Planning a trip to Turkey?

Interested in history and ancient architecture? Are you looking for an interesting day excursion combined with a history and culture experience?
Get an insight into the history of Turkey and walk through an open archaeological site of temples, ancient streets, enormous buildings, and amphitheatres?
Ephesus is an ancient city rich in Greek and Roman history, close to Kusadasi in Western Turkey.
It’s also the site of one of the 7 ancient wonders of the world. An ideal day trip from the commercialism of Turkey’s resort locations.

Ephesus History
Ephesus is an ancient Greek city that was founded on the coast of the Aegean Sea during the 10th century BC. It was founded by Attic and Ionian colonists on the former site of the Arzawan capital.

The Romans gained control of Ephesus in 129 BC, at which time the city began to flourish. Estimates place the population of the city at around 50,000 souls during its peak under Roman rule. Under the Romans, many prominent features were constructed which we can still visit today.
The Romans rebuilt the Temple of Artemis, which was subsequently destroyed and rebuilt. Today, relatively little remains of the temple. There are some ruins, however, that visitors can see that remain even after the temple was destroyed by the Goths.

The Ephesus Amphitheatre is another impressive site that still remains mostly intact. This open-air theatre could hold 25,000 spectators and was used for drama and gladiatorial combat. As a result of the gladiators, a graveyard nearby that was discovered in 2007 contains the remains of many who perished in the battles held there. The Romans also built the Temple of Hadrian, The Library of Celsus, many bath complexes, sawmills and aqueduct systems.
The ruins of all of these ancient structures are still in place for you to enjoy.

Celsus Library – Roman structure in Ephesus built in memory of the Tiberius Julius Celsus Polemaeanus of Rome by hi son, Gaius Julius Aquila.

From 1304 to 1425, Ephesus was part of the Ottoman Empire. Although the city was dying out with the loss of its seaport due to sediment, another worthwhile feature was built during this time.

The Isa Bey Mosque was built from 1374 to 1375 and remains standing to this day. This is another fantastic building in Ephesus you won’t want to miss.
Christianity played a large role in the history of Ephesus, and there are several significant sites remaining that people of all faiths will enjoy seeing firsthand. The apostle Paul was said to live in Ephesus for two years, where he was active in the community of Jewish Christians, and was said to have written 1 Corinthians while imprisoned in the tower near the harbour there. John, one of the chief apostles, was also said to have written the Gospel of John in Ephesus from the years 90 to 100 AD. It is also widely believed that the Virgin Mary spent the last years of her life in Ephesus.

The House of the Virgin Mary still stands here, and is a popular pilgrimage destination for Catholics, and has even been visited by three popes. The Church of Mary is another important site in Ephesus, with some pillars remaining standing to this day.
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Other important sites in the Ephesus area are The Gate of Augustus, the Basilica of St. John and the Tomb of John the Apostle, The Odeon, The Temple of the Sebastoi, and the Tomb/Fountain of Pollio. This is by no means a complete list of all the sites in Ephesus, but only the main ones. There is a complete list of the sites in and around Ephesus at the end of this article. There are several tours available that can help you to see the best of Ephesus in the most efficient way possible if you so choose.

The Mithridates and Mazeus Gate – A gift to the emperor Caesar Augustus, next to the Celsus library in Ephesus Turkey Selcuk.

One mile from the site of Ephesus is the modern city of Selcuk, Turkey. The population is around 35,000 people and the economy caters to tourism, so finding a good hotel or quality restaurant is always very easy. Selcuk has an awesome historical feature that you’ll want to see as well. It’s called the Grand Fortress of Selcuk. This massive fortress sits atop a hill north of St. John’s Church, with massive rock walls built during the Byzantine and Ottoman periods. It’s a beautiful sight to behold, and it’s impressive to see that the outer walls are almost completely intact. No trip to the Ephesus area would be complete without visiting the Grand Fortress.

Ephesus Archaeological Museum
While most of the ancient city of Ephesus is now just rubble and ruins, there are a large number of artifacts that have been discovered in the area. But where are they? If you’re not a person who enjoys crowds, photo ops, the sun, and other tourists, you probably want to avoid the ruins anyway, so skip the ruins and head straight over to the Ephesus Archaeological Museum. It has an extensive collection of very well-preserved artifacts that help you to imagine a time when Ephesus was a glorious and vibrant city, plus it’s all in the shade. Here’s what you’ll find inside:

Sculptures
There is an entire room dedicated to sculptures found on the sites of the Fountains of Pollio and Trajan. Full bodies, torsos, heads, and busts are all displayed, many dating back to the time before Christ. The workmanship and quality that went into these sculptures are simply amazing, and you’ll feel how old these sculptures are in your bones. You’ll be grateful and amazed.

