Liman Hotel
Reliable budget hotel near the harbour. Clean, well rated, simple rooms. Ideal base for day trips to the ancient sites.
from EUR 35 / night View →
Turkey · Aegean · Travel guide
Kuşadası
Gateway to Ephesus, three more ancient cities and the wine village of Şirince: Kuşadası is the best base for the ancient west coast of Turkey.
Photo: Yesim G. Ozdemir / Pexels
What does a trip to Kuşadası cost?
Adjust the values to your trip: the calculator updates live (EUR, converted from CHF estimates).
1,338 EUR
≈ 669 EUR per person
- Flights 642 EUR
- Accommodation 375 EUR
- Food 268 EUR
- Local transport 54 EUR
Estimates for orientation, not booking prices. Flights and hotels vary strongly by season: current prices are behind the links below.
Money & payment: You pay in Turkish lira (TRY). The exchange rate moves a lot, which is why all prices here are given in francs and euros. Cards are accepted almost everywhere; you need cash for the dolmuş, markets and tips. Flight time: 3 to 4 hours.
Recommended hotels
Nine options in three price ranges, each among the best-rated on Booking.com.
Budget
Anzac Golden Bed Boutique Hotel
Well-rated small hotel with friendly service in the centre. Very good value for money, quiet rooms despite the central location.
from EUR 45 / night View →
Hotel Stella
Simple, clean hotel near the coast. Well rated for the price, friendly owners, an uncomplicated stay.
from EUR 40 / night View →
Mid-range
Charisma De Luxe Hotel
Large, very well-rated beach hotel outside the centre. Several pools, private beach section, all-inclusive option. One of the most popular mid-range hotels in Kuşadası.
from EUR 105 / night View →
Grand Bluesky Hotel
Well-equipped beach hotel with a pool, comfortable rooms and good breakfast. Excellent ratings for location and value for money.
from EUR 95 / night View →
Selçuk Efes Hotel
Quiet mid-range hotel right in Selçuk, the town next to Ephesus. Ideal for early visits without the crowds. Pool, good breakfast, relaxed atmosphere.
from EUR 85 / night View →
Luxury
Korumar Ephesus Beach & Spa Resort
Luxury resort in its own bay outside Kuşadası, with a private beach, several pools and a large spa. Very well rated. Shuttle to town and to Ephesus.
from EUR 300 / night View →
Pine Bay Holiday Resort
Large luxury resort right on the coast with several pools, water sports and an all-inclusive offer. One of the best-rated resorts in Kuşadası on Booking.com.
from EUR 270 / night View →
Aqua Fantasy Aquapark Hotel
Large resort with its own water park, ideal for families. Very well rated for entertainment and quality. Shuttle to Kuşadası and the sights.
from EUR 245 / night View →
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Experiences worth your time
Ephesus (Efes)
One of the largest ancient cities in the world, 17 km from Kuşadası. Library of Celsus, Great Theatre, marble streets. Visit early in the morning or after 4 pm, when the cruise groups have gone.
Priene, Miletus & Didyma
Three ancient cities, combinable in one day. Priene with sea views, the great theatre of Miletus, the gigantic Temple of Apollo at Didyma. A rental car is the most flexible option.
Şirince village
Former Greek village in the hills above Ephesus, known for its fruit and grape wines. Pretty lanes, quiet on weekdays. 7 km from Selçuk, dolmuş from Selçuk.
Güvercin Adası
Pigeon Island with its Ottoman fortress is reached from the centre via a causeway on foot. Quiet and atmospheric in the evening, crowded during the day. Free admission.
Pamucak Beach
Long sandy beach north of Selçuk, much quieter than the Kuşadası town beaches. Little development, clean water. Reachable by dolmuş from Selçuk.
If you book through these links we earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you.
Food & drink
Kuşadası itself is a harbour town with a cruise-ship crowd, but its cuisine comes from the hinterland: çöp şiş from Selçuk, wine and gözleme from Şirince, fish from the coast and herbs from the market. Drive ten minutes out of the centre and you eat Aegean for half the price.
Çöp Şiş
Small pieces of lamb on thin wooden skewers, grilled over charcoal, with flatbread, onions and sumac. A Selçuk speciality. Ten skewers cost CHF 7 to 10 (about EUR 7.50 to 10.70).
Tip:On the way back from Ephesus, with ayran, and order by the number of skewers, not by portion.
Fish at the harbour
Sea bream, sea bass, calamari, grilled or fried. The harbour restaurants are geared to cruise passengers; the lanes behind are more honest. CHF 12 to 25 (about EUR 13 to 27) a portion.
Tip:Ask the price per kilo first, and on days with a cruise ship in port eat in the evening once the ships have left.
Zeytinyağlı and Aegean herbs
Cold vegetables in olive oil and wild Aegean herbs with lemon, as meze or lunch. CHF 3 to 5 (about EUR 3.20 to 5.40) a plate.
Tip:Point at three things in the counter; it is the best light lunch on hot days.
Gözleme in Şirince
In the hill village of Şirince women roll out gözleme with spinach, cheese or potatoes at the roadside. CHF 2 to 4 (about EUR 2.20 to 4.30).
Tip:Drive up in the morning before the tour buses, while the village is still quiet.
