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Kusadasi Holidays
Kusadasi is a resort town on the Aegean Coast of Turkey,close to the ancient city of Ephesus. Once just a small fishing village, is today among the most populated resorts in Turkey.
However in spite of its new found popularity, Kusadasi is a great holiday resort with an amazingly beautiful coastline and several archaeological sites nearby. The proximity to these historical sites and to the Ionian settlements of Miletus, Priene and Didyma makes this place an ideal base to travelers wanting to explore the Aegean coast.
Currency in Kusadasi
The official currency is the New Turkish Lira. Currency can be mainly exchanged at banks, exchange booths and post offices, although airports and ferry ports also offer exchange services. Banks are open only on weekdays, but some in tourist areas are open daily. Most of the big cities and tourist areas have ATMs. Major credit cards are widely accepted, though the more popular ones are Visa and MasterCard as American Express is accepted only in the more expensive places. Though Travelers’ cheques can be exchanged at some banks and currency exchange offices, most prefer cash or credit cards for transactions.
Attractions in Kusadasi
Ephesus is the largest and most important archeological site in the country. The city was established with a dock on the mouth of the Cayster River, and was the most important commercial station in Anatolia. The city went into decline during the Byzantine era with the silting up of the port and was finally deserted. Visitors need to have some imagination and creativity to see how the Roman city would have looked like, but guides are available and can offer a rich insight into the history and architecture of the wreck. The city also had a very significant part to play in early Christianity. After the amphitheatres, wall paintings, mosaics, baths, fountains, brothels and columns, the streets lead to some great places of interest, like the colossal Library of Celsus, the notable Temple of Hadrian, a row of public latrines and the Grand Theatre where St Paul advocated to the Ephesians.
The well preserved Ionian settlements of Miletus, Priene and Didyma are also nearby and are well worth a visit too.
Language
The official language of Turkey is Turkish. However in almost all the main tourist areas, English is widely understood.
Nightlife
Kusadasi has among the most active nightlife in Turkey. The Bar Street, in the old town center, is the center of attraction, with all the bars and pubs lining the street playing pulsating music till the early hours of the morning. The most frequented destinations are the massive open-air disco and the Ecstasy Bar, where famous European DJ’s anchor the shows. Young Brits mostly prefer to get together at Jimmy’s Irish Bar, which is located at the start of Bar Street. For those preferring it, Kusadasi offers a more sedate nightlife too, in the form of cabaret bars, Turkish folk taverns and cozy jazz clubs.
