This seaside resort town has grown up immensely in the last 30 years, and is popular with tourists from all around the world. From a population of 6000 in the 1970s, it is now closer to 50,000.Many cruising ships travelling around the Aegean Islands stop here, especially because of its close proximity (20km) to Selcuk. Kusadasi is a good base to explore this and other ancient cities like Priene andDidyma.

The Kale district has some old traditional houses and narrow streets, and gives some indication of what the town used to be like. The most famous beach is Kadinlar Plaji, 2.5km south of the town. There are several small beaches further south, and closer to town is Yilanci Burnu, the peninsular.

Pigeon Island, its gleaming image, really deserves to be symbol of Kusadasi. The eye-catching view of the island, uniting with the panoramic colors of sunset attract every visitors. As the island was much-frequented place of birds during the seasonal migrations, it was named as Bird Island. In the times of Ottomans, the name of the island was given to the town and the town was started to be called as "Kusadasi" (Bird Island). Since then, the name of the island was changed into "Pigeon Island". The island was used for military purposes during the Ottoman Era and before, as the location of the island was strategic for securing the shores or preventing the attacks from the sea. The Byzantine castle standing on the rocks, used against pirates, is known as "Pirate Castle".

EPHESUS
For ancient paganism as well as early Christianity, Ephesus was an important religious center, second only to Athens and later Jerusalem. It is considered to be the most fantastic Greco-Roman site in Turkey. You may imagine the Ephesians shouting at the silversmith Demetrius, " Great is Artemis of the Ephesians" in reaction to the preaching of St. Paul against man-made idols. The cult of Artemis gave way to Christianity as the Virgin Mary was reputed to have spent her final days nearby and St. Peter and St. Paul both preached here. Ephesus kept its important standing due to its well-placed port and its religious significance, which the locals were not above exploiting. After Emperor Augustus proclaimed Ephesus the capital of the Asian province in 27 BC, the city became one of the most important in the extended Roman empire. Most of the buildings you will see date from that era when Ephesus had nearly one quarter million inhabitants.

Begin at the Magnesia Gate, where your expert guide will take you on a leisurely downhill walk through marble streets of the city, pausing at sites along the walk to describe their significance. See the Gymnasium, Odeon, Fountain of Trajan, Temple of Hadrian, Upper Agora, Town Hall, Byzantine house, Roman baths, and surprisingly efficient public toilets. At the end of a marble street, gaze up at the impressive amphitheater, built to seat 24,000 people. Here St. Paul preached to the Ephesians.

One of the most imposing sites at Ephesus is the Library of Celsus. Built it 135 BC and finely Decorated with columns and sculpture, it was erected by a son in homage to his father. Another significant structure is a short walk away - the amphitheater. Known for its excellent acoustics, it was here that St. Paul preached to the Ephesians, emploring them to give up their worship of Artemis and embrace the Christian faith. Arrive back in Kuþadasý in time for lunch.

Located on the top of the "Bulbul" mountain 9 km ahead of Ephesus, the shrine of Virgin Mary enjoys a marvelous atmosphere hidden in the green. It is the place where Mary may have spent her last days. Indeed, she may have come in the area together with Saint John, who spent several years in the area to spread Christianity. Mary preferred this remote place rather than living in crowded place.The house of Virgin Mary is a typical Roman architectural example, entirely made of stones. In the 4th century AD, a church, combining her house and grave, has been built. The original two-stored house, which consisted of an anteroom (where today candles are proposed), bedroom and praying room (Christian church area) and a room with fireplace (chapel for Muslims). A front kitchen fell into ruins and has been restored in 1940's. Today, only the central part and a room on the right of the altar are open to visitors. From there one can understand that this building looks more like a church than a house. Another interesting place is the "Water of Mary", a source to be found at the exit of the church area and where a rather salt water, with curative properties, can be drunk by all.

The site itselfs was discovered in part through the visions of an invalid nun in Germany who had never been out of her homeland. A tree-lined path leads to the ancient dwelling, carefully restored in 1951. The tiny stone cottage is a pilgrimage site for visitors from all over the world and exudes a calm and serenity befitting its original occupant. Below the house is the Fountain of Our Lady, where a sacred spring feeds three fonts, each bestowing a unique blessing on the visitor.