In another room, more sculptures are displayed from different locations. In this room, all of the sculptures were found in the Terrace Houses, or slope houses of Ephesus, where the rich citizens were known to have lived. The sculptures from the Terrace Houses are preserved much better than the ones from the fountains, so you can really enjoy the fine stonework and detail. There are busts here of many famous Romans, like the Emperor Marcus Aurelius and Socrates. The details in the stone like the hair, beards, and folds of cloth are simply breathtaking.

Ephesus Archaeological Complex with Terrace Houses
Coins
During the excavation of the ruins at the ancient site of Ephesus, archaeologists discovered a lot of money. Most of it is now displayed in this museum for you to enjoy. Since the city was so old, there were coins made from wood, stone, and of course metal for the more modern coins. It’s interesting to see all of the different money that found its way to one ancient city.

Religious Artifacts
As an important city for Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, it’s no surprise that many religious artifacts were uncovered during the excavations. At the museum you can see small cutouts of the Virgin with Jesus, the Apostles, and ancient crucifixes and other religious designs.

Pottery
Over the years of excavation among the ruins, archaeologists have discovered a treasure trove of ancient pottery. Jars, jugs, vases, cups, and cooking utensils have all been discovered totally intact. They are displayed here after being painstakingly restored to make sure they will be preserved for future generations. Colorful, patterned pottery and primitive crude glass items are just some of the items you’ll enjoy examining here.

The Courtyard
A large central outdoor courtyard is where the museum displays the larger items. Full-size sculptures are presented complete with bases, and large sections of ancient columns are displayed on top of modern stands for your inspection. In the center is an old Roman style bath and an ancient crypt from an Ephesus graveyard.

Carvings
Another separate room is dedicated to a relatively forgotten part of Turkish history. This room is dedicated to Cybele, who was the mother goddess of an ancient kingdom called Phrygia. Cybele was the only goddess known to the Phrygians and displays a unique monotheistic vision with a female goddess. In this room at the museum are several beautifully crafted carvings portraying the mother goddess in all her glory.

Artifacts from the Temple of Artemis
The Temple of Artemis was one of the most important structures in the Roman Empire, so it’s no surprise that archaeologists found a treasure trove of artifacts at that particular site. Many of these are jewelry made from pure gold with amazing detail and craftsmanship. Rings, earrings, pendants, and bracelets are just some of the beautiful items displayed. The Temple of Artemis was considered one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.

There’s little left here but you can imagine the sheer size and power of the temple just by standing in the location and looking around.


Statues of Artemis
Artemis of Ephesus. Two almost fully intact statues of the goddess Artemis are displayed in this room, facing each other for dramatic effect. Artemis was the daughter of Leto and Zeus and was the goddess of wilderness and fertility. These statues clearly reflect that, with many wild animals decorating her clothes, like lions, bulls, goats, and leopards. For fertility, Artemis has bull testicles covering her chest, which were an ancient symbol of Asian potency. Once again, the level of preservation, the craftsmanship, and the level of detail in the stonework are not to be missed. These statues are definitely priceless.


