Simple seaside pleasures – a waterfront promenade, open-air cafés and some gorgeous beaches – are the focus of life in the resort town of Kuşadası. This modern port is the gateway to Ephesus, one of the great cities of antiquity, which lies just 10 miles inland. Founded by the Ionian Greeks, Ephesus flourished as a provincial capital of Imperial Rome. Wandering around its agoras, baths, libraries and mosaic-adorned houses is an experience you’ll never forget. Although Ephesians were forced to abandon their city, Byzantine and Ottoman sites in the nearby town of Selçuk illustrate the unstoppable march of history in this corner of Asia Minor. Back in Kuşadası, pull up a chair in a çay bahçesi (tea garden) on the water's edge in the evening, or join the party along Bar Street.