Passports and Photographs contains affiliate links. When you click on an affilitate link and make a purchase, I will earn a small commission. There is no additional cost to you. See my Privacy Policy for more information.

Most people traveling to Turkey put Istanbul and Cappadocia at the top of their list of places to visit but Turkey is so much more than just those two places. Of course you should visit them but you will defintely want to put visiting Ephesus on that list. Ephesus is an ancient Greek and Roman city located near the present-day city of Selcuk and it has some of the best preserved ruins you’ll find in Turkey.

I’ll run through the best things to see at Ephesus but I’ll also tell you how to get to Ephesus and give you some tips on how to visit Ephesus if you want a photo without anyone else in it.

Library of Celsus at the ancient city of Ephesus in Turkey - how to visit Ephesus

About Ephesus

Ephesus was an ancient Greek city located near the coast of Ionia that was established way back in the 10th century BC. Yeah, it’s old! Ephesus was one of the twelve cities of the Ionian League during the Classical Greek era and has amazingly well-preserved ruins.

Ephesus was founded by Greek colonists and it became a significant center for trade and culture because of its strategic location along the Aegan Sea. It was established by Androclus, a (mythical) Ionian prince of Athens, who led the Ionian colonists to the area.

NOTE: In ancient Greece there were four main Hellenic tribes: the Ionians, Dorians, Aeolians, and Achaeans.

When the Roman’s came into power, Ephesus continued to thrive and it became the capital of the Roman province of Asia. The Romans were responsible for the building of the Library of Celsus and the Great Theatre which could hold 25,000 spectators. During Roman rule it is believed that more than 200,000 people lived in the area.

Ephesus played a crucial role in Christianity. The Apostle Paul lived and preached in Ephesus and it is believed that the Gospel of John was written there. It’s also believed that the Virgin Mary spent her final years nearby. You can visit The House of the Virgin Mary which is around 7 km (4 miles) away. It is a popular pilgrimage for Catholics and it’s even been visited by three popes.

Just a few miles away from Ephesus is the site of one of the original 7 wonders of the world: The Temple of Artemis. This Greek temple supposedly was one of the first to built of marble. Today, all that is left of the ancient site is a single pillar.

Where is Ephesus

Ephesus is located near the southwestern coast of Turkey. The closest city to the UNESCO World Heritage Site is Selcuk which is just a 6 minute drive from the ruins.

Just a 25 minute drive from the resort town of Kusadasi, also known as the Ephesus Port, many cruises dock there so its passengers can visit Ephesus. The closest major city to Ephesus is Izmir which is just an hour away by car.

Map of Turkey - in pink - showing the locations of Istanbul, Troy, Ephesus, Antalya, and Cappadocia

Is Ephesus worth visiting?

YES! Ephesus is definitely worth visiting. Seeing the Library of Celsus in person is amazing! The entire Ephesus Archaeological site is 100% worth visiting. It’s pretty incredible to be able to walk through the ancient city and to be able to see the layout of this place. There’s still plenty of city left that you can actually visualize what it once looked like.

Visiting Ephesus Turkey

Ephesus, also known as Efes, is one of the largest ancient cities and a significant and popular achaeological site in Turkey. It continues to be excavated to this day.

Ephesus opening hours

Ephesus is open 7 days a week between 8:00am to 11:00pm. You should plan on spending at least 2 hours at the Ephesus archaeological site but could easily spend up to 4 hours there.

Entrance fee to Ephesus

If you’re visiting Ephesus on your own you can buy a ticket at the entrance or online. It will cost 40โ‚ฌ which will give you access to the Archaeological Site and the Efes Experience Museum.

For 52โ‚ฌ you can also get access to the Terrace Houses which were the residences inhabited by wealthy families. You’ll see 7 houses that are still undergoing excavation that are beautifully decorated with mosaics and frescoes.

There is no admission fee for children under the age of eight.

Museum Pass Aegean

Save time and money by purchasing the Museum Pass Aegean which will give you access to Ephesus, Basilica of St. John, the Terrace Houses at Ephesus, the Museum of Ephesus, the Ancient City of Pergamon, Hierapolis, and much more.

It’s just 95โ‚ฌ and is totally worth the price if you plan on visiting several sites. You’ll have 7 days to use the pass on more than 40 museums and archaeological sites in the area from the first use. Again, if you plan on visiting more than two sites, the pass is definitely worth the money.

