Modern Day Selçuk (Ancient City Ephesus) – Itinerary
Selcuk is a smaller town but what’s not to be missed here is the Ephesus Archaeological Site. Our recommendation is to spend one day in Selcuk (two days if you are traveling slowly). Here is a quick overview of a day in town with details to follow afterwards. First go to the Ephesus Archaeological Site right away when it opens because it gets hot and crowded quickly. You can spend 2-3 hours walking through the old ruins. Grab lunch in town. Then spend the afternoon walking to The Temple of Artemis (minimal ruins), the Ephesus Museum, Basilica Of Saint John, and the Ayasuluk Citadel. These are all within a kilometer of each other so it’s easy to walk to each. If you have time left over, check out the small mountain town of Şirince just 15 minutes away.
Ephesus Archaeological Site
Ephesus was one of the biggest and most modern cities in the Greek Empire. The city was originally built in the 10th century BC. The city then came under Roman rule and it also holds special importance for Christians as both Paul and John came here on different journeys. Side note: Both John and Mother Mary are said to be buried in other locations in town. You can actually visit both their tombs. John is said to be buried in the Basilica of Saint John (to visit later in the afternoon). While Mother Mary’s grave is said to be on a hill 5km outside of Ephesus Archaeological Site. You will need to drive to Mother Mary’s grave and it requires a separate ticket.
Today, the Ephesus Archaeological Site shows an impressive collection of columns, unearthed sections, and artifacts on display in an outdoor open air site. There is no museum here but if you are looking for more details and a closer look at small coins, pottery, statues, etc. found on the grounds, check out the Ephesus Museum in town. I highly recommend a stop here as it’s small but has such good information and pieces dating back to the 7th century BC.
Back to the Ephesus Archaeological Site. There are two entrances but since the inside has only one walking path, it doesn’t matter which entrance you start from. Parking is only 120 tl on either side. You can walk to the entrance which is about 3k from town. With one ticket, you can enter the site and within the 1km road you can see: the Library of Celsus (the 3rd largest library in the ancient world), the Ephesus Ancient Greek Theatre (which can hold 24,000 people), a market place, the common bathhouse, the Terrace Houses (where the rich lived, this does require a second ticket purchase but it’s worth it for how well preserved the tiles and colors of the housing), and many other fascinating locations showing off ancient living.
Make sure to bring sunscreen, a hat, an umbrella for extra shade if you want, and lots of water as there aren’t any shops or bathrooms inside. The summer heat can be so intense so be prepared. We saw so many tourists just withering in the heat. We were glad we got there right when it opened at 8am. First we had a small amount of shade so it was bearable. But also when we were leaving, hoards of tour groups were already rushing in.
In terms of cost, this site is pricey. The normal ticket to enter the site is €40. At the entrance you can also buy a combo ticket for both the normal ticket and the terrace house for €52 which is €12 more than normal. I recommend the combo ticket because if you buy a ticket to the terrace house once inside, it costs €15. Since the terrace house was one of our favorite parts, I would recommend the combo ticket. However, depending on where else you are going, I highly advise you check out the Turkey Museum Card. The Turkey Museum Card includes entry to both the Ephesus Archaeological Site and the Terrace Houses.
Museum Card
Depending on where you are going and what you want to see, I’d recommend the Turkey Museum Card. There are a few options based on the city (see below for more details) but all work the same. I would NOT recommend buying in advance as it’s a physical card. The first site you visit, you can buy it there. They will write the date on the card. Every site that accepts the card, you do not need to stand in line to buy a ticket. You just need to scan your card to gain entry. We were able to go to more museums and places than originally expected because we kept looking online to see what places accepted the card and we would go there. Check their website for attractions that accept the pass.
In terms of options for foreigners (locals get a huge discount to attractions), there is the TÜRKİYE, İSTANBUL, CAPPADOCIA, AEGEAN, or MEDITERRANEAN. Each is a different price and different amount of days. So check out where you are going, if your trip will cover that specific amount of days, then buy your card at the first stop. Prices are changing rapidly but as of August 2024, here is the link to prices and days.
Additional Activities In the Area
There are a few great things to see in the town that are so close together they are worth walking to each and can be done in a few hours.
The Temple of Artemis – really there are only two columns left in a farmers field so you really need your imagination for this one. The site used to be one of the 7 ancient wonders of the world. It’s the only ancient wonder that still has any remains so it’s worth visiting for that fact alone. Artemis, the daughter of Zeus, was a Greek goddess of the hunt. This temple rivaled many others and was said to be one of the biggest. If you want to see what they think the temple looked like, there is a small scaled version of it in the Ephesus Museum (see next for details).
The Ephesus Museum – although small, gives you a closer look at coins, pottery, statues, etc. found on the Ephesus Archaeological Site grounds. I highly recommend a stop here as it has such good information and pieces dating back to the 7th century BC. It was wild to see things that are 9,000 years old! The informational panels were in Turkish and English so we felt like we learned a lot about the area. Ticket needed for entry but included in the Turkey Museum pass.
Basilica Of Saint John – this archaeological site is well preserved showing the basilica built in the 6th century AD in honor of Saint John. Although it’s true that John died in Ephesus, it is said that John the apostle is buried here. There is a plaque to show his tomb. However, many years ago it was opened and no body was found. Either way, the Basilica ruins are interesting to walk around and imagine how life was. Ticket needed for entry but included in the Turkey Museum pass.
Ayasuluk Citadel – after entering and seeing the ruins of Basilica of Saint John, keep walking toward the castle walls. You can’t miss it as it’s up on the hill. This Citadel’s walls are well preserved. You can walk through the castle walls and get views of the mountains and surrounding town. Entry is the same as the Basilica Of Saint John so no additional ticket is needed here.
Şirince- This adorable mountain town seemed to be a quiet Turkish hillside town until the wine tasting bars, coffee houses, cafes, and markets sprang up. While it’s obviously for tourists, it’s not overly gaudy. We found some cute things for sure and had a pleasant walk among the traditional two story white and wood housing. Parking can be an issue since you’re on the side of a mountain, so I’d recommend you take the first parking lot for 120 tl and call it good. Otherwise you’ll be one of those tourists driving through narrow streets and throngs of people eating their gelato while shopping for olive oil. It’s not a good look.
Where To Stay
Guest Houses in the older hilly part of town seem to be the super cute thing to do in this town. There are all types of ranges from budget cheap to super fancy. Most come with a beautiful view on the rooftop. We stayed at ANZ Guesthouse. Although it was more basic in terms of furniture and amenities, the guy who owns and runs it is amazing. He’s from Australia originally but runs this 9 room inn with his wife and adult children. They were super friendly.
Where To Eat
If you are looking for good restaurants in town, we’d recommend: Ali Baba & Mehmet Kebab House has plates of kebabs, fries, and salad that are delicious. Selcuk Pidecisi for some traditional pide (cheese bread as a meal) and kiremitte (oven baked meat for a non bread/gluten free option) or Old House Rest & Cafe for some delicious Saç kavurma (stir fried meat).
