Ephesus

Ephesus is the most famous, the most complete, and, on the downside, probably the most crowded ancient site in Turkey. Nevertheless, it really is a ‘must see’ – if not on your first visit to Turkey, then certainly at some point.

The organised trips (and, for that matter, the admission ticket) also cover the house of the Virgin Mary. Though this is obviously of interest for religious reasons, it is not otherwise the most interesting of buildings – and probably has somewhat tenuous religious links anyway.

The house of the Virgin Mary

Ephesus itself though is simply stunning. However, I always have mixed feelings about the place. As an overall spectacle, it is stunning. The downside though is that Ephesus was excavated very early in archaeological terms (the 1930s), and unfortunately pretty much rebuilt as a tourist attraction. Hence many of the columns, arches, etc, are pasted together with incredibly ugly grey cement. The advice is to ignore the detail and enjoy the whole.

The one exception to this is the ‘terraced houses’. This is a relatively newly excavated area, opened in the last couple of years, which is absolutely breathtaking. As it costs extra to enter, it is also fairly uncrowded. It is a covered area of a significant size, on the left as you get towards the library – you can’t miss it, looks like a giant aircraft hangar. Inside is a whole hillside of houses, with the most incredible frescoes, and including an almost complete basilica. It really is the most fascinating experience, especially the glass bridge 3 stories in the air as you get towards the end of the tour, which is not for the faint hearted.

The theatre

The tour can be done either on your own, or you can hire a guide – these are extremely good, and cost around £30. A guide will know all the history, and will be able to explain what things are far better than you can work out yourself (such as the Nike ‘tick’ on the statue of the Goddess Nike). They will also usually be fairly flexible over timings, route, etc.

Whichever way you visit, it is normal to start at one end, and walk through to the other, so park in the car park at either end, there are many taxis that exist solely to shuttle people from one car park to the other. It does not really matter which way round you do this, though there is perhaps something nice about collapsing at the end in a café and then getting straight into your car, rather than having to get a taxi back.

There is also always a kind man who will help you park in a convenient spot, and then offer you a lift to the other end. Whilst this will work, it will entail a visit to a shop on the way – entirely up to you whether you wish to take this option, and can withstand the sales technique / guilt trip!

Although you can get cold drinks and ice cream half way round, you may find it easier to take your own drinks – it is a long dusty walk, with little shade, and you can easily spend a 2-3 hours walking around, and certainly no less than 1 hour.

The walk down the ‘high street’, library of Celsus at the end (terraced houses under ‘aircraft hangar’ to the left)

The walk through Ephesus feels pretty much like walking down a modern day high street – there are shops along either side, interspersed with houses and the major buildings – the Temple of Hadrian, the stunning library of Celsus which you aim towards for most of the first part of the walk, the toilets (always a favourite with the kids!), the agora, and finally the huge theatre. Like many of the Turkish sites, it is very easy to imagine an ancient lifestyle in such a well-preserved setting.

Agora and library of Celsus

Getting There by Car

From Akyaka, take the Mugla road, and then at the main Mugla traffic lights take the E330 towards Aydin and Izmir. Continue following Aydin / Izmir, the road becomes the E550. At Aydin, take the E87 towards Izmir, and then follow the signs to Selcuk and then Ephesus (often signposted Efes – yes, just like the beer!). At one point, you have a choice of using the motorway or not – although the motorway is a toll road, it is not expensive, and probably the easiest route. Selcuk is signed from the motorway. Approximately 180 kms, allow 2.5 to 3 hours by car.

Further Details
http://www.ephesus.us/