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Tire is 60 kilometers away from Kusadasi
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New York Times article about Kusadasi in 1966New York Times had an article about Kusadasi on November 06, 1966 By ANNE LAMBTON.
I truly enjoyed reading about it. It is so funny to hear there is hardly to see someone. It is totaly different than how it is today. Writer says Kusadasi is awating an Immenent Discovery: KUSADASI BEFORE TOURISM ARRIVES; Turkish Village on the Aegean Coast Is Awaiting Imminent 'Discovery' KUSADASI, Turkey The Aegean coast of Turkey is one of the few remaining corners of Europe little known by tourists. It is possible to spend an entire day in this wild, unspoiled countryside without seeing another living soul, except perhaps a shepherd tending his flock, or boys fishing off the rocky coast in a boat. The below pictures will also show you the big change: Istanbul Walking Tour Highlights: Church of Santa Maria Draperi, Church of St. Anthony and Church of Saint Esprit.There are around 35,000 Catholics in Turkey. Majority live in Istanbul. During our walking tours of Istanbul for the ones who are interested we visit some of the active Roman Catholic churches of Istanbul.: Church of St. Mary Draperis An active Roman Catholic Church located at Istiklal Avenue. Current building was built in 1769. During the 19th century Church of St. Mary Draperis became one of the most prestigious Catholic Churches in the city of Istanbul. The church is still run by reformed Franciscan Friars who offer daily masses in Italian and mass in Spanish every Sunday. In the main altar of the church visitors can notice the icon of the Virgin Mary from 16th century from the house of Clara Maria Draperis which the church was named after her. Clara Maria Draperis donated her house with a tiny chapel to Franciscan Friars of Constantinapolis in the 16th century. Church of St. Anthony Largest active Roman Catholic Church of Istanbul. The original church was built in 1725 by the local Italian catholic community of Istanbul, but was later demolished and replaced with the current building which was constructed on the same location. The current church of St. Anthony, along with its adjacent buildings on Istiklal Avenue, was built in 1906 in the Venetian Neo-Gothic style. Pope Giovanni XXIII, preached in this church for 10 years, when he was the Vatican's Ambassador to Turkey before being elected as Pope. He is known in Turkey with the nickname "The Turkish Pope" because of his fluent Turkish and his often expressed love for Turkey and the city of Istanbul. Cathedral of Saint Esprit Also known as the Cathedral of Holy Spirit. In 1846 built by the famous architect brothers Giuseppe and Gaspard Fossati who built Russian Colsulate, Dutch consulate and restored Hagia Sophia. Today It is one of the principal active Catholic Churches of Istanbul. It is the second largest Roman Catholic church in the city after St. Anthony at the Istiklal Avenue. Built in Baroque style. St. Esprit has been a destination of several papal visits to Turkey, including those of Pope Paul VI, Pope John Paul II, and Pope Benedict XVI. A statue of Pope Benedict XV stands in the courtyard of the cathedral. Giuseppe Donizetti, a musician at the court of Ottoman Sultan Mahmud II, is buried in the vaults of the church. Giuseppe Donizetti who started to be called Donizetti Pasha later played a significant role in the introduction of European music to the Ottoman military. Apart from the training of the European-style military bands of Ottoman`s modern army, he taught music at the palace to the members of the Ottoman royal family. Donizetti Pasha is believed to have composed the first national anthem of the Ottoman Empire, supported the annual Italian opera season in Pera, organised concerts and operatic performances to famous visitors visiting Istanbul. We organize walking tours of Istanbul and stop at these fascinating churches of Istanbul. Let us take you to the above Roman Catholic Churches of Istanbul. For more information please contact us.
