Pamukkale - The Cotton Castle
- Category: Aegean Region
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Pamukkale (Hierapolis) is both, a magical and spectacular natural site, unique in the world and with its ancient ruins it is perhaps the most attractive spot for tourists.
Pamukkale (Hierapolis) is both, a magical and spectacular natural site, unique in the world and with its ancient ruins it is perhaps the most attractive spot for tourists.
The founding of Laodicea probably dates back to King Antiochus II, who had built the new town between 261 and 253 BC on the old site of Diospolis and named it after his wife Laodicea.
Many of the ancient sites we visited in Turkey are closely related to the history of Christian development and are explicitly mentioned in the Bible in this respect, as it is the case with Laodicea.
Ayvalık, a district of Balıkesir, is a tourism center with beautiful coasts surrounded green olive grove, pure sea water and beaches, and contains historical and archeological values.
Balıkesir, with about 315.000 inhabitants, is situated between the Sea of Marmara and the Aegean Sea, i. e. between the towns of Istanbul and Izmir in the province of Balıkesir. The town covers an area of 14,500 m² and, with its 1.5 million inhabitants, it is one of the 20 largest of the 81 provinces of Turkey.
Another quite popular destination is the Devil's Table, Seytan Sofrasi, which is halfway between Ayvalık and Sarimsakli.
A few kilometers south of Ayvalik, you will meet with the beach called "garlic beach" (Sarimsakli) next to the town of same name: Sarimsakli.
To expand their trading activities, Greek settlers from Miletus moved to many new regions, including the ancient Mysian landscape, which corresponds to the modern Balız near Erdek in the province of Balıkesir.
Aphrodisias was a town in Caria, Asia Minor. It is located near the modern village of Geyre, Aydın, Turkey. The ancient city of Aphrodisias is one of the most important archaeological sites of the Greek and Roman periods in Turkey.
The city of Aydın is situated 65 km east of Kuşadası and is surrounded by the Samsun Mountain. The city has a rich cultural history. The local museum displays artifacts from the different periods of ancient history. There are many ruins and historical sites around the city which bear witness to its history.
Bafa Lake is situated in southwest Turkey, part of it within the boundaries of Milas district of Muğla Province and the northern part within Aydın Province's Soke district, approx. 30 km from Didim.
- The Ancient City of Romantic Breeze
The ancient city of Nysa was a famous settlement in Western Anatolia in Roman-Byzantine times. The well known traveller Strabon of Amaseia described Nysa as a kind of double city as it was situated on either sides of a tributary stream.
Davutlar is a small town very close to Kuşadası in Aydın Province. It lies at the north of the Dilek Peninsula and to the south of Kuşadası.
The Dilek Peninsula National Park, known locally as Milli Park, offers a haven of peace and serenity away from the bustle of the city. On the way to the National Park you will find a large farm with many sorts of birds, sheep and many horses.
Güzelcamli, with its unspoiled natural beauty, numerous sandy beaches and warm waters, stretches 23 kilometres southwest of Kusadasi. The town has been inhabited by many different civilizations and was a particularly important site during the Ionian period.
Kuşadası (Bird Island), is set in a superb gulf on the west coast of Turkey. It is known for its turquoise sparkling water, wide sandy beaches and modern marina. The very beautiful ancient city of Ephesus stood on the site of Kuşadası.
Kuşadası attracts those people who like to spend their holiday doing all sorts of activities such as horse riding, driving into the mountains, walking in the countryside, playing in swimming pools and aqua parks, going scuba diving along the rocky coasts or joining the daily boat trips or Blue Voyage.
It is possible to find various sandy or rocky beaches all around the town of Kuşadası. Some of them are private beach clubs where you have to pay an entrance fee to use the facilities and some are free public beaches.
The very small Pigeon Island (Güvercin Adası) is a few hundred metres from the mainland and connected by a walkway.
The Apollo temple of Didyma (the Didymaion) is located within the boundaries of the Yenihisar (Didim) district which is in the province of Aydın.