Şirince wine
Şirince is known for fruit wines (peach, blackberry, mulberry) and simple grape wines. Tasting is often free, a bottle costs CHF 6 to 12 (about EUR 6.50 to 13).
Tip:The fruit wine is sweet and more souvenir than wine. If you want to drink seriously, take the dry red.
Ayran
Yoghurt, water, salt, whipped cold and frothy. The drink for anything grilled, CHF 0.80 to 1.50 (about EUR 0.85 to 1.60) a glass.
Tip:Açık ayran (open, from the barrel) beats the plastic cups, so ask for it.
Lokma
Fried dough balls in syrup, fresh from the oil, often sold at stands and handed out at celebrations. A portion costs CHF 1.50 to 3 (about EUR 1.60 to 3.20).
Tip:Eat them hot, with cinnamon, and if someone is giving them away for free it is hayır lokması in memory of someone who has died: accepting is the polite thing to do.
History & background
Kuşadası, "bird island", is a comparatively young town; it owes its importance mainly to its location. It is the ancient cities of the region that make western Anatolia one of the densest archaeological areas in the world. Ephesus, 17 kilometres away, was in its heyday one of the largest cities of the Roman Empire and capital of the province of Asia. The Apostle Paul lived here for several years and wrote his letter to the Ephesians. The Library of Celsus, the Great Theatre and the marble streets are among the most impressive things antiquity has left behind. Close by lie three more great cities of the ancient world: Priene, the first Greek city laid out on a grid plan; Miletus, once a powerful trading metropolis with a huge theatre; and Didyma, with the second-largest temple of antiquity after the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus. The Ottoman fortress on the small peninsula of Güvercin Adası (Pigeon Island, now joined to the mainland) gives the town its name and today serves as an open-air stage and café. Kuşadası itself has become heavily touristy thanks to the cruise ships, but as a base for day trips it has almost no competition.
Insider tips
Ephesus: early or late, never at midday
Ephesus (Efes) is 20 minutes from Kuşadası. The site is large, without shade, and can be overrun by cruise groups in high summer. Early in the morning or after 4 pm it is more pleasant and quieter. There are two entrances: best to enter at the top and walk downhill. The House of the Virgin Mary lies above the site and costs extra; the road there leads through pine forest and is lovely even without going in.
PMD day trip: three cities in one day
Priene, Miletus (Milet) and Didyma (Didim) combine well in one day, ideally by rental car. Priene sits on a hillside with unobstructed sea views and is far quieter than Ephesus. The theatre of Miletus held 15,000 spectators and has extraordinary acoustics. The Temple of Apollo at Didyma is intimidating in its sheer size. All three together for a fraction of the Ephesus crowds.
Şirince: wine village in the hills
Seven kilometres from Selçuk lies Şirince, a former Greek village in the hills above Ephesus. Turkish since the population exchange of 1923, it is known for its fruit wine: strawberry wine, peach wine, mulberry wine. The lanes are touristy, but the atmosphere is lovely. Best visited on a weekday or early in the morning, before the day trippers arrive.
Güvercin Adası and the beaches further out
Güvercin Adası (Pigeon Island) is joined to the town by a causeway and has a small Ottoman fortress. In the evening it is quiet and beautiful; during the day it is crowded with cruise passengers. If you want a beach, head for Pamucak, a long sandy beach north of Selçuk, or Özdere, quieter and less built up than the town beaches of Kuşadası.
Dodging the cruise crowds
Cruise ships usually dock from 8 am to 5 pm. During that time Kuşadası centre and Ephesus are packed. The strategy: visit Ephesus early in the morning, before the ships have unloaded, or after 4 pm. The cruise groups barely know Priene, Miletus and Didyma. Şirince is busier in the afternoon than in the morning.
Frequently asked questions about Kuşadası
How do I get to Kuşadası from Western Europe?
The nearest airport is Izmir (ADB), about 90 kilometres away. From Izmir you take a bus (Pamukkale or Metro bus from the otogar) or a taxi to Kuşadası. Alternatively fly to Istanbul and take a domestic flight to Izmir. Trains also run from Izmir Basmane to Selçuk (right next to Ephesus).
Do I need Kuşadası as a base, or is Selçuk enough?
Selçuk, right next to Ephesus, is quieter and cheaper than Kuşadası. If you are mainly here for the ancient sites, you are better off in Selçuk. Kuşadası offers more hotels and direct beach access, but far more tourist activity.
How many days do I need for the region?
Ephesus alone: one day. Ephesus plus Şirince: two days. Add the PMD tour: three days. If you want all the major sites plus a few beach days, plan five to six days.
Is Kuşadası crowded in summer?
The centre of Kuşadası can be very full during the day in July and August, especially when several cruise ships dock at once. Evenings and the shoulder seasons are more pleasant. The beaches outside town (Pamucak, Özdere) are much quieter.
Itineraries with this destination
Events
Jan 17
Selçuk Camel Wrestling Festival
FestivalThe biggest camel wrestling event on the Aegean: around a hundred decorated camels face off in pairs in Selçuk, a few kilometres from Ephesus, accompanied by music, grill stalls and thousands of spectators from the region. The animals are not injured; the bouts are more shoving than wrestling. Entrance costs a few francs; you sit on the ground or on plastic chairs.
For travellers: Selçuk and Kuşadası are full this weekend; otherwise January on the Aegean is quiet and cheap.
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