Lonely Planet`s listing for Spice Market and Hagia SophiaLonely Planet has now listed the Mısır Çarşısı (Spice Market) as number five on its Best Fresh Food Markets List. And just last July the Hagia Sophia made it on to the same organization’s list of the Ten Most Beautiful Buildings in the World. Lonely Planet`s list for Ten Most Beautiful Buildings of the World: 1. Guggenheim Museum in Bilboa, Spain 2. Potala Palace, Tibet 3. Library of Alexandria, Egypt 4. Sagrada Família, Spain 5. Taj Mahal, India 6. Imam Mosque, Iran 7. Winter Palace, Russia 8. Crac de Chevalliers, Syria 9. Church of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul 10. Museum of Oscar Niemeyer, Brazil To see two of the above mentioned places Spice Market and Chucrh of Hagia Sophia contact us for your personalised private tour program. Birgi is located at western part of Turkey. A town founded on the slopes of Mt. Bozdag.
Istanbul Walking Tour Highlight: MV SavaronaDuring the walking tours of Istanbul, if requested we also do a 1.5 hours cruise on the Bosphorus. One of the highlights during this cruise is MV Savarona. Savorona is a luxury yacht. She was the largest in the world in 1931, having a length of 136 meters. Savarona is the name of an African swan living in the Indian Ocean. The ship was designed in USA for Emily Roebling Cadwallader, the grand daughter of the architect (John Roebling) who build Brooklyn Bridge. Built in Hamburg and costed US$4 million. Due to high taxes by US government. Ms. Robeling decided to sell the yacht. In 1938, Turkish Government purchased the yacht for the founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. Ataturk spent only 6 weeks before he passed away few months later. After Ataturk's death, the Savarona passed to the Turkish Naval Authorities and used as a training ship. In 1989, the yacht was rented by Mr. Kahraman Sadikoglu for 49 years. After restorations the boat is available for charters. During the Bsphorus cruises, guests may see this Istanbul highlight moored by the shores of Bosphorus. Bosphorus cruise is a must to do in Istanbul if you have time. For suggested tour programs of Istanbul please click here. Istanbul Walking Tour Highlight: Istiklal Street, BeyogluOne of the symbols of Istanbul is the red nostalgic trams running in Istiklal Street that take you to the days of 19th century Istanbul. Almost everyone who comes to Istanbul enjoy a walk at Istiklal Steet. It is one of the most crowded streets of the world. People enjoy walking, wandering, browsing the stores and having a snack at a nearby restaurant.
I enjoy organizing walking tours of Istanbul that would take you through back streets of Istiklal Street and Beyoglu area. For a private walking tour of Istanbul contact us. Overnight Trip to Akyaka from Kusadasi
kyaka not only has natural beauties but beautiful architecture.There are great works of wooden houses which are pioneered by Nail Cakirhan the famous architect. Today there is a construction code in Akyaka which makes Akyaka a spectacular location. We truly enjoyed walking through the streets of Akyaka and vieving the examples of Nail Cakirhan architecture.
Akyaka is located at the end of Gokova Gulf, by the fertile lands of Gökova plain. Once driving down the hill to Akyaka, you will have the spectacular views of the gulf of Gokova and the plain, approximately 20 minutes after Mugla city center at Sakar Pass. This area is also favorite by paragliders. Right by the town center there is a protected forest area which provides camping opportunities in the summer times. We enjoyed great walks with great views. There is a small restaurant by the Aegean sea which is run by the local association we enjoyed great lunches here. No dinners because there is not much light here at night. They do not serve any dinners in the off season time. We assume Akyaka becoming so crowded in the summer times. There are numerous boutique hotels to stay. We stayed in Portofino Hotel which is 2 minutes walking distance to town center. If you enjoy quiteness our recommendation is to go to Akyaka in April, May, October or November. You may enjoy renting a bike and cycling through the forests and Azmak stream. In the summertime there are boat tours through the Azmak and there are also boat trips to nearby bays for swimming. What a great location! Azmak stream and bamboos reminded us our Dalyan visit which was 2 years ago.
