12 Best Sights in The Central and Southern Aegean Coast, Turkey

The sandy beach at Alaçatı, about 6 km (nearly 4 miles) south of town, is ideal for windsurfing, with strong winds and few waves. Unfortunately, there is only a small public beach here, but many of the comfortable private beach clubs and hotels with private beaches allow nonguests for a day rate. The water is cooler at Alaçatı than it is at other beaches, and stunningly blue over the pale, fine sand. In addition to windsurfing, water sports like waterskiing, banana boat rides, and kitesurfing are available here. Amenities: food and drink; toilets; showers; water sports. Best for: windsurfing.

Though most of what you see today dates from the 1st and 2nd century AD, archaeological evidence indicates that the local dedication to Aphrodite follows a long history of veneration of pre-Hellenic goddesses, such as the Anatolian mother goddess and the Babylonian god Ishtar. Only about half of the site has been excavated. It's much less crowded than Ephesus, and enough remains to conjure the ancient city. Once you reach the pretty, rural site, you'll take a short, bumpy ride on an open-air shuttle from the parking area to the main gate. The lovely Tetrapylon gateway has four rows of columns and some of the better remaining friezes. Behind it, the vast Temple of Aphrodite was built in the 1st century BC on the model of the great temples at Ephesus, and later transformed into a basilica church. Its gate and many of its columns are still standing. The impressive, well-preserved 1st century AD stadium could seat up to 30,000 spectators to watch footraces, boxing and wrestling matches. You'll also find the once-magnificent ruined residence, the fine Odeon (also known as the Bouleuterion, or Council House); an intimate, semicircular concert hall and public meeting room; towering public baths; and the sprawling agora. The 7,000 white-marble seats of the city's theater, built into the side of a small hill, are simply dazzling on a bright day. The adjacent School of Philosophy has a colonnaded courtyard with chambers lining both sides.

In the museum, just before the ticket booth, Aphrodisias bursts back into life in vivid friezes and sculptures that seem almost about to draw breath. The museum's collection includes dozens of impressive statues and reliefs from the site, including Aphrodite herself, with excellent labeling (particularly in the grand display in the Sevgi Gönül Salonu) explaining their significance and symbolism.

One of the Turkey's best preserved ancient cities, UNESCO World Heritage Site, and target of most cruises' disembarking passengers, Bergama, lies just 40 km (25 miles) east down a well-trodden tourist path. Known during Greek and Roman times as Pergamon, the city was renowned for its arts and medicine. Its lofty status is confirmed by a treasure trove of ruins including temples, palaces, shops, a library, and a 10,000-seat theater, the steepest of its age. In the center of the new town, many artifacts are on display at the archaeology museum.

Built in the early 15th century by the Knights Hospitaller (Knights of St. John), the Petronion, better known as Bodrum Castle or the Castle of St. Peter, rises between Bodrum's twin harbors like an illustration from a fairy tale. With German knight-architect Heinrich Schlegelholt at the helm, the knightly builders plundered the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus for green volcanic stone, marble columns, and reliefs to create this showpiece of late-medieval architecture, whose walls are studded with 249 coats of arms, including the crests of the Plantagenets and d'Aubussons. The castle's towers and gardens are visible from many parts of town, and the name "Bodrum" itself likely derives from the word Petronion. Some of the castle's towers are named after the homelands of the knights who built them: France, Germany, Italy, and England (the English Tower, embellished with a relief of a lion, is known as the Lion Tower, and contains a replica of a medieval hall). The castle now houses the fascinating Museum of Underwater Archaeology, where displays include the world's oldest excavated shipwreck (Uluburun), the tomb of the so-called "Carian Princess," and the sunken cargoes of many ancient and medieval ships that sank off the treacherous Aegean coast.

Constructed during the reign of Sultan Bayezid II (ruled 1481–1512) to defend the port, this castle is very picturesque, with its stone walls often lined with sun-basking lizards and tortoises. The keep is often deep in wildflowers. The castle houses a small Archaeology Museum, displaying weaponry from the glory days of the Ottoman Empire, cannons from 18th-century sea skirmishes with the Russians, and a modest collection of ancient artifacts. Clamber around the towers for sweeping views of the sea and the city; keep close watch on kids around the less-than-secure railings.

If you're looking for beaches, either head north from Kuşadası to Pamucak or travel 33 km (20 miles) south to this lovely national park, which has good hiking trails through woods and canyons and several quiet stretches of sand. The İçmeler beach, closest to the entrance, is also the most crowded. Travel 15 minutes to Karaburun for a more low-key atmosphere. The beaches are clean, with nearby picnic tables, toilets, changing cabins, and outdoor showers, but you should bring your own food and drink. (Note that the park is only open to a limited number of private vehicles a day.) You can catch a Güzelçamlı-bound dolmuş/minibus from Kuşadaşı or nearby transport hub Söke that will take visitors into the park and make a circuit of some of the most popular beaches. The park also contains the so-called "Cave of Zeus," and an archaeological site from when the peninsula was known as Mycale.

