Turkish Town Is Doorway to Past

The town of Ephesus is one of the world’s most beautiful archeological sites, one made even more fascinating when you realize that only about 35% of it has been uncovered.

The hordes of visitors to Ephesus are Kusadasi’s reason for thriving; the little seaside town has grown tremendously in recent years. It offers a good selection of hotels, restaurants and shops for those visiting Ephesus 12 miles away.

Getting here: Fly British Airways, Pan Am, Lufthansa, KLM or SAS to Istanbul, then Turkish Airways to Izmir. From there it is a two-hour drive to Kusadasi.

How long/how much? You can cover Kusadasi in less than a day, not counting beach or shopping time. But allow at least another full day for the visit to Ephesus and Selcuk, the latter with a magnificent archeological museum. Lodging costs run from moderate to inexpensive for B&Bs.;

A few fast facts: Turkey’s lira recently sold for about 1,934 to the dollar. Midsummer temperatures are in the 80s, but sea breezes keep things comfortable. Still, April-May and September-October are cooler and less crowded. Do not drink tap water and be cautious of fresh salads.

Getting settled in: Best location in town is the Club Caravanseraii (main square; $77 double, half-pension), built as a camel-stop oasis and fortress by an Ottoman grand visier in 1618. It still looks the part, with its rustic, sand-colored walls and battlements surrounding a courtyard filled with flowering trees, palms, oleanders and a handsome fountain.

Bedrooms capture the Moorish feeling with stark white walls, hand-woven fabrics, Turkish rugs and working fireplaces. Even the furniture and light fixtures blend perfectly with the desert decor.

Kismet (on the bayfront; $88 B&B; double) is a cool and inviting place on its own small promontory facing the town. Bedrooms are large and neat, and all have balconies overlooking the sea. There’s a spacious garden, a pool beside the sea, plus private pier and tennis court.

Fantasia (just outside town; $99 double) is less than a year old and has five pools inside and out, tennis courts, sauna and Turkish bath and a lobby with a lake.

At the other end of the price scale are the Hotel Lancaster (Bahar Sokak; $20 B&B; double) and lots of pensions at about $9 double.

Regional food and drink: Kusadasi is seafood and sheep country, so expect the best of the first and plenty of kebabs. Adana kebabs (spicy meatballs grilled on skewers) are a local specialty, as is icli kofte (more meatballs with walnuts and cracked wheat inside).

In addition to local fish, you’ll find prawns, octopus, cuttlefish (large squid) and mussels.

Raki is a national drink, an anise-flavored liquor similar to Greece’s ouzo. Choose among Efes, Tekel and Tuborg beers.

Good local dining: Mustafa’s Inn (Bahar Sokak) on a narrow street just off the bazaar is a small Turkish garden restaurant within rustic walls under a huge mulberry tree. The chef’s forte is the doner kebab, about $2 per serving. Everything about Mustafa’s place is Turkish to the core, from carpets on the walls to taped traditional music.

Sultan Han restaurant (same street, a block down) has the decor of an old Turkish rural home, which it has been for 200 years. There’s a small bar as you enter, tables inside or on the patio, a grill outside for barbecuing lamb kebabs and fresh fish. Prices are about the same as at Mustaffa’s, but the selection of dishes is much greater.

Kazim Usta (on the harbor) has tables six feet from the boats bringing in fish, which is the house specialty. Dishes are posted on a board and also include a few meats. Next door is Restaurant Toros, with the same decor and food choices.

On your own: Of all the ruins of antiquity you’re likely to see in a lifetime, those of Ephesus will surely leave the most lasting impressions. Magnify the Forum in Rome several times, add another two or three civilizations and you have some idea of its scope and importance.

Don’t miss the town of Selcuk and its archeological museum. It has a rich lode of statues, artifacts, mosaics and frescoes recovered in and around Ephesus, all displayed beautifully in a handsome building.

Sultankoy Handicrafts Center, near Selcuk, will give you an insight into traditional Turkish crafts, including carpet making.

For more information: Call the Turkish Consulate General, Office of the Culture & Information Attache at (212) 687-2194, or write (821 United Nations Plaza, New York 10017) for a brochure on Turkey’s Aegean-Mediterranean coast, a map of the country and a travel guide with hotel listings. Ask for the Kusadasi package.