Ephesus was under Roman rule for a very long time, so it’s natural that stonework glorifying Roman emperors is quite common in the area. The last room at the museum is called the Imperial Cult, and is dedicated to statues of Roman leaders. There are heads, carvings, statues, and busts of many Roman emperors, all made with exquisite ancient craftsmanship. There are also many pieces from broken sarcophagi and crypts with more beautiful carvings. Beautiful presentation and lighting really make the details stand out.
With so many sites to choose from, you can probably visit a few and be done with the ruins. What you don’t want to miss is this museum. The quantity and quality of artifacts here gives you an excellent idea of the culture and history of Ephesus that you just won’t find in the ruins. Make sure you visit the Ephesus Archaeological Museum when you’re in the area.
When You Should GoPlanning a good trip can be difficult, but one thing to consider is the weather. Ephesus is in an area that gets cold in the winter and hot in the summer, so you don’t want to explore the ruins during those times. The best months to visit Ephesus are April and May, and also October and November. During those four months, the weather in Ephesus is neither too hot nor too cold, so you’ll be sure to enjoy your trip!
How Long You Should Plan on StayingIn order to experience and see most of the attractions in Ephesus, most visitors stay two or three nights. If you really want to make sure to see everything, just plan on hanging around for a week so you can take your time and soak it in.
With tons to see and world-class Turkish cuisine, you probably won’t be in a hurry to leave Ephesus anyway! The worst thing you can do is cut your trip short, so allow yourself plenty of time to see the things you want.
Visiting EphesusEphesus, Turkey is a truly unique place to visit on Earth and one of the best places to visit near Kusadasi. It has a long and colorful history both politically and religiously, which makes it a very important city in the history of mankind. The Christian, Jewish, and Muslim faiths all have roots in this ancient place, and many make pilgrimages to the region each year.
There are many different ruin sites to visit in the area, so before you go be sure to do your research. Pick out the ones you want to see and be sure to visit the Ephesus Archaeological Museum to see all of the ancient artifacts. On your next trip to Europe or Kusadasi, make sure you schedule a nice long stop at Ephesus, Turkey.

Entrance to the Celsus Library in EphesusHow to get from Selcuk to EphesusThe archeological site of Ephesus is 3.4km from the centre of Selcuk. Minibuses are plentiful and take less than 5 minutes to transport you to the entrance. You shouldn’t have to wait any longer than 25 minutes to get a minibus to the site.
You can also use a Taxi service to bring you from anywhere in Selcuk to Ephesus.
Renting a car is a great idea and gives you a lot of flexibility.
How to get from Kusadasi to Ephesus
Taxi should cost around €12 to get from the centre of Kusadasi and on to the site of Ephesus, without passing through Selcuk.

If you want to enjoy the ruins at your own pace and not worry about missing schedules, rent a car. This will give you the flexibility to take in some other sites along the way..\

Try Localrent Cars for the good offers in Turkey.

Buses leave Kusadasi from the Kusadasi bus station and drop passengers at Selcuk, where you can grab a Minibus/Dolmus or walk to Ephesus.

Many tour groups also provide direct transport to the site so check with them if you plan to do a tour. Check the Ephesus Day Tours from Kusadasi guide below

How to get from Izmir Airport to Ephesus
There are many ways to do this trip but the least stressful and easiest to manage is to pre-order a car transfer from Welcome Pickups. 
Welcome Pickups employs only professional and experienced English-speaking drivers. Drivers keep an eye on flights for any changes in arrival time and adjust accordingly so you never miss them.
If your plans change, you can cancel up to 24 hours before your scheduled arrival time and receive a full refund.

Complete List of Archaeological Sites in Ancient Ephesus

Magnesian Gate Scholastica Baths, Early Christian Basilica, St. Luke’s Grave, Temple of Isis,
Hydrekdocheion Theatre, Gymnasium, Temenos Prytaneion, Domitian Square, Temple of Domitian
Fountain of Trajan, Terrace Houses, East Gymnasium, Temple of Hadrian, Latrines, Octagon, Brothel,
Heroon, Bath of Varius, State Agora, Basilica, Odeon, Hadrian’s Gate, Celsus Library, Gate of Mazeus Commercial Agora, Temple of Serapis, Marble Road, Hercules Gate, Curetes Street, Theatre, Arcadian Street, Harbour, Gymnasium, Harbour Baths, The Double Churches, Stadium Vedius Gymnasium, Fountain of Pollio Memmius Monument, Hellenistic City Wall

Temple of Artemis
House of Virgin Mary
Basilica of St. John
Ephesus Museum
Isa Bey Mosque
Seven Sleepers
Sirince Village


Ephesus Day Tours from Kusadasi
It’s not difficult to find a tour guide for Ephesus when you arrive in Kusadasi. In fact, you won’t be able to avoid seeing advertisements for Ephesus tours. This is big business. Between one and two million people visit Ephesus every year. It hosts the site of one of the original Seven Wonders of the Ancient World and many people come for the allure of visiting such a high-profile site, even if the Temple of Artemis is merely a pillar these days.
If you haven’t been to these wonderful ancient ruins and you have a free day in Kusadasi, make sure to get up early, grab your sunglasses and sun hat, and take a trip to 6,000 years of history, within an hour of the town.

