook them in the restaurants here.
- There are more than one entertainment club for those who come not only to visit and relax, but also to have fun. In this bazaar, you can buy souvenirs, fill your stomach and enjoy unlimited and quality entertainment in entertainment venues.
Kervansaray Kusadasi
Kervansaray Kusadasi (Kervansaray). This structure, which is close to the Kusadasi Pier, is also a frequent destination for many tourists. It was first built as a castle in 1628. The caravanserai was built by the Grand Vizier Öküz Mehmet Pasha. It is built using rubble and spolia in its construction. The building, which has a rectangular courtyard, has two floors. Since it was built as a castle in the early times, its exterior architecture is the same as an ordinary castle.
Museum
It consists of two gardens, an exterior and an interior, and 11 exhibits. In the museum, importance is given to the transfer of information about these objects rather than the beauty of the visual and exhibited objects. Apart from the exhibition halls, the museum also has a welcome hall. Small-scale souvenirs are sold here. The main purpose of the museum is the production of olive oil.
Monastery
Kursunlu Monastery (Kurşunlu Manastırı). Located within the borders of Dilek Peninsula National Park, the monastery welcomes many visitors every year. Although it is not known exactly where the name of Kurşunlu Monastery came from, many people think that it is called Kurşunlu (Metal Lead) Monastery because the upper part of the structures built is made of lead.
Although the monastery was destroyed, most of it is still in sight. There are multiple and different areas in the building, from the dining hall to the cellar, from the chapel to the infirmary. The most admired and important feature of the monastery is the frescoes on the ceiling.
