AEGEAN TURKEY GUIDE

Turkey’s Aegean coast mapsis beautiful, historic and agriculturally rich. If you plan to visit any of this historic region’s ancient-city archeological sites or museums, consider buying a Museum Pass – Aegean. 

Alaçatı

This charming small town west of İzmir near Çeşme is yet unspoiled, visited by local vacationers in the know, but nearly unknown to foreign visitors except for passionate windsurfers. 

Aphrodisias

The city of Aphrodite, Roman goddess of Love, is among Turkey’s most interesting ancient ruins. Detour to it on your way between Pamukkale and Ephesus. 

Ayvalık

This North Aegean seacoast resort town is popular with Turkish vacationers.  

Bodrum

Picturesque resort on two small bays divided by a crusader castle, a favorite yachting port noted for its exuberant nightlife.

Bozcaada

A visit to this island near the southern mouth of the Dardanelles strait is like a step back in time: relaxed days of hiking and swimming, unhurried al fresco dinners with friends, sipping the island’s own wines. 

Çanakkale

On the Dardanelles, your base for visits to Troy and the Gallipoli battlefields. 

Çeşme

The peninsula extending westward from İzmir into the Aegean is a traditional summer vacation land for İzmirlis, but in recent years it has begun to attract visitors from around the world.  

Ephesus (Selçuk)

The best-preserved classical city on the Mediterranean, a must-see . The town of Selçuk makes a good base for exploring lots of other ancient cities, as well as hill towns and beaches. 

Foça

Ancient Phocaea is now a nice resort town—actually, two resort towns, with swimming, windsurfing, restauranting and other pleasures.

Gallipoli

Momentous battles during World War I, and poignant monument-strewn battlefields today.  

İzmir

Turkey’s third largest city is mostly modern, with good hotels, great seaside restaurants, an interesting bazaar, a few museums and archeological remains.  

Kuşadası

Bustling seaside resort and cruise ship port near Ephesus. 

Pamukkale

Pamukkale, meaning "cotton castle" in Turkish, is a natural site in Denizli in southwestern Turkey. The area is famous for a carbonate mineral left by the flowing water.

Pergamon

Famous for its ancient library and medical center, an attractive farming town with lots to see.  

Sardis

An easy ride east of İzmir are these impressive ruins, with a fine Roman gymnasium and synagogue, and Byzantine churches.  

Şirince

This little hill town close to Selçuk and Ephesus, surrounded by vineyards and olive groves, is straight out of Tuscany or the Turkish equivalent. 

Troy 

Once thought to exist only in legend, the walls of Troy have been excavated and restored—and made into a movie.