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Kusadasi is one of the most swollen resort towns on the southern Aegean Coast, overflowing with shiploads of tourists in summer who enlarge the year-round population several times over. Once a small fishing village, today the busy town is packed with curios and carpet shops; its proximity to the ruins of Ephesus making it anideal base for Aegean cruise ships. Despite the frenzied tourism, Kusadasi is situated amid splendid coastal scenery and several significant archaeological sites, including the three well-preserved Ionian settlements of Miletus, Priene and Didyma. There are plenty of good hotels and restaurants, and ferries linkit with the nearby Greek islands of Samos and Mykonos.

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Currency

The official currency is the New Turkish Lira (TRY), which was introduced on 1 January 2005, whereby six zeros were dropped from the TL and the sub-unit New Kurush was created. Currency can be exchanged at banks, exchange booths, post offices, airports and ferry ports; banks have the worst rates and highest commissions, but will exchange lesser known foreign currencies.

Banks open mainly Monday to Friday, but some are open daily in tourist areas. ATMs are widely available in major cities and tourist areas, but Turkish ATM keypads usually do not have letters of the alphabet on their keys. Most bank branches have ATMs which accept Cirrus and Plus. Major credit cards are widely accepted; the most popular are Visa or MasterCard, but American Express is accepted in many of the more expensive places.

Travellers cheques can be exchanged at some banks and currency exchange offices, but are not as welcome as cash or credit cards. US dollars or Euros are preferred. Some pensions and hotels in the most popular destinations accept US dollars as payment.

Kusadasi Climate

Both the Aegean and Mediterranean coasts have a typical Mediterranean climate with mild winters and hot summers, with temperature often rising above 30ºC (86ºF) in July and August. Showers are unlikely in the summer months, but the rainfall is quite high in winter.

Time

Local time is GMT +2
(GMT +3 from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October).

Language

Turkish is the official language, but English is widely understood
in the main tourist areas.

Shopping

The Grand Bazaar in Kusadasi, near the harbour, is one of Turkey's largest shopping treasure troves, crammed with 1,000 ormore stores and stalls open seven days a week from 9am until midnight. Bargaining for a variety of attractive items, like leather jackets, sandals, carpets and hand-made jewellery, is a fun experience, usually accompanied by a glass of tea. Despite the traditional trading atmosphere, most merchants accept credit cards, travellers cheques and even foreign currency for purchases.

Nightlife

Nights in Kusadasi throb with action, particularly along the town's pulsating Bar Street in the old town centre, lined with pubsand clubs. One of the hottest spots is the huge open air disco,Ecstasy Bar, featuring top European DJs. Jimmy's Irish Bar at thestart of Bar Street is a favourite gathering place for young Brits.Those looking for something more sedate will find cabaret bars,Turkish folk taverns, or cosy jazz clubs tucked away.

Activities

Kusadasi's clean, sandy beaches are a major drawcard for visitors, whether simply for sunbathing and swimming, or for indulging in a myriad of watersports that are on offer through local operators at the numerous 'beach clubs'. The turquoise Aegean waters are particularly popular for scuba diving and snorkelling. Avariety of boat trips are also available.

Water-babies will also enjoy Kusadasi's three thrilling aqua-parks. Away from the water active holiday-makers can indulge in a horse-back safari, or headoff on a jeep safari to get down and dirty on muddy nature trails.The surrounding region of Anatolia is crammed with interesting historical and archaeological sites and dozens of excursions are available for visitors to explore these, particularly the ruins of ancient Ephesus.

Restaurants

All budgets and all tastes are amply catered for among Kusadasi's dozens of restaurants, cafes and lokantas. Most visitors opt for sampling Turkish cuisine or enjoying the sumptuous sea food on offer, but there are numerous alternatives from curry to Chinese and burgers. Acknowledged as one of the best seafood restaurants is the Cinar Fish Restaurant, where guests can watch their meal prepared in the open kitchen and dine with a view of the sea. For top class Turkish specialities the Konyali Restaurant opposite the marina, and the Erzincan near the post office, are hard to beat.