Ephesus - from kusadasi or Izmir?

[Ceabea]

Hi, we are off on our 2 week aegean cruise on 13th aug and have noticed i can do Ephesus from 2 ports, one on each week - the full day one is only available from kusadasi and the half day one from Izmir or Kusadasi.... as far as i can tell the full day one includes lunch and a visit to the temple of Artemis and the Isabey mosque, which the half day doesnt. Now I would like to see the temple of artemis and am favouring the full day excursion from Kusadasi however I have now seen some of you saying Izmir is not a great port.

 

My question is: Is Kusadasi a better place to stay around the port, and so would it be better to do Ephesus on the second week from Izmir instead?

 

also any other advice for things to do 'local' in the ports much appreciated :) our stops are Kalamata, Piraeus, Kusadasi, Didem, Aghios Nikolaos, Marmaris, Istanbul (2 days) Izmir, Mykonos Town, Rhodes Town

 

we fancy a more relaxing cruise than we have done in the past with only a few excursions (max 2 per week), and trying to visit the actual ports and local beaches as much as we can as well as use the ships facilities to the max as our 12 yr old loves being on board and having some freedom to enjoy time with his friends - so if Kusadasi will be better for this than Izmir I may have to rethink! thank you for any advice you can give :) on any of the 'must see's'

[Ceabea]

replies from Numpties only please :D ;)

[kruzseeka]

Hmmm..... well if you really want to see the Temple then you'd have to do the trip from Kusadasi but personally I'd do Ephesus from Izmir and spend the day in/around Kusadasi. You can catch the Dolmus just outside the port gates to Ladies Beach a couple of miles up the coast (good for getting in the water, decent beach furniture available and plenty of cafes along the promenade) and frankly Kusadasi is a nicer place to wander around than Izmir imo.

 

Ag Nik is a pretty port with an attractive inner harbour and cafe culture - you can walk around the waterfront to the left of the port to a beach in a little cove but it's a stony beach. But if you haven't been there before it's a pleasant place to just hang out.

 

Mykonos and rhodes are great 'walk off' destinations - very different but both very interesting, loads of character and not necessary to do excursions. I'm not sure about the beaches in the vicinity of the ports though - perhaps someone else can help with that.

 

From Marmaris you can get a Dolmus (pink or orange stripe) to Icmeler which is a good place for a day at the beach. The bus stop is across the road from Attaturk's statue. Icmeler has a narrow strip of beach but good sand and beach furniture belonging to the hotels which are separated from the beach by a new promenade. The hotels offer drinks service on 'their' strip of beach. It's very geared to tourists but if you were looking for a beachy day this might be a possibility.

 

Not sure what to suggest at Piraeus - it's not the most attractive ports imo but you might consider doing the HoHo bus from the port into Athens. There is the Zea Marina in Piraeus but I'm not sure there's much there that would appeal to your 12 year old. We like Athens and enjoy just going to the Acropolis area hanging around the Plaka district but don't know if that would be of interest. The Acropolis is very interesting though.

 

Didim has quite a wide expanse of beach and is a clean place with some cafes etc but it's not a very touristy place. OK for a stroll.

 

Istanbul I'd definitely just do your own thing - it's easy to get into the tourist area from the port and as you're there for two days you can take it at a leisurely pace. The Bazaar, Spice Market and Cisterns may interest your youngster. The Topkapi Palace is perhaps one of the highlights as a tourist attraction - it's quite pricey and they charge extra to get into the Harem but that is the best bit so worth doing. I'd recommend going there first thing though before all the groups arrive as you can see everything so much better whilst it's quiet.

