Safe to do Kusadasi (Ephesus) ship tour at this time?

Any thoughts on safety of Ephesus tour early Oct. considering the uneasy climate right now?

Kusadasi is above all a tourist town. Thousands of Europeans vacation there annually. Is there something in particular you are uneasy about? As far as I know there has been nothing to suggest Kusadasi or the vicinity is unsafe.

We visited Ephesus (and Kusadasi) twice this summer on two different cruises. We were impressed with the history of Ephesus, and would have been very disappointed to miss it.

 

Kusadasi is a very modern city, situated on the coast and we felt perfectly safe there.

 

Ricki

Any thoughts on safety of Ephesus tour early Oct. considering the uneasy climate right now?

 

Murder rate in US; 4.7 per 100,000 people.

Murder rate in Turkey; 2.6 per 100,000 people

Murder rate in Illinois: 5.8 per 100,000 people.

(Murder rate in the UK: 1 per 100,000 people.)

 

You're far safer is Kusadasi than most US cities and towns, quite frankly.

A place dedicated to tourists and extremely safe.

Have I missed something, what's happened in Kusadasi?

Have I missed something, what's happened in Kusadasi?

 

Nothing. Some of my fellow Americans don't travel much.

We posted this recently but will do it again to try and help the OP. Our DD (and here BF) recently (2 weeks ago) returned from a 10 day trip to Turkey. We had urged them (for several years) to visit Turkey and they finally made the trip taking advantage of the Labor Day Holiday here in the US. DD went all over Turkey (they were on their own) including places like Istanbul, Kusadasi, Bodrum, and Capadocia. She has told us it was their most fabulous vacation "Ever" and these two have extensive travel experience.

 

DW and I have also spend our share of time in Turkey and have visited Kusadasi 4 times (including two overnight stays). We have walked everywhere, used rental cars, the local van/buses, tours, etc. We really enjoy Turkey and especially enjoy interacting with the Turks who have always been friendly, sometimes a bit overbearing, entrepreneurial to an extreme (we find this to be fun), etc. As to Kusadasi, we think this is probably one of the safest places in the entire region. It is a well developed tourist area (with resorts) that welcomes more then 1,000 cruise ships a year, many land tours, and lots of vacationers from all over the world. Kusadasi has also become a bit too westernized (which probably makes many tourists feel more comfortable) so we actually like to use our rental car to get to places far away from all our fellow tourists (like the city of Tire).

 

Hank

Many thanks to all of you for your time, input and encouragement. It seems that our protective family may have overdone their concerns for these senior travelers a bit. Another of our stops which they were concerned about is La Goulette (Tunis) but I see that someone else posted a similar question on that.

 

BTW Charles4515, although these recently retired Americans are new to CC, we are not new to travel. We haven't been to this region before ...however been busy since retirement with 11 cruises (So. America, Alaska, Australia, Hawaii, New Zealand, The Baltic, etc. etc.) between 7/2011 and Now our 12th one in a few days. Coupled with numerous other trips all over US, Canada, Mexico and some of the Island vacation spots I'll bet in many households that might qualify as "travels much".

Many thanks to all of you for your time, input and encouragement. It seems that our protective family may have overdone their concerns for these senior travelers a bit. Another of our stops which they were concerned about is La Goulette (Tunis) but I see that someone else posted a similar question on that.

 

 

 

BTW Charles4515, although these recently retired Americans are new to CC, we are not new to travel. We haven't been to this region before ...however been busy since retirement with 11 cruises (So. America, Alaska, Australia, Hawaii, New Zealand, The Baltic, etc. etc.) between 7/2011 and Now our 12th one in a few days. Coupled with numerous other trips all over US, Canada, Mexico and some of the Island vacation spots I'll bet in many households that might qualify as "travels much".

 

 

This port is actually safer than many of the ports in the Caribbean that we go to without even thinking about it. Nassau for example.

 

All that said the situation could change at any port. The cruise lines will take any port that becomes unsafe off of the itinerary. I booked a sailing that had Egypt. That port was taken off the booked itinerary because of events there. If something changes at Ephesus that makes it unsafe the ship won't call there. That is one of the benefits of cruises.

Whether you have travelled "much" is a relative term to say the least. Charles4515: that was a very diplomatic response.

