Making port in the coastal resort town of Kusadasi, travelers are greeted by a castle on Pigeon Island surrounded by lush green trees, connected to the mainland by a causeway.
The real jewel here is Ephesus — a UNESCO-listed, 4,000-year-old city considered the best-preserved classical city of the eastern Mediterranean, with only 20% of its ruins excavated so far.
Things to explore:
This archaeological zone still buzzes with activity as scientists continue to unearth its secrets — walking among active excavations makes it hard not to get swept up in history.