Best time to visit Ephesus

Ephesus is a VERY popular site and gets crowded quickly. I recommend getting your tickets or museum pass ahead of time online so you don’t have to wait in line at the ticket booth. You should try to enter Ephesus as soon as they open at 8am. Tour buses arrive first thing in the morning and there will be a LOT of people. It gets crowded very quickly.

What to see in Ephesus

Ephesus is renowned for its well-preserved ruins. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is a very large archaeological site with many different areas but the places below are some of the most important and popular sites there. There are also other important sites to visit around Ephesus that should not be missed.

Library of Celsus in Ephesus

Built in the 2nd century to honor the Roman senator Tiberius Julius Celsus Polemaeanus, this structure is pretty spectacular to see in person. It once housed thousands of scrolls and it also served as his tomb.

What’s left today is the front part of the facade that is designed with columns, statues, and inscriptions. The inside of the Library of Celsus is also still intact but there isn’t a roof anymore.

Ephesus Theater

Known as the Great Theater, this massive amphitheater could hold around 25,000 spectators. It’s a very well-preserved structure that was built during the 3rd century BC during the Hellenistic period and was later expanded by the Romans in the 1st and 2nd centuries.

The theater was used for gladiator contests, theatrical performances, and political gatherings. It was a focal point of social and cultural life in Ephesus bringing citizens from all social classes together to enjoy entertainment and take part in civic activities.

a panoramic photo of the Great Theater in Ephesus - standing at the top of the theater looking out across the ancient city

Temple of Hadrian in Ephesus

This temple was was dedicated to the Roman Emperor Hadrian and built in the 2nd century. It’s a well-preserved structure with detailed reliefs depicting various mythological scenes. There is a prominent arch with a central keystone depicting the head of Medusa and is supported by four Corinthian columns.

Ancient ruins of the Temple of Hadrian in Ephesus Turkey

The Terrace Houses

Still continuing to be excavated today, the Ephesus Terrace Houses were luxurious residences for wealthy citizens dating back to the Roman period. Inside you’ll find intricate mosaics, frescoes, and an advanced heating system. It will cost an extra 12โ‚ฌ to visit but if you get the Museum Pass Aegean, it is included.

The Prytaneion

The Prytaneion was an important civic and religious center in the ancient city. It served as the administrative heart of Ephesus and was the city’s executive officials who were responsible for the governance of the city.

The Prytaneion was also where the eternal sacred fire of Hestia, the goddess of the hearth, home and family, burned. The fire symbolized the life and continuity of the city.

The Odeon

The Odeon was a small theater built during the 2nd century by the Romans and could seat about 1500 people. The Odeon was used for smaller events such as musical performances, poetry readings, and political meetings.

The Odeon theater at Ephesus Turkey where small gatherings and civic meetings would take place

Other sites near Ephesus to visit

Ephesus Church – The Basilica of St. John

Located a few miles away in the town of Selcuk, this basilica was built over what is believed to be the burial site of John the Apostle. You’ll find a mix of Byzantine and Roman architectural styles there. It’s a fairly large site with a lot of “rooms” so you should plan to spend 1-1.5 hours there.

The House of the Virgin Mary

Located just a few miles away from the archaeological site of Ephesus is what is believed to be the final home of the Virgin Mary. It’s a small house that is now a museum/shrine. It’s also included in the Museum Pass Aegean if you buy one. Plan to spend 30-45 minutes here.

The best way to visit Ephesus

The archeaological site of Ephesus is a very popular place to visit and as soon as they open at 8am the tour buses are arriving. It gets crowded very quickly and very early. As a photographer, I like to be able to take photos of places without people in it but that’s very hard to do at places like Ephesus.

One of the things that I really wanted a photo of with nobody in it was the Library of Celsus. It’s a great piece of ancient architecture and I knew it would be hard to accomplish that with the bus loads of people that were arriving. By the time it was 8am there were already hundreds of people gathering and waiting to go in.

A crowd of tourists are waiting for the ancient city of Ephesus to open so they can go in.

So as soon as they started letting people in I basically ignored everything I was seeing (so hard!) and walked as quickly as I could to the Library of Celsus. It paid off because we were the first people there and we had it to ourselves for about 5 minutes before another couple showed up from the opposite direction. The look of dissappointment on their faces was one that I know I’ve probably had on my face many times.

