If God created so much beauty in the world it was so that man could enjoy it.
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If God created so much beauty in the world it was so that man could enjoy it.
AEGEAN REGION
| Assos | Bodrum | Canakkale | Cesme | Didim |
| Efes | Fethiye | Izmir | Kusadasi | Marmaris |
| Metropolis | Miletos | Pamukkale | Priene | Selcuk |
The recreational core of Assos is concentrated in a very tiny basin.Climbing up the hills and looking down at the sea you will see the ruins of an ancient town immersed in seawater and by adjusting the angle of your sight a bit higher up, the Mitylene Island in the near horizon, surrounded by deep blue water. The acropolis of the town which is reached through the village is at 238 m altitude. The inner city walls were repaired both in the Ottomantime and in the present. The mosque on the side of the road and the the bridge were built in Sultan Murat I's period...
Spread out on two crescent-shaped bays, this resort has an "artsy" feel. Recently, it has become a magnet for the jet-set crowd, while at the same time maintaining an intimate air (there are strict zoning laws preventing overdevelopment). The area is a popular tourist resort with good beaches nearby and is now also an important yacht-chartering center. Bodrum's a good spot to stay while visiting the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus (one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World) and the Castle of St. Peter, a Crusader fortification housing the excellent Museum of Underwater Archaeology inside...
Canakkale is a land of history and beautiful resorts on the shores of the Dardanelles where the Marmara sea ends and the Aegean sea begins. Canakkale downtown is not suitable for swimming; you have to go to Guzelyali where you can reach with dolmuses from the hotels in city center. You may also lodge directly in Guzelyali, at hotels with quite moderate prices fit for almost every budget...
Cesme is one of the Turkey's most beautiful strerches of coast, surrounded by clear blue seas, with a landscape of cultivated fields. Visitors can enjoy unspoilt bays, excellent holiday accommodation, restaurants, sports and entertainment facilities. Thermal baths offer a healthy break from the rigors of modern life...
Didim (Didyma) can only boast of a single monument, it is nevertheless a marvellous site. The Temple of Apollo here 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...
Of all the ruins in Turkey, the grandest and best-restored are at Ephesus. This prominent ancient capital was founded in the 10th century BC by the Ionian Greeks and flourished between 600 BC and 500 AD (it once had a population of 300,000). Biblical buffs may know the town as the inspiration for St. Paul's Epistle to the Ephesians and it was the site of one of the Seven Churches of Asia Minor...Telmessos was a very prominent city and a center of prophecy, pledged to Apollon, in the antiquity. That the city life was rich and highly cultured during the Hellenistic and Roman periods is evident from the existing monuments...
Izmir (pop. 1,500,000) is the unofficial capital of the Turkish Aegean area. This busy port is claimed to be the birthplace of Homer, and it also features one of the Seven Churches of Asia Minor (this one was rebuilt after a 1922 fire). Visit the bazaar, the Kemeralti, Sadirvan and Hisar mosques, the 17th-century caravanserai, the archaeological museum (ancient sculptures and other displays), the Agora (marketplace) and Kadifekale (the "Velvet Castle" atop Mt. Pagus--spectacular view)...
Kusadasi, which means "bird island" is set in a superb gulf and is known for its tourquise sparkling water, broad sandy beaches, bright sun and large marina with a capacity for 600 boats. A glorious ancient city beside it, EPHESUS with hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. Not far from Adnan Menderes Airport Izmir (only 80 km.). Numerous holiday villages and hotels line its shores and hundreds of restaurants serves food from all around the world. Ofcourse, Turkish Cuisine which is one of the largest cuisine of the world...
Ancient Marmaris, Physkos, was an important stage on the Anatolia-Rhodes-Egypt trade route. In the 16th century Suleyman The Magnificent had a citadel built on a hill, the remains of which can still be seen today. Swimmers should not miss Ataturk Park, to the east of Marmaris, where a shallow beach, extending to the bay leads to safe waters...
The remnants were first talked about by J. Spon and G. Wheler who came to this vicinity in 1975. The remnants lay between Yenikoy and Torbali. In 19th cent. observations began but the first serious excavations were made before 1. World War. Surface investigations and excavations, which were made in the years 1972-1975 and 1989, began again. Metropolis means "main goddess city"...
Miletos was one of the most important Ion city. There were four seaparks and as Priene it is also aparted from the sea because of Meander delta. Miletos was an important Myken colony in the middle of 2000's (B.C.). By the excavations of German archaeologists, the city walls some of the city houses and some pots and pats are found. The settlers of this city were Karian and Gretian people...
Water streaming down walls of white stalactites into hot mineral pools has made this a popular spa since before Roman times. When you've finished wading through the series of naturally pure-white travertine pools, see the well-preserved necropolis in the nearby ruins of Hierapolis. All the hotels in Pamukkale have pools filled with the naturally warm, calcium-rich water. Plan one night in the area, including a quick visit to Denizli in southwestern Turkey. 250 mi/400 km southwest of Ankara...
Priene is an example of early Ion type cities. It is not known yet where this city was first settled down. It is guessed that this city was first established on a peninsula and also included two sea ports. From this reestablished city only a work of art is left today. It is an electron coin with an Athena pictured face. This coin was made in 500 B.C. The second city, the new one, was established to its original place in 350 B.C...
This ancient town was the site of the Temple of Diana (Artemis), one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Selcuk is very close to Ephesus, so visit both sites on a daytrip from Izmir (see separate paragraphs). Other attractions are the Basilica of St. John and the archaeological museum (be sure to see the two statues of Artemis). 35 mi/55 km south-southeast of Izmir...