Kusadasi and Iraklion

Kusadasi is just a big market place with the most aggressive merchants we ever encountered anywhere. A lot of shopping but it can be stressful.

Ephesus is about 30 minutes or so away. There is a city bus that will take you there and back and, I think, there are a bunch of private guides at the entrance. Given the size and complexity of the site, a guide is very useful. We actually booked a private tour that met us at the dock. I think it was well worth it.

No experience with Irtaklion

Thank you for the information. Was your Ephesus guide good? Would you recommend him/her? How much was the charge?

Ingrid

You can walk easily from the port to Iraklion town.

There's a local bus - bus no 2 - from Iraklion to Knossos. You can catch it at Bus Station A, which is between the ferry dock and the old harbour. It's just before the Arsenali if you are coming from the ferry dock.

My memory is the bus took about 20 minutes to Knossos, but I picked it up further along its route. You'll need to add another 10 or so minutes to account for it wending through the centre if you are starting at the bus station.

From the ferry you can walk past the bus station and cut up the stairs under the hotel Lato and then bear right to get to the centre, or walk past the Arsenali and turn left up 25 Augustou.

Alan

If you're on a cruise, Kusadasi will be crazy. The merchants treat you differently when the ships are in port. Ten years ago when I first went there, we took a ferry over from Samos and stayed a couple of nights. When the ships pulled out, the town changed completely. We were able to shop without being hassled. For Ephesus, find a guide. I've traveled overseas more than a dozen times, and Ephesus is by far my favorite site.

Thank you all for the replies to my questions.