Note: there are TWO entrances to Ephesus and one is slightly closer to the Library of Celsus. Guess which entrance I came through. ๐Ÿ™‚

I knew that anyone else that had the same idea as me probably wanted to get there for the same exact reason as I did. They were quickly relieved to find out that I understood and I wasn’t going to be one of those people that spent 30 minutes in front of the building posing for a thousand pictures. So we both got our photos and took turns taking photos of each other before other people started to show up.

One thing to remember about all of these tour groups that arrive at places like this is that they have to stick to the group. So when they enter the site, their group tour starts at the beginning making it possible to have places in the middle of the site to ourselves. Mostly. So if you’re like me plan to visit the thing you want photos of the most and show up when it opens.

Ephesus Map

I created my own map of the Ephesus Archaeological Site below. I’ve listed just some of the things you will find at Ephesus but there are dozens of other things to see. I came in through the entrance at the bottom of the map.

Once you enter and make your way towards the smaller theater you will already see the Library of Celsus. There’s just a little more walking at the other entrance and you can’t see it until you get right in front of it. I think that’s probably why I was able to get to it before the other couple did.

Map of the ancient city of Ephesus in Turkey - visting Ephesus - map of Ephesus showing the layout of the old city

Getting to Ephesus

Ephesus is located in the southwest region of Turkey about 525 km south of Istanbul and 790 km west of Cappadocia. If you only have a short time to explore Turkey and want to go somewhere outside of the two most visited places in Turkey then you should add Ephesus to your Turkey Itinerary.

You can see on the map of Turkey below how massive this country is. We spent 28 days in Turkey and were only able to visit a portion of the western half of the country.

A map of Turkey with the locations of Istanbul, Ephesus, and Cappadocia highlighted. Visiting Ephesus Turkey

Getting to Ephesus by car

We traveled to Ephesus by car because we were in the country for a month visiting multiple places in Turkey. If you have two or more weeks to explore Turkiye (the official spelling of the country) then I highly recommend renting a vehicle. There are so many amazing places to visit in Turkey and it really is best seen by car.

Our car rental through Discover Cars was only $565 for the entire month with unlimited miles. The roads in Turkey are in very good condition too.

Getting to Ephesus by plane

If you only have a short time to spend in Turkey and you want to get around quickly, then flying is your best option. The closest major airport to Ephesus is the Izmir Adnan Menderes Airport located just outside the city of Izmir.

If you travel by plane then you need to plan on spending at least 2 nights in Selkuc. If you arrive early enough in the day you can visit the Ephesus Church or the House of the Virgin Mary that afternoon. Then you will have time the next day for Ephesus and one of the other sites.

Ephesus Tours

There are a lot of tour options that go to Ephesus. You can actually visit Turkey on a tour and leave all the planning and organization to someone else. These tours generally include visits to multiple cities in Turkiye and they take care of all the travel arrangements and entrances so you don’t have to worry about it.

Private Ephesus Tour

You can take a private tour to Ephesus with a tour guide who knows all the history and will be able to point things out to you that you might otherwise miss on your own. What’s great about a private tour is you can go at your own pace and see the things you what you want to see.

You can hang out at the Library of Celsus for as long as you want or just sit in the shade if you get too hot. It will cost a little more for a private tour but it’s nice to be sort of in charge of your own tour.

Group Tour to Ephesus

There are small group tours and large group tours to choose from to visit Ephesus. Honestly, I would choose the smaller group tour over the larger group tours. Sometimes the large groups can be more than 40 people and that is a lot of people to stick together with at Ephesus.

These tours will usually be done as a day tour from whatever city you choose. You can find tours that leave from Izmir, Istanbul, Cappadocia, or other cities nearby. There are even tours that will pick people up from the shore when their cruise docks for the day.

Before you book your tour, make sure you check what is and isn’t included. Sometimes the entrance fees to sites are included but many times it’s not and will cost extra. So if you see a tour that is a really low price, make sure you check all the details.

Traveling to Ephesus

This next section is just some of the different ways you can travel to Ephesus from some of the more popular locations. I’ve listed different ways of how to visit Ephesus from Istanbul, Izmir, and Cappadocia. You can skip most of this section by jumping to the city you want to travel to Ephesus from.

