Things to Do in Turkey

The ghost town of Kayaköy – a cluster of about a thousand centuries-old stone houses scattered across a hillside – has a poignant history. Formerly inhabited by Greek citizens of the Ottoman Empire and known by the Greek name of Levissi, it was abandoned in 1923 after the Greek-Turkish population exchange that took place after the founding of the Turkish Republic.

The story of the village (renamed “Eskibahçe”) and its inhabitants has been fictionalized by Louis de Bernières in Birds Without Wings, a sweeping novel that takes place during the late Ottoman Empire and WWI.

Walking among the crumbling, empty houses and through the narrow lanes can be rather eerie, but the deserted village has a surreal beauty to it. There are a couple of churches and chapels, of which the most significant is the Panayia Pyrgiotissa (built in 1888), where a few fragments of frescoes and mosaics can still be seen.

Several cafes and restaurants are housed in atmospheric old buildings on the edges of the village.

The Kursunlu Waterfall is a small cascade set amid a cool, pine forest. While not as impressive as the more visited Duden Waterfalls, the Kursunlu falls feel a little more remote due to their setting and access via a short and pleasant walk through the forest.

Only 20 minutes from central Antalya, the surrounding area offers plenty of walking opportunities, especially along the Aksu river. While the falls are more of a trickle in the summer months, it is sometimes possible to spot trout and turtles in the pools that form here.

Kadifekale, also known as the Velvet Castle, presides over the town from its vantage point on top of a hill of the same name. Built by General Lysimachos, a successor of Alexander the Great, Kadifekale appears to have acted as both a castle and a fort, giving clear views over much of the city and across to the Gulf of Izmir.

Kusadasi is a resort town located on Turkey’s Aegean Coast that is best known as a jumping off point for visits to Ephesus, the best preserved classical city in eastern Turkey. Just a few decades ago, it wasn’t much more than a small seaside village, but the growth of the local tourism industry has brought modernization and commercialization.

How to Get to Kusadasi

It is an easy walk from the cruise ship terminal to downtown Kusadasi.

One Day in Kusadasi

Chances are you won’t be spending much time in Kusadasi itself as most cruise passengers join half or full day excursions to nearby Ephesus. If you do stick around, think of it as a chance to kick back and relax for a day. Try a Turkish bath, head to the beach to soak up some sun or cool off at the wave pools and water slides at one of the city’s aqua parks. You may also like to take a walk out to the small hilltop fortress on Pigeon Island, accessible by a footbridge just across from the port.

If you want to get a glimpse of historic Kusadasi, head to the Kaleici neighborhood, just north of Barbaros Hayrettin Caddesi, the main pedestrian street in town. Wander the narrow streets and visit the Kaleiçi Camii, a mosque built in 1618, and the Öküz Mehmet Pasha caravanserai, built the same year.

Of course, you shouldn’t leave Kusadasi without checking out the bazaars, the perfect places to try your hand at haggling and do some souvenir shopping – carpets, copper goods, jewelry and ceramics are all popular.

Port Information

The cruise ship terminal is part of a modern mall with a variety of Western-style shops and eateries. The official currency is the Turkish lira, although Euros and US dollars may be accepted at some stores. Turkish is the official language, but locals may know some English.

Kaymaklı is a city dug deep into the soft volcanic rock in the Cappadocia region. There are around 100 underground cities in the area although only a few are open to the public. Kaymaklı is the largest of them. It is estimated that around 3,500 people once lived here.
 
Built under a hill known as the Citadel of Kaymaklı, the city consists of 8 underground levels made up of low, narrow, sloping passageways. The city is arranged around the ventilation shafts which bring in air. Early inhabitants chose to live some of the time underground as protection against the heat and the marauding tribes who regularly passed through the region looking to attack and plunder.
 
The city was opened to visitors in 1964 although only 4 of the 8 levels are accessible. The first level was meant for stables, the second level had a church and some living areas, the third level was kitchens and storage. Current inhabitants of Kaymaklı still use parts of the undergound city for storage, stables and cellars.