 

Hope you enjoy your trip.:)

[Ceabea]

thanks :D we may do Athens from Piraeus, we had originally said no as there was still quite a bit of unrest and call me over cautious but I wasn't happy taking my son into a city where they could be safety issues however this seems to have calmed. On changeover day in Marmaris I want to do the turtle beach and Dalyan river trip. I just hope we see some turtles :p

 

as for what Thomas would enjoy.....we are quite happy to take turns going ashore and seeing things independently if its something the boy wont be interested in or give lots of attitude about - he is 12 but omg he's been in 'teen' mode for the last 2 years and sometimes its just not worth spoiling the day with an argument! There has to be some compromise as its his holiday too and he needs to enjoy it as much as possible, but I have spent some excursions having to poke him in the back and give him a Paddington hard stare every few steps just to make him follow the guide (Erice was a memorable one!!!) and really a holiday is too short to fall out - any trip that involves food is always a good choice as he has hollow legs and he actually stops whining when his mouth is full! (I love him really :D)

[Ceabea]

actually - if we do Athens on day 4 fro Piraeus, Turtle beach on day 8 from Marmaris and Ephesus on day 12 from Izmir that would space the more organised trips out nicely and the other ports sound perfect for a wander for an hour or 2 doing our own thing (and keeping rhe boy happy). Looking forward to Didem, have always found the smaller places to be some of my fave stops, like Calvi and Villefranche on the med :) sounds like we can swim there, which is good! (well good for me and the hubs - boy doesnt like swimming any more - he's too cool for getting wet......)

[kruzseeka]

actually - if we do Athens on day 4 fro Piraeus, Turtle beach on day 8 from Marmaris and Ephesus on day 12 from Izmir that would space the more organised trips out nicely and the other ports sound perfect for a wander for an hour or 2 doing our own thing (and keeping rhe boy happy). Looking forward to Didem, have always found the smaller places to be some of my fave stops, like Calvi and Villefranche on the med :) sounds like we can swim there, which is good! (well good for me and the hubs - boy doesnt like swimming any more - he's too cool for getting wet......)

 

 

Sounds like a plan! But just to clarify a little, Didim is ok but nothing like Villefranche or Calvi which we find charming, pretty, full of character and amongst our favourite Med ports. It's main feature is a broad sweep of beach. We didn't find it very inspiring really - don't want to spoil your anticipation of this port of call but you will be a bit disappointed I think if you were hoping it might be in the same league as those two. Anyway, hope you have a great time - also your son.:)

[kruzseeka]

thanks :D we may do Athens from Piraeus, we had originally said no as there was still quite a bit of unrest and call me over cautious but I wasn't happy taking my son into a city where they could be safety issues however this seems to have calmed.

 

I should have said that we were in Athens towards the end of May not long after we had seen the scenes of unrest there - and you just would not have known. We drove past Syntagma Sqare (in front of the Parliament building where the demonstrations occurred) on our Thomson transfer coach and it was functioning normally - lots of people around and no sign of previous issues. We took particular note as I had some residual concerns but it just looked like any busy city square with ordinary people walking around going about their business. (Of course this doesn't mean that trouble can't brew up again - but no reason to worry on the back of our observations.)

 

We love the area around the Acropolis (the Parthenon, the Agora, New Museum and Plaka which is the old part with atmosphere, character and tavernas) and these are all very close together and although not far from Syntagma Sq you have no need to venture into that quarter at all as if you go by Metro you get off the train a couple of stops before Syntagma Sq. The Thomson transfer drops you opposite Hadrian's Arch and it's a short walk to the Eastern end of the boulevard which skirts the south of the Acropolis - no need to venture into Syntagma. The HoHo also has a drop off here (they sold tickets at our pick-up point so it may even be the start/end of the route) so again you wouldn't be at the hot spot in terms of trouble. So whichever way you approach getting into Athens I think you would be well away from the site of previous demonstrations.

 

We'd been to Athens four times before we even bothered walking towards the Parliament area - there is so much to see in a very discrete area around the Acropolis so my guess would be you wouldn't even know if there were demonstratons going on there - although I do understand your caution in terms of your own and particularly, your son's welfare. You can alway quiz Destination Services close to arrival to see if they have heard of any problems.

 

(Kalamata is a new one on me so can't help with that one.)

