When Freya Stark traveled along the western coast of Turkey in 1952 she met only one other tourist; today, this region is the most popular in the country. Wandering beyond the boundaries of travel, Stark entered into the soul of ancient Ionia, examining the ever-present tensions between East and West and the elements of religion, society, and commerce that forged the culture of a civilization. Ionia is travel writing at its most elegant and history at its most dynamic--a powerful and beautifully-rendered classic of twentieth century literature.