Istanbul to Ephesus

From Istanbul to Ephesus by plane

If you’re traveling from Istanbul to Ephesus and want to fly, there are around 30 nonstop flights a day from the Sabiha Gokcen International Airport (SAW) to the Izmir Airport. Flight time is around 1.15 hours.

Flying is definitely the fastest way to get to Ephesus from Istanbul and roundtrip flights are only around $100. Once you arrive in Izmir you’ll have to find another form of transportation to the city of Selcuk. I go over those options below under the Izmir to Ephesus section.

Istanbul to Ephesus on a tour

There are tours to Ephesus from Istanbul that include the flights and entrance fees to Ephesus, House of the Virgin Mary, and the Basilica of St John. It’s a full day tour that will last between 12-14 hours but that includes your roundtrip flight. If you’re short on time then this is the way to go.

You can even take a 2-day tour from Istanbul to Ephesus and Pamukkale. It will include your flight, tour guide, entrance fees, and hotel.

Istanbul to Ephesus by bus

You can reach Ephesus from Istanbul by bus if you prefer not to fly but it will obviously take longer to reach your destination. This Ephesus Tour takes several days but also takes you to Pamukkale and Hierapolis.

You’ll travel from Istanbul overnight (saves money on your hotel) and arrive in the morning ready to spend the day at Ephesus. Afterwards you’ll arrive at your hotel and leave the next morning from Pamukkale. You’ll spend some time at Pamukkale and the Hierapolis ruins before traveling overnight back to Istanbul.

Istanbul to Ephesus by train

You can catch a train in Istanbul to Izmir but there is not a direct train. You’ll first need to take a high-speed train from Istanbul to Eskisehir which takes three hours. You’ll then take the night train (at 11:15pm) to Izmir which takes another 11.5 hours. You’ll have a choice of a regular seat ticket or a sleeper ticket.

Once you arrive in Izmir you can then take a train from there to Ephesus, actually the town of Selcuk, which will take another 1.5 hours. Once you arrive in Selcuk you can take a taxi or bus to Ephesus which is another 15 minutes.

Izmir to Ephesus

Izmir is the closest major city to Ephesus at just an hour away by car. Because it’s so close, you will have a lot of different ways for visiting Ephesus.

Izmir to Ephesus tour

If you’re staying in Izmir you can take an all day tour with hotel pickup that includes your Ephesus Ancient City entrance fee and lunch. You’ll spend two hours with your guide at Ephesus before heading into Selcuk for lunch.

You’ll make a quick stop to see where the Temple of Artemis once stood before heading back to Izmir. Be aware that with day tours to Ephesus from Izmir you won’t arrive to Ephesus at the opening hour. You’ll get there after that and it will already be crowded by then.

If you book a private tour then you might be able to negotiate your pick up time to arrive at opening. Trust me on this, you want to get there early.

Izmir to Ephesus by train

You can catch the train from the Basmane Train Railway Station in Izmir to Selcuk. This is the Basmane-Denizli line and takes around 1.5 hours to reach Selcuk. Once you arrive, you can walk to the Selcuk Bus station to take a bus to Ephesus or grab a taxi.

The Basmane train station is located near the center of Izmir and it’s the least expensive way to reach Ephesus. There are 8 trains a day that travel to Selcuk from Izmir and it costs just under $3 each way. You can book your ticket in person at the train station or book it online.

If you want to see a map of the rail lines in Turkey to see where else you can take the train, I found a map!

Once you arrive in Selcuk you can either take a taxi or walk the 9 minutes to the bus station. The bus ride to Ephesus takes about 15 minutes.

A map for how to get to the Selcuk Turkey bus station from the Selcuk train station by walking just 9 minutes.

Izmir Airport to Ephesus by train

If you fly into Izmir from Istanbul or somewhere else, you will be just an hour away from Ephesus. Izmir’s airport actually has a train station so it’s really convenient to travel from the airport to Selcuk.

To get to the Izmir Airport’s train station you’ll need to head to the first floor of the airport. There is a direct train to Selcuk from the airport and it costs less than $2. There are 7 trains a day for that option but they are spread out several hours apart so you might have to wait for the next one.