 

Anyway - have a wonderful time - I hope you enjoy the itinerary as much as we did. :)

[DebsLpool]

While in Aghios Nicholaos why not catch the local bus, bus stop on the harbour, to Elounda. This is a lovely little resort and you can go on a boat to the island of Spinalonga, the former leper colony, your son may the idea of this. After looking around Elounda, maybe having lunch at one of the great tavernas, you would still have plenty of time for looking around Ag Nic.

[Ceabea]

I shall look into that, thank you Debs :)

[Ceabea]

I should have said that we were in Athens towards the end of May not long after we had seen the scenes of unrest there - and you just would not have known. We drove past Syntagma Sqare (in front of the Parliament building where the demonstrations occurred) on our Thomson transfer coach and it was functioning normally - lots of people around and no sign of previous issues. We took particular note as I had some residual concerns but it just looked like any busy city square with ordinary people walking around going about their business. (Of course this doesn't mean that trouble can't brew up again - but no reason to worry on the back of our observations.)

 

We love the area around the Acropolis (the Parthenon, the Agora, New Museum and Plaka which is the old part with atmosphere, character and tavernas) and these are all very close together and although not far from Syntagma Sq you have no need to venture into that quarter at all as if you go by Metro you get off the train a couple of stops before Syntagma Sq. The Thomson transfer drops you opposite Hadrian's Arch and it's a short walk to the Eastern end of the boulevard which skirts the south of the Acropolis - no need to venture into Syntagma. The HoHo also has a drop off here (they sold tickets at our pick-up point so it may even be the start/end of the route) so again you wouldn't be at the hot spot in terms of trouble. So whichever way you approach getting into Athens I think you would be well away from the site of previous demonstrations.

 

We'd been to Athens four times before we even bothered walking towards the Parliament area - there is so much to see in a very discrete area around the Acropolis so my guess would be you wouldn't even know if there were demonstratons going on there - although I do understand your caution in terms of your own and particularly, your son's welfare. You can alway quiz Destination Services close to arrival to see if they have heard of any problems.

 

(Kalamata is a new one on me so can't help with that one.)

 

Anyway - have a wonderful time - I hope you enjoy the itinerary as much as we did. :)

 

thanks for that, we have decided to definitely go into Athens at and around the Acropolis. Thomas seems quite keen on this idea too so win win!

 

Im lost with this cruise as i have never been to greece or turkey before, and really dont know that much about it, so all new to me!

[kruzseeka]

thanks for that, we have decided to definitely go into Athens at and around the Acropolis. Thomas seems quite keen on this idea too so win win!

 

Im lost with this cruise as i have never been to greece or turkey before, and really dont know that much about it, so all new to me!

 

I think you will find it really interesting then. We hadn't been to either before we started doing cruises but have been to some of the most gorgeous places in both Greece and Turkey. And to follow up on Debs suggestion of going to Spinalonga from Ag Nik, there is a boat trip available from the harbour just next to where you berth which goes to Spinalonga too. You don't get to see Elounda if you do it that way but may be it's something which you could consider too - but just check carefully the return time fits into the ship's departure - we've been a few times and on one occasion the boat trip arrivd back at the same time as the ship was due to sail! :eek:

[ladychic]

We are heading onto the ship the following week 20th Aug if your there for 2 weeks, and we have a grumpy 13 year old son who is also struggling with the teenage transfer and puberty. Might be able to share some notes :) :)

[Ceabea]

yes we will be there that week too :) must get them together then they can be grumpy and uncooperative together LOL he is too old for kids club at 13 BUT they can go in if theres not too many already in there at the staffs discretion - but the staff are not responsible for them in any way so they HAVE to behave, there was a 13 yr old did that on Destiny last aug - its a great way for to make friends and the 13/14 yr olds sometimes struggle otherwise I think - teen extreme is a bit old for them - Tom either loves kids club or hates it, depends on how many kids are on board I think - but as long as he makes at least ONE friend he's happy. This will be his last time of being officially allowed in!