Tusan-Kustur Beach
Dilek Peninsula
National Park |
KUSADASI
Back
along the coast, Kusadasi, or Bird Island, is a lovely
port built along the shores of a glittering bay The
terraced town overlooks the most beautiful inlet of
the Aegean and seems to have been created purely for
the delight of the holiday-maker. Be sure to visit the
famous and popular Kus shopping center in the Kaleici
quarter, where there is nightlong entertainment. A
large, modern marina facilitates life for visiting
yachters. Tusan-Kustur Beach, north of Kusadasi, is
one of the cleanest beaches and 23 km south of
Kusadasi is the charming holiday-resort town of
Guzelcamli. West of Guzelcamli and 30 km from Kusadasi,
is the Dilek Peninsula National Park, and a visit is a
must for those with the time. Here amidst incredibly
beautiful surroundings are some of the most wonderful
views and some of the rarest wild animals in Turkey,
including the Anatolian cheetah and some of Turkey's
last wild horses. The park is a wildlife preserve and
a haven for many species of animals and birds. The
exquisite Menderes River valley, known in the West as
the Meander, has been the cradle of many civilizations.
Set amidst pine, olive and oleander trees, the
magnificent Camici (Bafa) Lake is a lovely place to
stop over. Tourists can choose between guesthouses or
campsites. To the east of the lake rise the five peaks
of the Besparmak Mountains. The Iconoclastic priests
who came here to live, from Constantinople, built
monasteries, churches, and chapels around the base of
the mountains and on the lake's islands. The ruins of
the ancient city of Heraklia lie close to the lake,
while the remains of Alinda are found on the eastern
slopes of the Besparmak Mountains. The valley has
witnessed the rise and fall of several great cities,
notably Priene, Miletos, Didyma, Aphrodisias, and
Hierapolis. This peaceful national reserve is an
excellent place for bird-watchers, hikers,
naturelovers and photographers. Gullubahce (Priene)
was one of the most active ports of the Ionian
Federation. The grid like system (as in NYC) of
streets introduced in the fourth century B.C. by
Hippodamos of Miletos is a superb and early example of
town planning. Milet (Miletos), like Priene, was a
great Ionian port and the birthplace of several
philosophers and sages. The theater justifies a visit,
and be sure to see the well-preserved ruins of the
Faustina baths and the Archaeological Museum. Although
Didim (Didyma) can only boast of a single monument, it
is nevertheless a marvelous site. The Temple of Apollo
was one of antiquity's most sacred places. Many times
looted and burned, the sanctuary still impresses with
its elegant beauty A portico of double colonnades
surround the colossal temple. Not far from the
archaeological site, the beautiful beach of Altinkum
tempts with its many guest houses. Akbük is another
holiday resort in the region with nice beach hotels.
Although the history of Geyre (Aphrodisias) stretches
back in time, the city, which was dedicated to
Aphrodite, goddess of love and fertility, rose to
prominence in the first century B.C. Some of the
richest treasures of ancient times were uncovered in
the excavations of this city The public buildings are
handsomely adorned with marble that was carved with
astonishing skill, producing remarkable temples,
monuments, baths, a theater and a magnificent stadium.
The reputation of the city's craftsmen for the
exquisite finesse of their statuary and marble
sculpting spread through the civilized world, and
Aphrodisias became the center of the greatest
sculpting school of antiquity. Many of its marvelous
works of art are now housed in the local museum. The
theater and bouleuterion are among the city's best-preserved
ruins. About 35 kilometers east of Aydin lies
Sultanhisar, host to an Art and Culture Festival every
spring. Nearby, in the quiet of the olive trees, are
the ruins of ancient Nysa, famous in the second
century A. D. as an educational center. |