We recommend staying in Akyaka. In the summertime there are more opportunities to have more activities. There are so many beaches in the area, that you may enjoy swimming in the clear waters of the Aegean. For us one overnight was enough. We had 2 great days. We relaxed a lot.
Below we wanted to share some pictures of our trip. If you have any questions about Akyaka and how to go there, please do not hesitate to e-mail us. Trip from Kusadasi to DalyanThis week with my wife Ezgi we spent two wonderful days in Dalyan. It takes 3.5 hours one way from Kusadasi to Dalyan driving through Aydin City Center, Cine, Gokova Bay, Koycegiz... Dalyan is a unique site. You do not really feel like being in Turkey but somewhere in Amazons. Breathtaking king tombs of Royal Lycian Kings carved into rocky hills. Dalyan houses the ancient Lycian city of Kaunos. Today Dalyan is a popular tourist town but not spoiled unlike many others like Kusadasi. You may enjoy great walks by the lake. It is located between two popular resort towns Marmaris and Fethiye. Nearby Iztuzu beach is a protected area for caretta caretta turtles (loggerhead sea turtle). Turtles are the symbols for Dalyan. With the river boats it is possible to see the turtles. On the way to Iztuzu beach your river boat will meander through bushes and 4th century BC Lycian King tombs. Recommended for travellers: - Lunch by one of the riverside restaurants. The area is known with blue crabs. - Visit the ancient city of Kaunos. From town center there are shared river boats which will take you to the ancient city of Kaunos. - Visit Iztuzu beach. Enjoy a great swim at the clear waters of this beach. Watchout turtle eggs and crabs. - There is a mud bath opportunity but I do not really recommend it. It is stinky. It is the same mud thousands of people go in. Recommended Hotel to Stay in Dalyan: We stayed in BC Spa Hotel in Dalyan. We made our hotel booking throughbooking.com. We truely enjoyed our stay in BC Spa Hotel which is in walking distance to Dalyan town center. Right outside the hotel there is a beautiful walking track where we enjoyed a walk at knight by the Koycegiz river. We recommend BC Spa Hotel for travellers.
Make sure you add Dalyan stop during your tour to Turkey. This is a must see site. For more information, hotel recommendations and transport enquiries please do not hesitate contact me
Below please find some pictures of our trip to Dalyan:
Istanbul Walking Tour Highlight: GalataToday with my wife. We had a walk through Galata neighbourhood on our own. Once again we were impressed with the beauty of 19th century NeoBaroque and NeoRenaissance style buildings. Once the richest in Istanbul lived. Noble Greeks, Jews, Armenians and Turks lived together happily. Each building has an individual story. Unfortunately so many of them are not in good condition. Some are turned into trendy cafes, restaurants and designer stores. First settlement to Galata is made by Genoese trade colonies representing Republic of Genoa in 1273 during the Byzantine Era of the city. The Genoese built the famous Galata tower in 1348. After the city, conquered by the Ottomans, Latin and Catholic population continued living in the neighbourhood. Greeks and Jews started moving to the area. In the 19th century Galata and Karakoy became major business center. Gatala became a finance center with its bankers and stock exchange. Karakoy harbor was one of the busiest harbors of Europe. There are 3 theories regarding the origin of Galata word. According to Italian historians the word is derived from Calata meaning downward slope. According to Greek Historians, the word is derived from Galaktos meaning milk. There is a possibility that the area might be used by the ancient shepherds in the ancient times. According to the last theory Celtic tribe, Galatians may have camped here in the Hellenistic period. The nearby Grand Rue de Pera (today known as Istiklal Avenue) became a shopping center second only to the Grand Bazaar. An entertainment center with its cafes, theaters, bars, restaurants and pastry shops. Galata had a cosmopolitan population. Mainly French, but also almost all other European languages were spoken there. Italians , Germans, French, British, Armenians, Greeks, Jews, Hungarians, Poles and Russians had their own communities. Each community had its own places of worship, not only