Things to Do in Efeler: 5 Places to Visit

Places to Visit in Efeler

• 1 Historic
• 1 Ancient City
• 1 Religious
• 1 Attraction
• 1 Other

1 🏺 Ancient City

Tralleis Ancient City

An ancient city within the boundaries of Efeler district. It is the place where the Seikilos Epitaph, the oldest known complete musical composition, was discovered.

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i Photo: CeeGee (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Source

2 📸 Attraction

Aydın Museum

Founded in 1959, Aydın Museum displays archaeological finds from the ancient cities of the region. Its collection includes statues, sarcophagi and ceramics brought from Aphrodisias, Miletus and Priene.

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3 🕌 Religious

Ramazanpaşa Mosque

Commissioned by Ramazan Paşa in 1594, the mosque is the most important example of classical Ottoman architecture in Aydın. It stands out for its single dome and calligraphic decoration.

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4 🏛️ Historic

Aydın Bazaar (Historic Bazaar)

A historic bazaar dating from the Ottoman period, it is the commercial centre of Aydın, with shops selling traditional crafts and local products. The khans and hammams within the bazaar bear traces of Ottoman trading culture.

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5 📍 Other

Atatürk City Square

A city square in Efeler.

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While you are in Efeler, you can also see the highlights of Aydın province. These places are in other districts.

• Aphrodisias Ancient City — The city of Aphrodite in the Geyre neighbourhood of Karacasu; from the 1st to the 5th century AD it was one of the art centres of the Roman world thanks to its sculpture school.
• Aphrodisias Stadium — The best-preserved and most magnificent building in the city, and the best-preserved of all the ancient stadiums in the Aegean Region; it hosted athletic competitions for a long time.
• Didyma Temple of Apollo — Together with Delphi, Didyma in Didim was the most famous oracle centre of the Hellenic world.
• Miletus (Miletos) — An Ionian port city near the village of Balat in Didim, the home of Thales, Anaximander and Anaximenes and the birthplace of Hippodamus, the inventor of the grid city plan.
• Priene — An Ionian city built in terraces on the steep slope of Mount Mykale (Dilek) in the Güllübahçe neighbourhood of Söke; it is known as the first and most important city to apply the Hippodamian grid plan.
• Nysa — A city built on both sides of a stream valley in Sultanhisar; the geographer Strabo studied here.

Practical Information for Visiting Efeler

Suggested time

1-2 days

Best time to visit

Spring and autumn

Places to visit

5 places

• 🥗

  Aydın Piyazı (bean salad)

  Aydın piyazı, prepared with dried beans, onion, parsley and tahini, is the best-known flavour of the city. Unlike piyaz in other regions, it uses plenty of tahini.

• 🥩

  Çine Köftesi (Çine meatballs)

  Çine köftesi, made from finely minced meat kneaded with spices and grilled, is the most loved meat dish of Aydın cuisine.

• 🍲

  Keşkek (wheat and meat porridge)

  Made by boiling and pounding cracked wheat and meat for a long time, keşkek is the traditional dish of weddings and festivals in Aydın. It is on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list.

• 🌻

  Kabak Çiçeği Dolması (stuffed courgette flowers)

  Prepared by filling courgette flowers with a rice filling and cooking them. This dish, one of the elegant flavours of Aegean cuisine, is made with fresh flowers in the summer months.

Culture, Local Products and Economy of Efeler

• 🏛️

  Aydınoğulları Principality Heritage

  In the 14th century, Aydın was the centre of the Aydınoğulları Principality. The mosques, madrasas and khans from this period are important examples of the city's Turkish-Islamic architecture.

• 💃

  Zeybek Culture

  The zeybek, the emblematic folk dance of the Aegean Region, is performed at weddings and festivals in Aydın. Zeybek, with its slow and dignified movements symbolising manliness and heroism, is part of the region's cultural identity.

Local Products

• Aydın Fig — Aydın accounts for a significant share of world fig production. Aydın figs, grown in the Büyük Menderes Plain, are world-famous for their sweetness and soft texture.
• Olive Oil — Olive oil obtained from olives grown in Aydın's Aegean climate is known for its low acidity and fruity aroma. Memecik and Gemlik varieties are widely grown in the area.
• Chestnut — Chestnuts are cultivated in the mountainous parts of Aydın. Gathered especially in the autumn months, chestnuts are eaten fresh or as chestnut sugar.

Economy

Efeler district is the central district of Aydın and the administrative, commercial and educational centre of the province. Figs, olives, cotton and citrus fruits are grown in the Büyük Menderes Plain. Adnan Menderes University of Aydın contributes to the educational and economic life of the city. Industry, trade and agriculture-based industry are the main economic activities.

How to Get to Efeler

Aydın is reached by road, 120 km from İzmir and 130 km from Denizli. It is connected by the Aydın-Denizli motorway and the İzmir-Aydın motorway. The nearest airport is İzmir Adnan Menderes Airport (100 km). There is a rail connection.

Get directions on Google Maps Getting to Aydın

Efeler: Frequently Asked Questions

Continue Your Trip

• 🍽️ What to Eat in Efeler Famous dishes and local products →
• 🗺️ Things to Do in Aydın The province's 18 best places and all its districts →

Other Districts of Aydın

• Bozdoğan 5 places Bozdoğan Castle, Turgut Waterfall and Mount Madran
• Buharkent 4 places Buharkent Hot Springs, Büyük Menderes Valley and Geothermal Greenhouses
• Çine 5 places Alabanda Ancient City, Gerga Ancient City and Çine Stream Valley
• Didim 7 places Temple of Apollo (Didyma), Altınkum Beach and Didyma Ancient City
• Germencik 5 places Alangüllü Hot Springs, Büyük Menderes Plain and Magnesia ad Maeandrum Ancient City
• İncirliova 3 places İncirliova Fig Orchards, Amyzon Ancient City and Büyük Menderes Plain
• Karacasu 4 places Afrodisias Ancient City, Afrodisias Museum and Mount Baba
• Karpuzlu 2 places Alinda Ancient City and Amyzon Ancient City
• Koçarlı 8 places Adnan Menderes Democracy Museum, Koçarlı Canyon and Koçarlı Olive Groves
• Köşk 3 places Köşk Hot Springs, View of the Büyük Menderes Plain and Köşk Olive Groves
• Kuşadası 7 places Dilek Peninsula–Büyük Menderes Delta National Park, Güvercinada Castle and Caravanserai (Öküz Mehmet Paşa Caravanserai)
• Kuyucak 4 places Keçeciler Village, Kuyucak Plateaus and Antiokheia Ad Maendrum Ancient City
• Nazilli 5 places Nazilli Sümerbank Printed Fabric Factory, Mastavra Ancient City and Beşparmak Mountains
• Söke 4 places Priene Ancient City, Miletos Ancient City and Büyük Menderes Delta
• Sultanhisar 9 places Nysa Ancient City, Nysa Tüneli and Sultanhisar Zeytinlikleri
• Yenipazar 5 places Yenipazar Bazaar, Yenipazar Plateaus and Yenipazar Olive Groves