By air
İzmir (ADB), ~1 h
Middle East · Türkiye
Ephesus, Türkiye
The best-preserved Roman city of the east
Getting there
Best time to visit
April to June and September to October — mild
Don't miss
The Library of Celsus
The Great Theatre
The Terrace Houses
The Temple of Artemis
Things to do
The Library of Celsus
The Terrace Houses
The House of the Virgin Mary
Where to eat
Sources: Photo: Benh LIEU SONG · CC BY-SA 3.0
What to pack
A sun hat, water
A quieter corner
Şirince, a hillside wine village
Questions travellers ask
When is Ephesus most pleasant to visit?
April to June or September to October, when it's mild. Bring a sun hat and water all the same.
What should I see at Ephesus?
The Library of Celsus, the Great Theatre, the Terrace Houses and the Temple of Artemis, in the best-preserved Roman city of the east. Add the House of the Virgin Mary.
Where should I go after Ephesus?
Şirince, a hillside wine village, for olive-oil dishes and its fruit wines.
Which airport is nearest to Ephesus?
Fly into İzmir (ADB), about 1 h away.
About Ephesus
- Inland
Where it is
Ephesus is an ancient city beside the town of Selçuk in İzmir Province, on the Aegean side of western Türkiye, near the mouth of the Küçük Menderes river; its harbour silted up long ago, leaving the ruins several kilometres from the sea.
History
Founded by Ionian Greeks, Ephesus grew around the great Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Under Rome it became the capital of the province of Asia and one of the great cities of the eastern Mediterranean, and the apostle Paul lived and preached here. As its harbour silted up the city declined, and it became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2015.
People
Selçuk, the town beside the ruins, is a Turkish market town among olive groves and fig orchards, and nearby Şirince, once a Greek village, is known for its fruit wines. The Basilica of St John and the House of the Virgin Mary draw Christian pilgrims, and each January Selçuk holds a camel wrestling festival.
Known for
- The Library of Celsus
- The Great Theatre
- The Terrace Houses and their mosaics
- The site of the Temple of Artemis
- The House of the Virgin Mary
Did you know?
The Library of Celsus was also a tomb: the Roman official Celsus, in whose honour it was built in the early 2nd century, was buried in a marble sarcophagus beneath it.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.