Ephesus Overview

An unbelievable amount of history took place around these parts—the ruins of the Roman city of Ephesus are just a stone's throw away from the house where Virgin Mary supposedly spent the last years of her life, while the remnants of one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World are just a short walk away from the hill where John the Apostle wrote his part of the Gospel. Most people who come to Ephesus are here as part of a packaged tour—at night they stay at the resort port of Kuşadası, and during the day they are rushed through these places on a tour bus, one by one. This is a terrible way to do it. Independent travelers have it much better—stay at Selçuk and wander at ease through its sleepy streets, admiring the chutzpah of the storks who nest on top of every historically significant structure in this town. Selçuk is a rural paradise compared to Istanbul—the pensions offer a lot for little money, the food is always cheap and tasty, and the people are not very interested in ripping you off. And Selçuk is just the beginning: there are many small, interesting towns around that you can go explore on your own.

• Orientation

Selçuk is a small, easy-to-navigate town. The main thoroughfare is the Atatürk Cad., which runs north to İzmir and south to Denizli. The town center runs parallel to this road, roughly between the bus ...more

• Accommodations

Homeros Pension, (1048 Sok. 3☎ 232 892 3995 www.homerospension.com), The rooms here look nothing like what you'd expect from a pension at this price—they are full of antique furniture, kilims ...more

• Sights

Ephesus, (Efes☎ 232 892 6010), In its heyday, Ephesus was one of the biggest and most prosperous cities in the world. It used to be a harbor town, but since then the sea has moved some six ...more

• Food

Ejder Restaurant, (Cengiz Topel Cad. 9/E☎ 232 892 3296), This is a very touristy place, and for once we mean that in a good way. With outdoor seating directly below the stork-ridden ancient ...more

• Essentials

Tourist Office: Located opposite the Ephesus Museum at Agora Çarsisı 35. Free maps.(☎232 892 6945 h Open daily in summer 8:30am-noon and 1-5:30pm; in winter 8am-5pm.) Atms: At Cengiz ...more