The ruin of Ephesus, once the most important Greco-Roman city of the eastern Mediterranean, is one of the best preserved ancient sites in the world. Today, modern travelers can trace the splendor and collapse of ancient civilizations in Ephesus's spectacular landscape of ruined temples, theaters, and colonnaded streets. There are two entrances to the site, which is on a hill: one at the top of the site (Üst Kapı, or Upper Gate) and one at the bottom (Alt Kapı, or Lower Gate—this is where to find the public dolmuş stop). The main avenue is about a mile long but there are a number of intriguing detours, so a minimum visit of two hours can easily stretch to four. Buy water and a light snack in Selçuk town before you head for Ephesus. In summer, when shade is at a premium, a hat is a very good idea. Highlights of the site include the spectacular theater, backed by the western slope of Mt. Pion, which once seated an estimated 25,000 to 40,000 spectators; the beautiful, two-story Library of Celsus; and the terrace houses, the multistoried houses of the nobility, with terraces and courtyards (which have a separate entrance fee). See the highlighted Ephesus feature in this chapter for more information.

This small museum has one of the best collections of Roman and Greek artifacts found anywhere in Turkey. The well-displayed and labeled holdings date from the neolithic to Ottoman periods and include fine sculptures, friezes, mosaics, and reliefs. The elaborately carved white statues of Artemis are particularly notable, while the exhibit of jewelry, cosmetics, medical instruments, and housewares from Ephesus's terrace houses gives an intimate glimpse into day-to-day life in the ancient city.

Konak Meydanı marks the start of this energetic marketplace, encircled by Anafartalar Caddesi, that spills into a maze of tiny streets, filled with shops and covered stalls. In the smaller side streets, you'll find tiny districts dedicated to musical instruments, leather, costume jewelry, and accessories, among other things. Begin at a restored Ottoman kervansaray, the Kızlarağası Hanı, completed around 1745. Downstairs, its vaulted shops mostly sell cheesy souvenirs, while the quieter upper floor, where some artisans still have their workshops, is a peaceful spot for a cup of tea or for poking through the antique dealers' old books and records. The nearby, late-16th-century Hisar Camii (one of the largest and oldest in İzmir) is worth a peek, and is surrounded by kebab joints shaded by large trees. Go farther into Kemeraltı and you'll wind up at Havra Sokağı, an outdoor market full of stalls selling spices, fruits, and other foodstuffs. Among this labyrinth of streets you'll also find the crumbling remains of numerous old synagogues, some of which are being restored.

The lively and pleasant waterfront promenade is the most popular section of town and is perfect for a summer stroll; many locals use the sea breeze to fly kites. It starts at the Pasaport ferry pier and stretches north to Alsancak. Along the grassy, waterfront strip are several excellent seafood restaurants and cafés, all with outdoor seating overlooking the Aegean sea. It's fun to tour the area by fayton (horse-drawn carriage); they are stationed in the Cumhuriyet Meydanı, steps from the beginning of the Kordon (be sure to agree to a fair price in advance).

The name means "brilliant" or "diamond" and this beach outside Çiftlikköy certainly has seawater that's as clear as glass, gentle and shallow (you can sit in the water and read a book!). The waters are warmer here than at nearby beaches such as Altınkum, and mercifully free of seaweed or sea urchins. The pale, fine sand is usually clean, the beach peaceful, and there are changing rooms. You can snorkel, but kitesurfing is prohibited. If you want shade, you'll have to rent a beach chair and umbrella from the snack shack. There are many motels and pensions near this area, as well as a campground. Amenities: food and drink; parking; toilets. Best for: sunbathing; swimming; walking.

Step through the impressive, pre-Justinianic marble portal (its huge blocks likely plundered from the nearby Temple of Artemis) to approach the basilica, which sits below the crenellated walls of the Fortress of Ayasuluk, likely covering the site of the most ancient settlement in Selçuk. In the 6th century AD, after earthquakes destroyed the modest church believed to mark the grave of St. John the Evangelist, Byzantine Emperor Justinian and his wife Theodora commanded that a grand marble basilica be erected over the site on Ayasuluk Hill, its eleven domes grand enough to rival the imperial pair's other legendary building project, Hagia Sophia. The basilica's barrel-vaulted roof collapsed after another long-ago earthquake, but the ruined church is still an incredibly evocative sight, with its labyrinth of halls and marble courtyards, and occasional mosaic fragments. Both the basilica and the fortress, the work of Byzantine, Seljuk, and Ottoman builders, provide stunning views of the Plain of Ephesus and the İsa Bey Mosque. Come by in the early morning or late afternoon when there are rarely crowds; if arriving later in the day, be sure to visit the fortress first---it closes earlier than the basilica area.