based on its religion but also based on its different sects. Therefore, many churches and synagouges of different groups were located close to each other. There were quite many Muslim structures at Galata such as Galata Mevlevi Convent, Arab Mosque, Asmali Mosque, and Aga Mosque. There were many foreign schools in Galata. French, British, Italians, Germans and Austrians opened high schools in Galata. All these schools are still running. The rich and noble muslim families also send their children to these schools. Most of the Ottoman and Turkish scholars were educated in these schools. Below please find some of the must see highlights of the area. During your visit to Istanbul make sure you see these sites besides the historical highlights like Topkapi Palace, Blue Mosque, St. Sophia, Grand Bazaar... Let us organize you a private walking tour of Istanbul. Galata Tower Original name is Christea Turris, meaning Tower of Christ. Built by the Genoese in 1348. Galata Tower was the tallest building in the city at that time. Used as an observation tower for spotting fires. According to the legend in the 17th century an Ottoman genius Hazarfen Ahmet Celebi flew from this tower with artificial wings over the Bosphorus. Today the tower is running as a night club with Turkish Belly Dance shows. It is possible to see great views of Istanbul from the top balcony. There is an elevator. The cost to take this elevator is 10 Turkish Liras. Bereketzade Mosque First mosque built in Istanbul in 1453 right after the conquest of the city. Named after Bereketzade Ali Efendi who is assigned as the governor of Galata by the Ottoman Sultan Mehmet the Conquorer. In the premises there is a small cemetery. Camondo Stairs Donated by the wealthy Sephardic Jewish banker Abraham Camondo in 1785. Built in baroque style for his children to easily climb the hill from the Banker Street up to the fashionable 19th century neighbourhoods. Banker Street at that time was named after Camondo Family as Rue de Camondo. Camondo family at that time was among the wealthiest in the city. Abraham Salomon Camondo founded Ottoman Imperial Bank in Karakoy. Unfortunately there is no descendants left from this famous family. Abraham Salomon Camondo died in Paris at the age of 88 and buried at Haskoy, Istanbul. His last descendants were deported and murdered in Auschwitz Concentration Camps during WW2. British Seamen Hospital It was built by a British artchitect as a quarantine hospital for British sailors during the Crimean War. Looks like a fort and having a tower which can be noticed in a far distance. Today runing by the Turkish government as an Eye Hospital. Serdar-i Ekrem Street The busiest, liveliest and the most popular street in Galata. Has many fancy designer boutiques, vintage shops, cafes, jewelry stores... Named after a pasha of Ottoman Empire who has an Austrian origin, served as an high ranking officer for Ottoman State in the 19th century. Famous Dogan Apartment (built 1895) is also located in this street. Many Turkish celebrities live here. The u shape building has breathtaking views of Istanbul. Crimea Memorial Church Built in 1858 in the memory of British soldiers who had participated in the Crimean War. All the stones are supplied from the island of Malta. It is the largest active protestant chuch in Istanbul. Weekly mass services on sundays are provided in this magnificent neo-gothic structure. Hollywood movies that are filmed in IstanbulThere are quite many Hollywood movies that are filmed in Istanbul. Especially Istanbul was scened in 3 major Hollywood films in 2012. We recommend watching these before coming to Istanbul. In our walking tours of Istanbul we will take you to the areas that are scened in the following movies: FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE - 1963 From Russia with Love is the second spy film in the James Bond series, and the second to star Sean Connery as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. In the film, James Bond is sent to assist in the defection of Soviet consulate clerk Tatiana Romanova in Istanbul. TOPKAPI - 1964 Elizabeth Lipp (Melina Mercouri) visits Istanbul. In Topkapi Palace, she was fascinated by Topkapi dagger. She plans to steal the original dagger from Topkapi Palace in Istanbul. The World is not enough -1999 The nineteenth spy film in the James Bond series, and the third