Güzelçamli is a small village on the west coast of Turkey. From the beach you can see the Greek island of Samos. The village has not yet been overrun by Western tourists and most of the holidaymakers you will encounter are Turkish; many of whom have a holiday home in the area.

If you are a first time visitor to Turkey then you might be in for a bit of a shock. The coast between Kuşadası, which is situated 20 kilometres north of Güzelçamli, and Güzelçamli itself has been completely ruined by over-development. However, if you ignore the ugly concrete blocks this part of Turkey is really quite amazing and certainly worth visiting.

The village of Güzelçamli itself is situated 1km north of the stunningly beautiful Milli National Park. To the east are olive groves and mountains; to the west, the sea.

Places of Interest

Although Güzelçamli may, at first sight, appear to be off the beaten track, the village is surprisingly accessible by public transport. There are even long distance buses to and from Istanbul and Ankara.

Some of the places of interest that are within easy reach of Güzelçamli include:

• Antiquities:
  

  • Ephesus
  • Didima (pictured above)
  • Priene
  • Milete
  • Herakleia

• Other places of interest:
  

  • Zeus' cave
  • Pamukale
  • Mariahuis
  • Millipark
  • Bavameer
  • Celcuk museum
  • Traditional markets

• Good public transport connections to various cities:
  

  • Istanbul (direct)
  • Ankara (direct)
  • Bodrum
  • Kuşadası, (direct)
  • Soke (direct)
  • Izmir
  • Milas
  • Selcuk
  • Aydin
  • Samos (Greece)
  • Tire
  • Sirince

Places to Stay

There are several 'bed and breakfasts' and hotels to choose from in and around Güzelçamli, but the family-run Afacan Pension - where a room will cost from €7.25 and a three course evening meal will cost about €7 - is particularly recommended for authenticity.