Ephesus

Ephesus (Turkish: Efes) is a with magnificent Roman ruins. It's in the Central Aegean region of Turkey 4 km west of Selçuk and 19 km northeast of the beach resort of Kuşadası.

This page only describes features within the ticketted area of Ephesus or right by its gates. That city began on the site of present-day Selçuk, where the museum holds antiquities found here. The Selçuk page also describes outlying sites such as the House of the Virgin Mary.

Understand
The city of Ephesus can be traced back to the 10th century BC, and human settlement here is thousands of years older than that. The river was navigable from the sea, and a trading port grew up at Selçuk 4 km east, which may have relocated from time to time as the river meandered in its lower course. Its estuary was a stinking midden-cum-malarial swamp, so from about 290 BC the city migrated west to its present site. From 129 BC the new Roman regional superpower took over: they began by looting the place but stayed to embellish it, and most of what you see nowadays is their work from 100 BC to 260 AD.

The place was wrecked by the Goths in 263 AD but rebuilt, and continued to prosper in the Byzantine Roman era. It was an important centre for early Christianity; St Paul preached here, and Ephesus in 431 AD hosted the Third Ecumenical Council which continued the task of defining orthodoxy and condemning heresy. And they sort-of hosted the Fourth in 449 AD, but that in turn was condemned as heretical by the True Fourth at Chalcedon in 451 and didn't count, unless you were Eastern Orthodox, so the church became divided over how many unifying Councils it had ever held. Meanwhile in the real world the coast retreated, fierce enemies stalked the land, and earthquakes roiled the city. By the 7th century Ephesus had lost its port, its livelihood and value, and declined into a small village. Its stonework was pilfered for re-use but the site was not built over. Serious archaeology and restoration got started from the end of the 19th century and these continue.

Ephesus is a year-round site. It has a Mediterranean climate, with hot, dry and sunny summers, with noon temperatures pushing 36-37°C. Always wear sun protection such a big floppy hat even on cloudy days, as a lot of UV penetrates the cloud and there's little shade. Winters are mild and wet, but the site is well-paved so you can dodge the puddles.

By dolmuş
Dolmuşes run from Selçuk Otogarı to the northern/lower gate every 10-30 min according to season, and cost about €0.50 (8 TL in 2022). They actually connect to Kuşadası along D515, so there's a good dolmuş service here.

There are no dolmuşes to the upper/southern gate.

To get to Selçuk or Kuşadası see those pages "Get in" for long-distance routes. Both have excellent bus connections, and Selçuk is on the IZBAN suburban railway with trains every hour or two from Izmir.

By taxi
Most visitors (including coach tours) explore Ephesus from the southern upper gate: reached by taxi from Selçuk for about €2 (30 TL as of 2022). Leave by the lower gate via dolmuş or another taxi.

From Kuşadası a good plan is to negotiate a taxi day-trip, with the driver awaiting you at the lower gate. But many taxis can be found onsite as well.

By tour
Since Ephesus is one of Turkey's top sights, tour coaches converge on it from far and wide—you can probably even find a tour starting in Istanbul. (Ignore very cheap or free "tours" - you will be trapped for hours in Uncle Mehmet's souvenir shop then be rushed through Ephesus.) Cruise ships call at Izmir or other nearby ports to bus in their passengers.

By road
Independent travellers with their own car can day-trip (though it will be a long day) from any of the Aegean resorts. The site is by the junction of D550 and D515, and well signposted.

On foot
You could walk the 4 km from Selçuk to either gate, but you also have a lot of walking to do around the site.

Nevertheless, doing one direction by dolmuş (to/from the lower gate) and walking the other, you can make a stop by the.

Fees and permits
As of Sep 2023, entry is 700 TL (about €24.15), with an additional charge of 320 TL (about €11) for the Terrace Houses.

Parking at either gate is 50 TL (about €1.75).

The site is open daily 08:00–17:00 (Oct to mid-April), and 08:00–20:00 (mid-April to Sept). The Terrace Houses open half an hour later and close half an hour earlier.

Consider buying a Turkey Museum Pass–any admission gate can sell these, 3,500 TL (about €120) as of Sep 2023. There's a wide range available, but the one for this region is the Aegean Pass, 2,200 TL (about €76) as of Sep 2023. Most attractions included charge less than Ephesus so you probably need to visit four or more others (within 7 days) to make the Aegean Pass a saving.

Get around
The grounds of Ephesus are seen entirely on foot, and take 90 min to 2.5 hours (plus 30 min for the Terrace Houses). Pathways are signed clearly and easily navigated. The paving of the main avenue is suitable for wheelchairs and strollers, but with lumpy bits and potholes around ongoing works. This huge site always has ongoing archaeological excavations, maintenance works, and stabilisations after the latest earth tremor or storm, so you might find any individual sight barricaded off.

You may enter or exit by either gate, both have parking lots and taxis. However, only the lower/northern gate is served by dolmuşes. If there is not a taxi, ask the closest shopkeeper and they may be able call one, or the parking lot attendant.

See
Most visitors enter through the Upper Gate, which brings you to an agora (market place), the scrappy Baths of Varius, a stoa (colonnaded walkway) and Odeon (amphitheatre and council meeting place, originally roofed). This would be impressive in any other site, but wait till you see the big one further along. Follow the stoa and crowd past the Prytaneion (meeting place of the city chiefs), Temple of Domitian, statue of Nike, and monument to Memmius grandson of Roman dictator Sulla. Pass through the Gate of Hercules onto Curetes Street descending northwest, the ancient city's main boulevard, which gives way to the following main sites:





Do

 * Test the acoustics at the Great Theatre, if it's quiet and you're not competing with too many droning tour guides, and preferably with a companion in a back row to signal audibility. Declaim poetry or one of the great speeches from Shakespeare if you don't trust your singing voice. You'll discover that the focal flagstone is a sweet spot where you're clearly heard, and your voice comes resonating back to drum upon your chest. Move just one metre away and the effect drops off, and after two metres it's gone. The same happens at well-preserved amphitheatres elsewhere, you have to stand central to hold your audience, and this illustrates how oratory and stage performance must have worked in the unamplified ancient world. The other big lesson is that you can't sort-of know the great poems and speeches, you have to nail them word-perfect.
 * Skydive: Efes airport and dropzone are next to the lower gate. See Selçuk for practicalities, but you may see skydivers under canopy from within the site.

Buy
Souvenir shops by the two gates are poor value even if you haggle them down. You're better buying in town, especially for pricier items such as leather goods.

Never buy "Roman coins" or other so-called antiquities touted in or around the site. For sure they are fake. The problem is that Customs aren't so sure, so when you try to leave the country, they'll detain you long enough to miss your flight while they confirm that these are trash and not illegal exports.

Eat & Drink
There are no facilities within the ticketted area, but small cafes outside both gates. Efes Restoran (open daily 09:00-23:00) is a larger cafe by the lower gate, where most visitors are emerging and gasping for refreshment, but it gets rotten reviews. Try to hang on till you get back to town.

Sleep
See Selçuk and Kuşadası for the nearest accommodation.

Connect
Ephesus has 4G from all Turkish carriers, which extends along the highways to Selçuk and Kuşadası. As of Sept 2022, 5G has not rolled out in Turkey.

Go next

 * Selçuk has the Ephesus Museum, displaying artefacts from the ancient city. Within town is the Byzantine Church of St John, and further out are sights such as the House of the Virgin Mary.
 * Kuşadası is the raucous beach resort nearby. The Greeks and Romans would have loved it.
 * Bergama might be a three hour drive, as it's north of Izmir, but it's another superb site for the ruins of Pergamon.