Kusadasi or Thessaloniki?

In Kusadasi the beach is part of every day. The sand starts at the edge of town and a dolmuş runs along the coast, so you can swim before lunch and be back in the harbour by evening. The catch is the crowds: the town beaches are resort strips of sunbeds and hotels that fill up in high summer, and the quieter, clearer water of the Dilek Peninsula coves, half an hour south, gets busy at weekends.

Thessaloniki works the other way round. Nobody swims off the city waterfront, and the suburban beaches a bus ride away are shallow and ordinary. The Kassandra coves in Halkidiki are some of the finest in Greece, but they are an hour's drive away, so a swim takes a car and a whole day, or a move out of the city.

Thessaloniki is a destination for eating, and Kusadasi is not. In Thessaloniki the cooking shows Ottoman, Sephardic and Anatolian roots: spiced soutzoukakia, long tsipouro tables at the ouzeri, bougatsa in the morning and working markets at Kapani and Modiano with tavernas between the stalls.

Kusadasi serves good Aegean meze, grilled fish and olive-oil dishes, but you have to look for them in Kaleiçi and the locals' lokantas. Much of the resort strip falls back on international menus and hotel buffets.

Thessaloniki is far ahead. It has fifteen UNESCO-listed early Christian and Byzantine monuments, with the Rotunda's mosaics and the crypt of Agios Dimitrios among them. Add the Arch of Galerius, two major museums and the Ottoman lanes and walls of Ano Poli. The sights are spread through a largely modern centre rather than gathered in one old town.

Kusadasi's town sights take an hour or two: the fortress on Pigeon Island, the Ottoman caravanserai and a few old lanes in Kaleiçi. Its history is at the sites inland, not in the streets.

Thessaloniki's large student population gives it a nightlife that starts late, fills Ladadika, Valaoritou and the Bit Bazaar square, and stays busy even on weeknights outside summer. The crowd is local and casual.

In Kusadasi, going out means Bar Street's pubs, karaoke and dance bars, plus the open-air clubs near Long Beach in July and August. It is loud and lively in season, mostly young package travellers, and much quieter for the rest of the year.

Both have good outdoors within reach, but the landscapes differ. Kusadasi's is coastal. The Dilek Peninsula has a canyon walk, wild horses and water clear enough for diving, and the granite Latmos mountains above Lake Bafa offer rocky hikes.

Thessaloniki looks to the mountains. The Seich Sou pine forest is right behind the old town, Mount Olympus and the Enipeas gorge are an hour and a half away, and in winter you can ski at Kaimaktsalan and Seli.

Kusadasi has the edge, mainly because Ephesus is twenty minutes away and reachable by dolmuş. Selçuk, Şirince and the House of the Virgin Mary are close by, and Priene, Miletus and Didyma fit into one day down the coast. In summer there is also the ferry to Samos.

Thessaloniki's day trips are just as rich in history. The royal tombs at Vergina, Pella's mosaics and Dion below Olympus are outstanding, but they are spread further apart and a hire car makes the circuit much easier.

Kusadasi is the easier choice with children. The town beaches have sand and a gentle entry into the water, resort hotels have kids' clubs and pools, and two water parks are on the edge of town. Ephesus in the summer heat is hard going for small children, and there are no attractions made for them beyond the water.

Thessaloniki offers the playgrounds on the seafront promenade, the Noesis science centre and a small zoo. Narrow, car-blocked pavements and heavy traffic make it tiring, which is why many families stay in Halkidiki instead.

Thessaloniki is easier to get around. Most sights sit on a flat strip near the waterfront, within half an hour's walk of each other, and a metro line, buses and plentiful taxis cover the rest. Only Ano Poli means a real climb.

Kusadasi's harbour and bazaar are compact but hilly, and many hotels are strung along the coast road away from the centre. Dolmuş minibuses handle the beaches and Selçuk, but the southern sites and the national park are much easier by car or on a tour.

Thessaloniki is the more relaxed place to shop. Tsimiski has a proper high street, small independent shops are scattered around Ladadika, and the markets sell spices, cheeses and tsipouro to take home.

Kusadasi's shopping is aimed at cruise passengers, with leather, carpets, jewellery and imitation designer goods sold with a persistent pitch and expected bargaining. Its weekly market, with olive oil, dried figs and textiles at local prices, is the better visit.

Both are good value, but you save in different places. Thessaloniki is priced for students and locals, so tavernas, street snacks, museums and nights out all cost little, and car hire for day trips is the main extra.

In Kusadasi the savings come from packages, all-inclusive hotels, dolmuş fares and local lokantas. Harbour-front dining and beach clubs charge tourist rates, and entry fees for Ephesus and the other sites add up over several outings.

Thessaloniki has a real cultural calendar. The State Orchestra plays at the waterfront concert hall, the National Theatre of Northern Greece runs seasons in Greek, and summer brings open-air concerts. The best evenings for a visitor are often rebetiko and laika played late in the tavernas.

Kusadasi has no theatre, opera or concert season. Its live entertainment is Turkish-night dinner shows, cover bands in the bars and the occasional summer concert.

Kusadasi is better for pampering. A historic hammam stands in Kaleiçi, and the larger resorts offer scrubs and foam massages alongside their spas, even if these are polished versions of the tradition. The quiet coves and hotels outside town are restful in May, June and September.

Thessaloniki's Ottoman baths, such as the Bey Hamam, are monuments rather than working baths, and the nearest springs are the simple pools at Lagadas. Its calm comes from long iced coffees on the seafront and the evening walk along the water.