Turkish Meander
On the Aegean coast close to Ephesus including excursions to classical sites
7 nights from £544
Before coming under the Ottoman Empire, the west coast of Asia Minor was a major centre of classical civilizations:
the Greek Ionian League of 12 cities founded about 1000 BC included Ephesus, Priene and Miletus; the rich King Croesus of Lydia established a capital at Sardis near Izmir which was later overtaken by the Persians; Alexander the Great drove out
the Persians and re-establishedHellenistic influence until the Romans took control, establishing Ephesus as their chief Aegean port. Kusadasi is a well-placed resort on the coast close to Ephesus, Priene, Miletus and Didyma. Our word ‘meander’ derives from the S-shaped bends of the nearby River Menderes (translated as Meander), which leads inland towards Hierapolis and Pamukkale.