Paul VI was the first pope to visit this place in the 1960's. Later, in the 1980's, during his visit, Pope John-Paul II declared the Shrine of Virgin Mary has a pilgrimage place for Christians. It is also visited by Muslims who recognize Mary as the mother of one of their prophets. Every year, on August 15th a ceremony is organized to commemorate Mary's Assumption.

ST JOHN
Basilica of St. John.It is believed that the evangelist St. John had spent his last years in the region around Ephesus and buried in the southern slope of Ayosolug Hill. Three hundred years after the death of Saint Paul, a small chapel was constructed over the grave in the 4th century. The church of St John was changed into a marvelous basilica during the region of Emperor Justinian (527 -565 AD). The burial chamber of St. John, marked by a simple stone at the end of the central nave, is said to exude healing powers. From the site you have a panoramic view of the countryside.

The monumental basilica was in the shape of a cross and was covered with six domes. Its construction, being of stone and brick, is an extremely rare find amongst the architecture of its time. Raised by two steps and covered with marble, the tomb of St John was under the central dome, that was once carried by the four columns at the corners. The columns in the courtyard reveals the monograms of Emperor Justinian and his wife Theodora.Constructed in the 5th century AD, the baptistery is north of the nave, with its key hole shape. Rampart walls around the church were constructed for protection from the Arabian attracts in the 7th - 8th centuries AD. The impressive 10th century AD frescoes representing St John, Jesus and a Saint, ornament the chapel. The chapel was used as a mosque in the 14th century; unfortunately Basilica of Saint John became unusable due to the serious earthquake in the same century.The excavations around the Basilica of Saint John has been continuing.

Archeological Museum, which houses the finds from Ephesus and the area. Founded in 1929 it is one of the finest museums in Turkey which houses the artifacts discovered at the ancient site of Ephesus and its vicinity. The present museum building was in 1964 and underwent restorations in 1992. The objects on display dated to all periods of history: Mycenaean, Archaic, Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine and Turkish.The works of art are preferred to be exhibited according to the places where they were found instead of chronological exhibition. Different works of architecture and sculpture are exhibited harmoniously in the garden. Two big Artemis statues, head of Eros, little statue of Eros with dolphin, the fresco of Socrates are some of the world-famous works of Ephesus Museum.

PERGAMUM AND THE ASCLEPION
Pergamon is the seat of an ancient kingdom. Acropolis, the Temple of Athena and the famous library, which is said to have contained 200,000 volumes. The Red Courtyard and the ruins of the Asklepieon, one of the most famous shrines and therapeutic centres in the ancient world.

The Asclepion, the healing center of Pergamum, was world famous – named after the healing god Asclepius. It is located below the acropolis of Pergamum. During the Roman period emperors such as Hadrian, Marcus Aurelius, and Caracalla visited it. During that time it was one of the most famous in the Roman world. The ancient physician Claudius Galen (A.D. 131–201) was born in Pergamum and worked here as well as in Rome. An expert in anatomy, he studied the nervous system and the heart. Eighty of his original 500 treaties are still found in medical libraries worldwide.

People came to the Asclepion for “holistic” treatment that included recreation, theater, music, sports, fasting, late–night runs in the nude, mudpacks, cold and hot baths, potions, herbs, dream interpretation. Asclepion translates as 'place of Aesklepios', the son of Apollo and the god of healing and health, and was an important health centre in Greco-Roman times. Among the types of therapy practiced here were mud baths, sports, theatre, psychotherapy and use of medicinal waters. A colonnaded street leads to the Asclepion, and to the left of the entrance is the temple of Asclepios.

The Acropolis was built on an extremely steep hill, approached by a winding road ascending some 300m. In this uniquely designed city, religious, official, social and commercial buildings are all found side-by-side. On top of this hill, which has been inhabited since ancient times, are the palaces of the King of Pergamum.

The cities Priene and Miletus at the mouth of Meander River (Menderes Nehri) were both once on the coast, but as the Meander brought more and more silt into the flood plain, both cities lost their harbors and their importance and today they are miles away from the sea.

MILETUS
The ancient city of Miletus was the oldest and the most powerful of the twelve Ionian cities in Asia Minor. It also founded over ten colonies on the shores of the Marmara and the Black Sea, while its commercial activities extended as far as Egypt. Its schools made a very great contribution to the intellectual and scholarly development of the Mediterranean world and one cannot talk of Miletus without mention of the great contributions to geometry and science made by Thales, one of the greatest scholars produced by the city.

