Sunshine, sandy beaches, seaside cafes and souvenir shops, complemented by a king's ransom of hands-on history, combine to make the city of Kusadasi, Turkey, an ideal vacation destination.

Located on the Aegean coast, laid-back Kusadasi is the perfect base for exploring the region's ruins, including the ancient Roman city of Ephesus. Comfortable accommodations are plentiful, and most organize trips to Efes, as Ephesus is locally known.

This being Turkey, "organize" might mean the hotel proprietor asks a few guests when they want to head to the ruins, then piles everybody in his car and ferries them over. Of course, more official tours are also available. But when in Rome...