Kusadasi is a resort town on Turkey's Aegean coast and the center of the seaside district of the same name within Aydın Province. Kuşadası is 95 km (59 mi) south of İzmir, and 71 km (44 mi) from Aydın. The municipality's primary industry is tourism. A jumping-off point for visiting the classical ruins at nearby Ephesus (or Efes), it’s also a major cruise ship destination. Its seafront promenade, marina, and harbor are lined with hotels and restaurants.
The area has been a centre of art and culture since some of the earliest recorded history, and has been settled by many civilizations since being founded by the Leleges people in 3000 BC. Later settlers include the Aeolians in the 11th century BC and Ionians in the 9th. Originally, seamen and traders built a number of settlements along the coastline, including Neopolis.

Some of the most prominent sights include: the city walls (there were once three gates with one still standing today), the Kaleiçi Mosque and the Öküz Mehmed Pasha Caravanserai (both built in 1618) and the Pigeon Island (Güvercin Adası) a peninsula island at the end of the bay, featuring a castle and swimming beaches.