As the most important city on the Aegean coast, Miletus had its share of pagan temples, then churches, and Iater mosques.
Paul's visit to Miletus came at the end of his third joumey as he was hurrying to get to Jerusalern by Pentecost. The elders of the congregation from Ephesus joined him in Miletus. Paul warned them in his speech to be alert in keeping watch over their flock and to work to support thernselves and the weak because '' happiness lies in giving than in receiving'' ( Acts 20:35). Paul said good-by to his friends and his work in Asia near the IÝons that still guard the former harbor.

Miletus Ancient Theater is the most well-preserved theatre in the West Anatolia. A Byzantine castle was build with the stones taken from the sitting areas at the top of theatre. The theater was damaged severely in the Byzantine Age. The theater had a sitting capacity of 5300 people during the Hellenistic Period. The capacity was increased to 19.000 people during the Roman Period.

Didyma, located in the southwest part of modern Turkey, was an important religious site of ancient Ionia. It was home to a large temple dedicated to Apollo, called the Didymaion. Pausanias (Greek traveler, ca. 160 A.D.) explained that the Didymaion was constructed before Greek colonization (10th century B.C.), and many believe it actually dates to the 2nd millennium B.C. However, the earliest level of the temple found thus far dates to the end of the 8th century B.C., and the colonnade of the temple was erected a century later.

In Roman times the Didyma temple of Apollo was most notable for its 122 enormous columns; most today are in ruins, but two still stand. Christians in nearby Miletus certainly knew about the Didymaion and could see the differences in Paul’s ministry from pagan religious practices of the day. Whereas the priestess here gave oracles having no effect, Paul did not hesitate to publicly proclaim the Gospel, fully, freely, and requiring no payment (cf. Acts 20:20, 27, 33).

Didyma was a holy site before the Ionians ever arrived, and was believed to be the oldest oracle in Asia Minor .The Greek rededicated the Anatolian cult to their own god Apollo and continued the oracle. Like other temples; people who came to it believed that here they would find answers to their pressing problems. Later in the Byzantine period, a church had been built in the open-air courtyard. The major part of the temple still stands at the present day and even in its ruined state, it is a very impressive building.

PRIENE
Priene, which was never a large city , remains the best example of Hellenistic city outside Greece. The most important building of Priene is the Temple of Athena. In Byzantine times Priene was the seat of a Christian bishopric~ the basilica ' s pulpit and the base of the altar stand in place near the Theatre.

Priene, now known as Güllübahçe, was an ancient city of Ionia in Western Anatolia situated some 20 km from Söke. Excavations here were begun in 1895 and completed in 1898. The ruins of Priene present one of the most striking examples of the grid type of town-planning associated with the name of Hippodamos. The plan of Priene was based on that of Athens and, as the ancient town is located on a slope at the foot of a great cliff of rock, the grid plan is displayed in all its magnificence. Temples and other buildings were constructed on terraces in front of the cliff. No one who visits this little city can fail to be impressed by the landscape and the whole surrounding atmosphere.

Priene, although estimated to have had no more than 3,000 residents around 300 BC was nevertheless important as a site for Ionian congresses and festivals. The Meander River wound through the plain below, eventually depositing enough silt to close up the harbor. Because of this the Romans refrained from building here when they conquered the area, so what remains are unusually Hellenistic (Greek) ruins. The streets of Priene were laid out in a deliberate grid, a precursor to modern city design. Priene's ruins are among the most attractive on Turkey's west coast. Conspicuous by their absence is the immense Roman structures so familiar at other sites. Priene's buildings are small and intimate, a feeling, which pervades the entire setting.

The ruins include the once exquisite Temple of Athena, destroyed by an earthquake in the middle ages. Only the foundation and five reconstructed columns remain of these textbook example of temple design. The Temple was in fact the model for a book on design by its architect Pytheos. His book was still a classic in Roman times. Attractive smaller buildings at the site include the council house, complete with altar used for sacrifices before each city council meeting, and the Sanctuary of Demeter, the Earth Mother, and her daughter, Core, where sacrifices were made to the gods of the underworld.