There is another option if you have to wait too long for the Basmane-Denizli train. You can take the commuter train IZBAN to the Tepekoy Station (it’s on the way to Selcuk) which takes 35 minutes. You’ll then transfer to the Selcuk train which takes about 25 minutes to reach Selcuk.

The Izban train leaves from the Izmir airport every 30 minutes or so. Once you get to Tepekoy, trains leave once an hour.

Izmir to Ephesus by Bus

If you’ve arrived at the Izmir Airport there is a shuttle bus from there to Selcuk. You can book your bus ride online before you arrive or show up in person and catch the next available bus.

You’ll go to the site and choose your starting point and where you want to go as well as the date you want to book the bus for. The starting point will be Izmir Airport and once you choose that you’ll then choose where you want to go. You won’t see Selcuk or Ephesus listed but you’ll want to choose Aydin-Kusadasi. It will stop in Selcuk before traveling on to Kusadasi. You’ll also choose a date (not shown below but to the right of “to where”).

Once you do that you’ll be taken to a page where you get to choose the time you want to leave. Make sure you give yourself enough time to get off the plane, get luggage if you need to, and allow some cushion for delays. You can always show up early and get change it to an earlier time if they have seats available.

The Havas bus online booking site to travel to Selcuk from the Izmir airport

Once you choose your time you’ll be taken to the next screen which shows you how much it costs and how long it takes to reach the destination. Note that the FINAL destination is Kusadasi so it takes 1.5 hours to reach that destination. Selcuk is about 20 minutes before that.

It does cost just under $10 so it’s not the cheapeast way to reach Ephesus but it’s pretty straightforward and there’s no switching buses or anything like that.

The route of the Havas bus from Izmir airport to Selcuk

Cappadocia to Ephesus

Cappadocia is one of the most popular places to visit in Turkey and there are several ways to reach Ephesus from Cappadocia.

Cappadocia to Ephesus by plane

Cappadocia’s Kayseri Airport has 6 nonstop flights per week and it’s just a 1.5 hour flight to Izmir. Once you arrive at the Izmir Airport you can then either rent a car, take a bus, take a train, or join a tour to reach Ephesus.

There are many more flights that travel from Cappadocia to Istanbul (1.5 hour flight) then go on to the Izmir Airport. Layovers at Istanbul’s Sabiha Gokcen international Airport (Istanbul has two airports) can range from 1.5 to 7+ hours so you may need to plan carefully so you don’t miss an entire day because of traveling.

Day Trip to Ephesus from Cappadocia

If you’ve made Cappadocia your homebase (we spent 5 days there and didn’t see it all), but want to visit Ephesus on a day trip from Cappadocia, I found a tour for you. I honestly don’t recommend doing it this way because it will be expensive and a very long day but wanted to provide that option.

The tour (with travel time) will take 15-18 hours and you will still need to purchase your entrance tickets.

Where to stay in Ephesus

Ephesus is located just a few miles from the town of Selcuk, the hub for tourists visiting nearby arcaeological sites in the area. It’s the closest town to Ephesus and where the hotels are. There are many restaurants and hotels to choose from.

You’ll find many places to choose from in Selcuk ranging from budget to luxury stays. I like to use Booking.com to book my hotels and you can go to Booking’s Selcuk Turkey page to find everything available there.

I do recommend staying in the area I’ve circled below because it’s within walking distance to many of the restaurants and sites to see in Selcuk. I’ve also marked the way to get to Ephesus in case you are driving yourself.

Map of Selcuk Turkey and the surrounding area

Frequently Asked Questions

How much time do you need to see Ephesus?

Plan on spending at least 2 hours at Ephesus but you could easily spend 3-4 hours at Ephesus.

Is there a dress code for visiting Ephesus?

No, you can wear pretty much anything you want.

Can you visit Ephesus on your own?

Yes, you can visit Ephesus on your own. No need for a tour.

What are some other things to see at Ephesus?

The closest town to the Ephesus ancient city is Selcuk at just 15 minutes away. Other things to see near Ephesus is The House of the Virgin Mary and the Basilica of St. John.

Is there wheelchair access at Ephesus?

Yes, Ephesus is wheelchair accessable however the ancient roads are made of marble and cobblestone and are uneven so it will be bumpy. There are also some hills so you’ll want some help getting around.

Visiting Ephesus Turkey- How to see the best things there - The facade of the Library of Celsus

Similar Posts