As with any place that attracts millions of tourists, the vast majority of whom are not locals, there are scams and rip-offs. Prices vary wildly, quality control is non-existent, and some tours actually bring you through shopping centres nearby as a way to extract more tourist dollars. But the tours that continue to do good business are the ones that provide quality service and maintain good standing amongst the thousands of visitors to Ephesus every day. One tour group stands out for us and offers a nonsense-free, economical, and well-paced tour of this once-in-a-lifetime tourist site.

No Frills Ephesus Tours -  has been operating as a specialist in Ephesus Tours for 14 years now.

Run by an Australian-Turkish couple, Fodor’s Guide described the service as mid-range priced tours focusing on the sites while avoiding tourist-fleecing shops. It’s hard not to find this recommendation alone a compelling reason to try this company.

No Frills’ clients range from independent travellers to cruise ship customers from all over the globe. Customers are mainly native English speakers although they also offer private tours in other languages including French, Spanish, Italian, and German.
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The experienced guides understand that Ephesus is often a ‘bucket list’ adventure for most people so quality time and not being rushed at the sites is important. The company’s customers seek us out because, according to Chris, one of the owners, the tours focus on the historical and cultural aspects of Ephesus and its surroundings without the hassle of shopping stops.

Chris also believes that removing the (very lucrative) shopping distractions enables their guides to develop a rapport with the customers as they can focus fully on their job as a tourist guide, not a salesperson.
Ephesus was settled and resettled throughout history 4 times so it really does require the knowledge of a good guide who not only can tell you the history behind it but also bring the site to life with stories from ancient times.

To make the most of your time at Ephesus, No Frills Ephesus Tours recommends you enter the site from the ‘top gate’ and exit from the ‘bottom gate’ so you are walking downhill.
However, on really busy days the company sometimes brings customers the opposite way to avoid the crowds. These are the tricks that only an experienced guide knows when to use.
Getting to Ephesus from Kusadasi is fairly straightforward. You can hire a taxi or use a bus but No Frills offer a company HQ to Ephesus entrance transfer service as part of their tours.

Full-day tours are currently running at €110 and you can also get a half-day tour.
This latter option runs at €90 so it’s more for cruise ship customers and people with limited time.

Coming in at number 4 out of 51 on Tripadvisor’s list of tours based out of Selçuk, No Frills are doing pretty well. It all comes down to word-of-mouth. Their reviews are generally glowing, and the company’s name is mentioned quite a lot on forums, 99% of the time in a very positive light.

If you’ve taken a trip with No Frills let us know in the comments below how it went!

Istanbul to Ephesus
Getting to Ephesus from Istanbul is quite easy thanks to the popularity of the site. Istanbul is the international gateway for tourists and many arrive in Turkey with a few places on their checklist. Ancient Greek and Roman ruins housing one of the original Seven Wonders of the World is always going to be a crowd pleaser.

Several airlines fly from Istanbul and you can even visit the site as a day-trip from Turkey’s biggest city. Turkish Airlines and Pegasus offer daily flights to Ephesus.

Unfortunately, there are no direct trains making the journey but there are bus services. The trip takes at least 10 hours however so factor that into your travel plans. The bus between Istanbul and Selcuk is modern and will save you money, if not time.

If you’re dead set on train travel you can take a ferry across the water to Bandırma Şehir and then take a train to Selcuk. From there you can catch a local bus to the ruins. This is one of the most time-consuming ways to travel from Istanbul to Ephesus but it’s also one of the most adventurous and scenic.

For the full article & photos please follow the link below:
https://nomadflag.com/visit-ephesus-turkey/​

We took a last minute trip from Istanbul to the ancient city of Ephesus in the April of 2019. Despite planning the trip only a few days in advance, it was easily one of the highlights of my two months in Turkey.

Ephesus was one of the largest and most important cities of the Roman Empire, second only to Rome during its heyday during the reign of Augustus. Once located on the sea, the harbor silted up and the city now lays 3 miles inland! Many of the city’s ruins are still intact, showing the wealth and prosperity Ephesus once held.
 
Getting there I  think the best and most convenient way to get to Ephesus is by flying. 