to star Pierce Brosnan as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. The film's plot revolves around the assassination of billionaire Sir Robert King by the terrorist Renard and Bond's subsequent assignment to protect King's daughter, Elektra, who had previously been held for ransom by Renard. During his assignment, Bond unravels a scheme to increase petroleum prices by triggering a nuclear meltdown in the waters of Istanbul.. Taken 2 - 2012 After the events in Paris in Taken, relatives of the criminals whom Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson) killed while searching for his daughter,start searching for Bryan Mills (an CIA agent) Bryan`s ex wife having relationship problems with her new husband. Bryan suggests that Kim (daughter) and ex-wife to join him in Istanbul after he has finished a work assignment there. Argo -2012 Militants storm the U.S. embassy in Tehran on November 4, 1979. More than 50 of the embassy staff are taken as hostages, but six escape and hide in the home of the Canadian ambassador. With the escapees' situation kept secret, the US State Department begins to explore options for "exfiltrating" them from Iran. Tony Mendez (Ben Affleck), a CIA specialist is assigned to abduct them from Tehran. He meets a CIA agent at Istanbul's Hagia Sophia before going to Iran. Skyfall - 2012 Skyfall is the twenty-third James Bond film. In Istanbul, MI6 agents James Bond and Eve chase a mercenary, Patrice, who has stolen a computer hard drive containing details of undercover agents placed in terrorist organisations by NATO states. Salep is a Traditional Turkish Hot Drink
Ataturk`s speech in 1927Ataturk, the founder and the first president of Republic of Turkey had a speech adressing to the citizens of United States of America in 1927. This speech is made to intoduce the new born country and the new image of Turkey as being a democratic country. In 1967 on the 25th commemoration day of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, President Kennedy made a speech about Ataturk. Describing about Ataturk, his approach to the democtractic system of United States of America. Bollywood movies filmed in Ephesus and KusadasiTurkey is becoming popular for Indian filmmakers. One of the main reasons that Indian filmmakers are so excited about Turkey is because it has several new things to offer to the Indian audience, besides of-course the ease of shooting at the locations. Vaada Raha (2009) and Pehli Dafa (2017) are the only two Bollywood movies which some parts of the movies are filmed in Kusadasi and Ancient City of Ephesus.
Vaada Raha... I Promise was filmed in 2009. Some parts of the film was shot in Ephesus, Kusadasi and Istanbul. For Indian travellers and travellers who enjoy Bollywood movies, we recommend you to watch Vaada Raha. Pehli Dafa Shooting Locations : Pehli Dafa Soundtrack was filmed in Alacati Town Center, Alacati Windmills, Theater of Ephesus and Celsus Library in Ephesus Other bollywood movies that are filmed in other parts of Turkey:
We offer private tours of Ephesus and Pamukkale for travelers from India. Let us take you to the destinations where Vaada Raha, Pehli Dafa and Ajab Prem Ki Gajab Kahan movies are filmed. For more information about our private tours of Ephesus and Pamukkale please contact us. Below please find a video of one of our guests from India about their travel experience in Ephesus. Kusadasi town has been attracting cruise ships since 1950s. Due to the prximity to the ancient city of Ephesus. A lot of cruise ships prefer to call to the Port of Kusadasi. Cruise ships has a major impact in the growth of Kusadasi. In 1950s Kusadasi was a small, agricultural town having couple of thousand inhabitants. Today we are talking almost 1000 cruise ship calls with thousands of tourists. For you to see the diffrence below please take a look at the below photos. Both of themare taken at the parking area of Kusadasi Port. One was taken in 1956 and the other was taken in 2011. Pictures talk
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Ephesus Travel Guideby TransBalkan Tours is a fully licenced tour operator since 1963 and a member of TURSAB. Ephesus Tour from Kusadasi Port
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Ephesus Travel Guide by TransBalkan Tours is a fully licenced tour operator and a member of TURSAB. License: A 776.