The best time to tour the Aegean is probably in May, when the countryside is still swathed in spring flowers and the more popular tourist destinations have not become too crowded (Bodrum in particular can become very hot and crowded during July and August). During the summer several of the towns along the coast host open-air concerts and plays, the most famous of which are held in the old Greek theater at Ephesus. Although the fall is also a good time to travel, most of the countryside is parched rather than carpeted with flowers.

The legacies of the Greeks, Romans, Ottomans, and numerous other civilizations have made Turkey a vast outdoor museum. The most spectacular of the reconstructed classical sites are along the Aegean Coast, stretching from the northern border with Greece south to Bodrum. The treasures include the 3,000-year-old ruins of Troy, made famous by the poet Homer; the ruins of the fabled city of Pergamum, on its windswept hilltop; and the magnificent temples, colonnaded streets, and theater in Ephesus. The Aegean Coast also lures travelers with long stretches of magnificent sandy beaches. Its pine-clad hills are punctuated by old port villages -- Foça, Çesme, Kusadasi, Bodrum -- some reincarnated as modern resorts with sophisticated facilities for travelers.

In the 2nd century AD, the Greek travel writer Pausanias wrote glowingly of the Aegean Coast, lauding its climate and magnificent buildings. Not all the wonders Pausanias mentioned are visible today, but enough are left to give you a good idea of what life was like when this part of the world could fairly have been called the center of the universe.

Weather Chart

The following are the normal daily temperature ranges for the Aegean Coast:

January 36-49°F (2-9°C); February 36-50°F (2-10°C); March 38-56°F (3-13°C); April 45-67°F (7-19°C); May 54-74°F (12-23°C); June 59-83°F (15-28°C); July 63-88°F (17-31°C); August 63-88°F (17-31°C); September 58-81°F (14-27°C); October 52-72°F (11-22°C); November 47-63°F (8-17°C); December 40-52°F (4-11°C).