We purchased flights from Istanbul to Izmir from Pegasus Airlines a few days before our departure for approximately $115/per person, round trip. It is a one-hour flight that is operated several times a day. (If you purchase tickets sufficiently far in advance, you are looking at about $50/per person round trip).
From Izmir, it is an easy one-hour drive to Ephesus. We chose to rent a car through Holiday Autos, and paid $63 USD total to pick up the car at the Izmir airport Friday morning and drop the car off at the airport Sunday evening. The roads are easy and modern.
It IS possible to rent a car and drive from Istanbul to Ephesus — Google Maps says it is a 5.5 hour drive, however the two caveats are 1) you will have to drive in Istanbul, which has old, narrow streets, and 2) Istanbul traffic can be nightmarish, easily adding another 1-2 hours to your drive.
There are also bus services that run from Istanbul to the city of Selçuk, right outside of Ephesus. The drive time is approximately 9-12 hours, but only cost $25ish/per person. 
How to see Ephesus1) Expect to spend at least 2-3 hours at Ephesus, if you plan to see additional sites like the Terrace Houses, House of Mary, St John’s Basilica, or Ephesus Museum, add additional hours.

2) Entrance to Ephesus Archaeological site is 60 Turkish Lira (currenly ~$10-12 USD) per person. Entrance to the Terrance Houses (which are located inside the Ephesus Archaeological site) is another 30 lira (~$5-6) per person (the other sites are located elswhere in Selçuk and must be driven to).
3) Although mostly flat, Ephesus is a lot of walking and not wheelchair accessible. There is also very little shade and no vendors inside the site, so if visiting in the summer 1) go early, 2) wear a hat, 3) bring water
4) Get a guide! I cannot stress enough getting a tour guide to visit Ephesus! It is a huge, sprawling site. Even with a map or an audio set, you will surely be lost and/or confused.

Because Garan and I were not interested in seeing additional sites like The House of Mary or St. John’s Basilica, we were looking for a tour guide that would hit the history of Ephesus hard and fast (we also wanted to see the Terrace Houses, which I highly recommend), and were pleased to come across just the right tour company, aptly named: No Frills Ephesus Tours
For 110 euros + entry fees, Garan and I booked a private 3-hour tour of Ephesus, and the Terrace Houses.
We flew from Istanbul to Izmir early Friday morning, arriving at 9am. From there we got our rental car and proceeded to Ephesus, meeting our guide at the South Entrance — (marked on the map) at 11am. The South Entrance is the more desirable starting point, because then you will mostly walk downhill during the tour. 
We were very happy with our guide, who spoke perfect English, and was clearly knowledgeable about the complex history of Ephesus. It was also nice to have  a private tour, as we did see some groups with more than 20 people. 
Having a guide was great because she pointed out small things like these Greek letters written above, ΙΧΘΥΣ. The letters were combined to create an early, secret sign for Christians (called an ichthys), as the city transitioned from Paganism to Christianity. Essentially, it is 1,800 year old graffiti. 
We also learned this foot carved into marble wasn’t an advertisement for a cobbler… but was in fact pointing you in the direction of a hidden brothel. 

Highlights
The true highlight of Ephesus is the Library of Celsus, built in 125 AD. Thought to have been the third largest library in the world at the time, it housed more than 12,000 scrolls. 
As I wrote earlier, we were also interested in visiting “The Terrace Houses” which are located inside of the main Ephesus Archaeological site. These houses are built into the hillside and were once home to the wealthiest residents of Ephesus. Currently, the houses are inside a high-tech structure while extensive excavations and renovations take place. 

When we visited Ephesus, no other tour groups were visiting The Terrace Houses, so we had the entire place to ourselves… and all I can say is WOW!
For the extra few dollars, it was absolutely fascinating to see the remarkable colours and details these houses had more than 2,000 years ago. 

Do you see that beautiful flooring with a lion?!?!
I mean, c'mon. This looks like it's Versace's house. Most of the floors and walls were pure marble, intricate tile work, or hand-painted frescos.
In addition to elaborate artwork, there was also evidence of normal, everyday life — like grocery lists and children’s sketches on the walls.

By the time we finished our tour, about three hours after we started, the crowds had begun to thin out and we had a lot more of Ephesus to ourselves. We visited in early April, but I have seen photos where there appears to be thousands of tourists, which I imagine would change the experience a bit. 