“Cotton Castle” Pamukkake. Magical and unique terraces and castles created by deposits of white limestone from thermal springs.The stunning white calcium pools, which cling to the side of a ridge, have long been one of the most famous picture postcard views of Turkey. Pamukkale, literally meaning “cotton castle”, is also the site of the ancient city of Hierapolis of which there are many interesting ruins, and is a very popular destination to visit. This spectacular natural wonder is also in World Heritage protection list of UNESCO.
You will have time to enjoy the beauty of lime cascades. The stunning white calcium pools, which cling to the side of a ridge, have long been one of the most famous picture postcard views of Turkey.Pamukkale was formed when a spring with a high content of dissolved calcium bicarbonate cascaded over the edge of the cliff, which cooled and hardened leaving calcium deposits. This formed into natural pools, shelves and ridges, which tourists could plunge and splash in the warm water.

HIERAPOLIS
Hierapolis was founded by the Pergamon King Eumenes II in 190 B.C. Its closeness to Laodicea created commercial and military rivalry. The town was built in Greek style. Although suffering a violent earthquake in 17 A.D., it reached its peak during the Roman and Byzantine periods. The “Sacred City,” is located at present-day Pamukkale in south central Turkey. In the first century it was part of the tri-city area of Laodicea, Colossae, and Hierapolis. This connection between the cities lies behind Paul’s reference to Hierapolis and Laodicea in his epistle to the Colossians (Col 4:13). Before 70 A.D. Phillip (either the apostle or the evangelist) moved to Hierapolis, where he was believed to have been martyred.Traditionally St. Philip is connected with the early church in Hierapolis. Many Christian tombs are found close to the ruins of the church of St. Philip. The faithful wished to be buried as close as possible to the holly dead.

TEMPLE OF ARTEMIS
The temple is at the beginning of the Selçuk-Kusadasi road. This temple, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, was first popular around 334 to 250 BC. It was destroyed and had to be rebuilt seven times because of earthquakes, looting and fire. Today there is nothing left of the Ionic structure surrounded by massive columns but its altar area. The temple was made with the world's best marble and was a truly gigantic structure. Some of the remains are in the British Museum in London.
The present temple site was from the Hellenistic period. It is thought that similar to monotheistic religions, the Ephesian Artemis combined the strength of many gods. The temple had 127 columns, on a field 105 by 55 meters and was 17.65 m high. The altar was approached by 13 steps. Lydian king Croesus donated the 36 columns on the front.

SARDIS
Known biblically as the home of the church that received the fifth of letters to the seven churches in Revelation, Sardis was the capital of the Lydian empire and one of the greatest cities of the ancient world.Located on the banks of the Pactolus River, Sardis was 60 miles inland from Ephesus and Smyrna. The city was home to the famous bishop Melito in the 2nd century. Sardis, the capital of ancient Lydia. View the significant ruins of the Acropolis.

Visit the Temple of Cybele and Diana, which later became a church. See the golden river Pactalos and the Royal Road. Then visit the reconstructed Synagogue, the Gymnasium and the new excavation area. Ancient Sardis was the capital of the Kingdom of Lydia, whose most famous king was Croesus (560- 546 B.C.E.), famed for his wealth. Croesus was the first monarch to mint coinage, introducing this useful invention to the world. During its heyday as a Roman city, Sardis had a very large and prosperous Jewish community that may have been established here in much earlier times The ruins of Sardis lie east of Izmir, a ride of 75 minutes. The ruins of Jewish interest lie in the village of Sartmustafa. Though Sardis plays no role in the history of Jewish immigrants who came to the Ottoman Empire from Spain and Portugal, it is of interest because of its extremely large and rich Roman synagogue. In ancient Sardis, Jews held seats on the city council and important offices in the Roman civil administration. Remains of the beautiful and richly appointed synagogue dating from the 200s C.E. have been uncovered and restored; much of the funding for restoration came from American Jewish individuals, congregations and philanthropies. Visitors to the site approach the synagogue along the Marble Way, a main street lined with shops, many of which were owned by Jewish merchants and artisans, as signs indicate. The synagogue itself, of which only the floor, some walls and columns remain, is of grand proportions, with wonderful mosaic floors and colored-stone wall decorations.

• Ýzmir Princess 5*
• Crowne Plaza 5*
• Movenpick Ýzmir 5*
• Hilton Ýzmir 5*
• Swissotel Ýzmir 5*