 

Travelling much to me is at least going on your own without a tour or cruise. We have done "much" of that, but I still feel we are not travellers compared to those who go to very out of the way places, without booking ahead. We have done that in Europe and would not hesitate to do so in Turkey. We could have done this for our upcoming Indochina trip but it is more efficient use of time to plan ahead.

Since it appears that you are thinking of a ship excursion to Ephesus, and you posted on the Rome board regarding some mobility issues, I thought I should point out that Ephesus has some tough walking. It is a very hilly site. Generally you are let out at the top and make your way down the hill (a signifcant decline) to the bottom. There are few places to sit.

 

The Terrace Houses are a wonderful part of Ephesus site that generally aren't included in ship tours (only on private tours), however they involve a LOT of stairs both up and down.

Many thanks to all of you for your time, input and encouragement. It seems that our protective family may have overdone their concerns for these senior travelers a bit. Another of our stops which they were concerned about is La Goulette (Tunis) but I see that someone else posted a similar question on that.

 

BTW Charles4515, although these recently retired Americans are new to CC, we are not new to travel. We haven't been to this region before ...however been busy since retirement with 11 cruises (So. America, Alaska, Australia, Hawaii, New Zealand, The Baltic, etc. etc.) between 7/2011 and Now our 12th one in a few days. Coupled with numerous other trips all over US, Canada, Mexico and some of the Island vacation spots I'll bet in many households that might qualify as "travels much".

 

Wow! What a wonderful way to enjoy your retirement, cruises and traveling. :)

 

Turkey is a beautiful country and you will find it safe in that region.

If your worries are related to the problems with ISIS, Kusadasi is not near Syria where the ISIS terrorists are located. IMHO, we will be there later this month and we're not worried.

 

<<<Karen>>>

Many thanks to all of you for your time, input and encouragement. It seems that our protective family may have overdone their concerns for these senior travelers a bit. Another of our stops which they were concerned about is La Goulette (Tunis) but I see that someone else posted a similar question on that.

 

BTW Charles4515, although these recently retired Americans are new to CC, we are not new to travel. We haven't been to this region before ...however been busy since retirement with 11 cruises (So. America, Alaska, Australia, Hawaii, New Zealand, The Baltic, etc. etc.) between 7/2011 and Now our 12th one in a few days. Coupled with numerous other trips all over US, Canada, Mexico and some of the Island vacation spots I'll bet in many households that might qualify as "travels much".

 

I just read your post about Rome that cruisemom42 has referenced.

 

You posted: "Hubby has bad knees and uses a cane. Standing in one spot for long, walking long distances and lots of stairs are out of the question."

 

I advise against doing an Ephesus tour with the mobility issues you describe.

Edited September 14, 2014 by Charles4515

I advise against doing an Ephesus tour with the mobility issues you describe.

With a private tour, they could possibly just visit the lower part of the site, by going in through the north gate (the way most people go out). They'll have a pretty good view of the Great Theater without climbing up into it, and there are usually some costume shows at that end of the road. And from there they can see how much they want to go up into the rest of the site. Maybe as far as the Library?

 

And of course there is plenty of souvenir shopping at the entrance/exit.

 

I don't know if that would be better than nothing, or too frustrating to be worth the price.

Since I visited Ephesus I have had two hip replacements and a knee replacement. As much as I loved Ephesus I don't think I would attmpt it now. There are plenty of taxis available in Kusadasi port. I think I would negotiate a price and visit the Virgin Mary house and maybe something else with easier walking.

 

 

It's not that far and a taxi won't cost much. I have been there a couple of times by taxi, but can't remember how much it was.

JUst back today from 4 weeks in Turkey. Ephesus has walkways and the downhill walk is quite easy. Our group had several with canes , bad knees and walking sticks and they all had no problems. The catwalks for the terrace houses were the more difficult areas.

 

Turkey is friendly-just do it.

We were just in Kusadasi in June. I thought it was a lovely area which was very clean and modern. I would not be concerned about Kusadasi at all. It is basically a resort area.

 

I thought Ephesus was very tiring. It is a long walk if you go from entrance to exit. Listen to some of the others who recommend going in and out one exit.

 

We used a private tour company. You might want to think about this if you have mobility issues.