Our tour ended near the theater putting us close to the North Gate. There is an option to take a shuttle back to the South Gate parking area, but we chose to walk and it took us about 15 minutes. 
We grabbed some köfte (Turkish meatballs) and pomegranate/orange juice at Tuğra Cafe Bistro on our way back to our car — the food was surprisingly good for a roadside stand! (See my post on The 17 Best Things to Eat in Istanbul for more of my favourite Turkish foods)

If we didn’t already have plans, we were told that the Ephesus Museum is worth the time and money (15 lira or $3) because a lot of the statues and more delicate artifacts of Ephesus have been re-homed there. For more reading on Ephesus, I recommend visiting this website.

For the full article & photos please follow the link below:
​https://theyuppiehipster.com/2019/10/07/how-to-visit-ephesus-from-istanbul/

​Located in İzmir's Selçuk district, an area that also boasts a number of impressive sites in its own right, a visit to Ephesus is the perfect weekend getaway spot for a little fun, history and culture
As you probably know, Turkey is home to Ephesus, one of the most magnificent ancient ruins in the world and the best-preserved in Europe. If you have not seen it yet or if it is been awhile, then spring is definitely the best season to pay a visit to this timeless spectacle.

Built by the Ionians in the 10th century B.C., Ephesus experienced its heyday under Roman rule, becoming the capital of Asia Minor. Once a bustling port town surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea, this is why St. John reputedly brought the Virgin Mary there in 37 A.D. Even though there is still nearly 80 percent of the site left to be unearthed, Ephesus remains one of the most complete classical metropolises in Europe.

This city had 250,000 inhabitants at its height, and was an important place of pilgrimage for its Temple of Artemis, which was the biggest temple in the world and is one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Although all that remains of the Temple of Artemis in Selçuk, the closest town to Ephesus with a number of significant sites itself, is a sole pillar, Ephesus contains the largest collection of Roman ruins and truly gives visitors an idea of what daily life might have been like in ancient times.

Located in the vicinity of Ephesus is the House of the Virgin Mary, where she is believed to have spent the last years of her life. Now a shrine for Catholics and Muslims, it remains a pilgrimage site. Containing a modest chapel built on the original foundation, there is also a "Wishing Wall" where the tradition of tying pieces of cloth to represent wishes is a continuing custom. Another annual custom was just relived on May 8 when the Archbishop of Constantinople and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew led a ceremony to mark the Feast of St. John. Between Ephesus and the House of the Virgin Mary, there is also the Grotto of the Seven Sleepers, who are said to have been closed off in a cave they exiled themselves to as recluses refusing to recant their beliefs. As the legend goes, they fell into a deep sleep and awoke centuries later. Their tombs are now one of the other important and intriguing sites in the area.

Selçuk is the most accessible area to stay in when visiting these impressive sites. Guest houses offer accommodation and are scattered among the town's Ephesus Museum, Basilica of St. John, Ayasuluk Fortress and Isa Bey Mosque.

The area is geared toward tourism and there is a significant number of expats running the operations in the town. No Frills Ephesus Tours, run by a Turkish-Australian couple will guide visitors through the sites while avoiding all the tourist traps. Run by a Turkish-Swiss couple, St. John's Cafe is an excellent first stop to not only enjoy the widest selection of specialty coffee drinks in town, but also to snack on their concise but excellent freshly made menu, which includes their trademark "roshti" - a popular potato pancake dish from Switzerland. At this cute and spacious cafe you can get directions and advice from the very friendly owners or purchase guides and their handmade bergamot jam.

For a good meal in a leafy courtyard that also operates as a reasonably priced guest house, Boomerang serves up an extensive Turkish and Chinese menu as the proprietor's happen to be a Turkish-Chinese couple. Geared toward the Anzac crowd, is ANZ Guesthouse in the center of town and Wallabies Aqueduct, located near the town's aqueducts, also has a restaurant with outdoor tables set among the town's aqueducts. Perhaps the nicest boutique hotel in town is Casa Callinos and they even allow pets. If you really want to splurge, however, Cella Boutique Hotel and Spa, located just at the entrance of town, has all of the comforts and spa perks you may seek after a long day of sightseeing. Ziryab is a new hip coffee shop in town where you can experience some of Selçuk's daily life and the type of place you could hang out with your computer.

