Turkey's Aegean coast is a magnet for holidaymakers with superb beaches and sites of antiquity that bear witness to more than 4000 years of civilization. In summer, holiday resorts like Marmaris, Kuşadası, Bodrum, and Fethiye fill with millions of sun and beach lovers. For the history buff, this region is a paradise with as most famous archaeological site Ephesus, the ancient capital of Roman Asia Minor. But there are also the breathtaking hilltop ruins of Pergamum (Bergama), the ancient ports of Kaunos, Priene and Miletus and the sanctuary of Didyma. More inland, there is the magical landscape of Pamukkale and the excavations at Aphrodisias.
And then, there is Izmir, Turkey's third-largest city (population in 2014 almost 3 million) a busy Western metropolis with a charming bazaar and seafront promenade.
Wherever you go in this region, you will be confronted with the Greek influence. Before the great population exchange of the early 20th century, many of the towns were inhabited by Greeks and the echoes of their presence can still be found in places like Ayvalik, Şirince, and Kayaköy.
Places in Aegean Region