Headed just a couple of kilometers out of town in the direction of Aydın and the Locomotive Museum is Atilla's Getaway, a friendly and fun backpackers resort that has stunning views, a pool, pool table and even a beach volleyball court. Owned by an Australian Turk named Atilla, this spot has rightfully been selected as Lonely Planet's top choice for the region and I personally can vouch for it. There are a variety of extremely affordable accommodation options ranging from en suite doubles to shared dorm rooms. This is also an ideal location to stay if you want to hike to the sites as there are hilly trails from the hotel itself that are at most a few kilometers long to both Ephesus and the House of the Virgin Mary. Down the road is the Locomotive Museum, the perfect steampunk photo opportunity. This museum, which also doubles as a train stop, houses 30 steam locomotives, including Atatürk's beloved white train. In fact, both Selçuk and this museum are easily accessible from Turkey's rail system, with both offering stops on the trains to Denizli or the metro from İzmir and the Adnan Menderes Airport.

Of honorable mention is Bizim Ev Hanımeli, a restaurant with decks set over a rolling creek, 2 kilometers in on the road to Şirince. With dozens of delicious traditional meat and vegetarian dishes offered on an open buffet, this restaurant has become a popular stop for anyone staying in the region - and rightfully so. Catering more for lunch, when I visited just last week, it was packed, including with a busload of visiting diplomats from all over the world. Hatice Mercan is the woman behind this wonderful restaurant and her daughter, who happened to fall in love with an American tourist only to move to the United States, has published a cookbook by the same name of the restaurant containing her scrumptious recipes.

​Just next door is rock star Hayko Cepkin's Varil Camp, which offers clean and comfortable bungalows, rooms in a stone house and even camping options for visitors. More like a resort - with its fabricated beach in the forest for beach volleyball and soccer surrounding a decent-sized pool and lots of lounge areas, including their restaurant that is also set along a rolling creek - this is also an excellent place to make your home base when visiting all the sites Selçuk has to offer.

For the full article & photos please follow the link below:
https://www.dailysabah.com/expats-corner/2016/05/13/splendid-in-spring-ephesus-and-selcuk​

​​After a night crossing the Aegean Sea, we arrive at Izmir, a sprawling port city on the Turkish coast — but our real destination is a bit farther south: the archaeological site of Ancient Ephesus. Uncertain of our transit options I’ve booked a full day with No-Frills Ephesus Tours, a tour agency that promises excursions without the shopping stops so common to these trips. We’re here for history, not high pressure rug sales.




Our tour guide is named Octavius — “Oktay” for short. He meets us at the port and takes us to an air conditioned van that smells just faintly of scented tobacco smoke. From there it’s about an hour’s ride across the lush Turkish lowland countryside to Selçuk, the town near Ephesus, where we pick up two more guests, a couple visiting from New York.


First stop near Selçuk: Artemision, the Temple of Artemis. Originally a massive Greek temple and one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, today all that stands there is a single reconstructed pillar, topped with a stork nest and surrounded by damp marshland. In the distance, the Grand Fortress of Selçuk sits atop a hill, near the ruins of the Basilica of Saint John — ostensibly the apostle’s final resting place.


Back into the van, and a trip up Mount Koressos, and we arrive at what they call Meryemana, the House of Mary. The story goes that Saint Anne Catherine Emmerich had a vision of Mary living in a house on a mountain overlooking Ephesus. The ruins of a structure were later found in the location she had described, with a 5th Century bronze Mary statue lying in the ruins, and the building was restored as a reconstruction of Mary’s House and turned into a pilgrimage site.


Myself, I’m skeptical, given that Emmerich transcriber Clemens Brentano didn’t speak in her Westphalian dialect, only took notes on their conversations post facto, and may have fabricated certain material.
While it’s reasonable to assume that Mary could have settled and died around Ephesus under John the Apostle’s care, the discovery of the structure could just as easily have been a case of confirmation bias. The statue indicates that Marian worship occurred in the building at some point, but not necessarily that it was Mary’s home. At the same time, display boards in various languages along the queue area give well-entrenched rationalizations to keep the house as a pilgrimage site. Meryemana has become an important pilgrimage venue for local Catholics and Muslims alike — and also a generous boon to the livelihoods of local tour guides.


The line moves quickly, and we pass through the house in less than a minute: a foyer, an anteroom, a small nave with an altar and a bronze statue of Mary (definitely not a 5th Century statue), then a little exit room with a print of a Byzantine painting showing Mary lying in state after her death, and then we’re out again. Nearby there is a spring of holy water, a wishing wall, and a “Virgin Mary Cafe.” And a cat.


What truly awes my spirit about this place is the sheer number of tour buses squeezed into the Meryemana parking lot.


Back down the mountain we go, and ten minutes later we are at Ephesus itself — or at least, what part of it has been uncovered by archaeological digs.


We enter through the Magnesia Gate and walk through what was once the Upper Agora.


Oktay informs us that there will be two recurring visual themes here: round bull testicles that echo the many breasts of Ephesian Artemis, and the Ichthus Wheel that signifies Christianity.


A cat is presiding over the Odeon.


Ichthus wheels are carved infrequently into walls around the Odeon. Oktay explains the shape of the wheel and its relation to the letters of Christ’s name and the iconic Jesus fish which Christians drew to identify themselves.


In the nearby Prytaneion, the goddess Nike points the way downtown.


Down Curetes Street we go, past the Temple of Hadrian, and a public latrine where the men of Ephesus used to wipe up with communal sponges.


At the end of Curetes we arrive at the Library of Celsus — but not the actual library itself, whose interior was destroyed in a 3rd Century earthquake and fire, and the facade destroyed in Byzantine days. The current facade is a 20th Century restoration, yet faithful and imposing nonetheless.


From the Library, Curetes Street turns into “Marble Road,” passing by an old brothel (right beside the public latrine) and the Great Theater of Ephesus, where tradition places Saint Paul’s evangelical addresses to the Ephesians — and the start of the Silversmiths’ Riot.


Thrilling as it is to stand where the Biblical Paul once preached, it’s also a bit amusing to go into the backstage tunnels and see graffiti of nude women carved into the marble, indicating the Theater was also a venue for more prurient cultural displays.


Farther down from the Theater we reach the Arkadiane, the harbor street which once connected the town to the waterfront. Those banks are 5 miles away now, thanks to silt from the Cayster River, a relandscaping which over the millenia led to Ephesus’ eventual decline and abandonment. Today, the Arkadiane ends in a landlocked marsh, inaccessible right now — but the Imperial reenactors make up for missing that view.


We pass by the Lower Agora on the way out, and what used to be a marketplace. The ruins are a bit more disorganized here, but the view back towards the Great Theater is amazing.


From here we’ve seen most of Ephesus. As we walk down the trail towards the north exit, Oktay points out a site on the mountainside, the Cave of the Seven Sleepers — actually just one of several traditionally conjectured venues for this Rip Van Winkle-like religious legend. No time to visit today, though. We exit Ancient Ephesus, walk through a bazaar of Turkish food stalls and Ephesian merchandise stands, and reboard our van in another of those epically crowded tour bus parking lots.


Next stop: the Ephesus Archaeological Museum in Selçuk, home to artifacts recovered from the ancient city and other digs all around the area. Of note is the wall painting of Socrates from the Terrace Houses, the many-breasted depictions of the goddess Artemis, and busts of Caesar Augustus and his wife Livia. Oktay likes the Caesar bust, especially, since Augustus’ real name was Octavius. Also fun: Priapus.



For lunch we ride over to Efes Sultan, a Turkish buffet restaurant in Selçuk. Interesting thing about Turkish food: they don’t normally eat a lot of red meat due to high taxes on beef importation (and pork pretty much doesn’t exist for obvious reasons). As a result the buffet is a healthy mix of grains and vegetables with the occasional kofte meatball or ground chicken filling, all quite varied and delicious with a side of spinach salad in olive oil and sweet pomegranate syrup — and a bottle of Efes Pilsen.


I also meet the owner of the travel agency to iron out some Paypal issues, and chat a bit about the cultural uniqueness of a tour company that offers no-shopping excursions.
(It actually costs a bit more to run a tour without the shopping stops since sweetheart deals with high-pressure rug sellers are the norm in this region, but I’m happy to pay the extra cost to trade the sales for more history.)
After lunch, about an hour drive back to Izmir and the cruise port.                                                                         
​As a parting gift from No Frills Ephesus Tours, Oktay gives us two boxes of Turkish Delight and an Ephesus guidebook.

For the full article & photos please follow the link below:
https://hownow.brownpau.com/archives/2012/06/norwegian-jade-cruise-day-5-ephesus​

For the full article & photos please follow the link below:
​https://katlatham.com/2012/05/walking-through-ancient-history-a-photo-tour-of-ephesus/