Last month I had to travel to Izmir and on our way back we decide to visit the city of Ephesus. I didn’t do any research beforehand but I was blown away. Having visited the Acropolis in Athens
Library of Celsus
and many other ruins I was only expecting to see a few artefacts and maybe some restoration work. But, it was incredible and there was so much to see.
Ephesus has been inhabited from at least 6000BC and has been home to Hittites, Greeks, Romans, Ottomans and probably many more. This UNESCO World Heritage site used to be a bustling trade city on the Küçükmenderes River but as this dried up, the city went into decline. In modern times the city has been reconstructed from original material and is home to a Roman-era terrace house, the Library of Celsus, bath complexes and what is believed to be the largest open-air theatre of ancient times.
My first recommendation if visiting would be to arrive early. It is a fairly large and complex site and it (at least currently) closes at 5pm. We managed to visit and then travel to the House of Virgin Mary nearby but only had 20 minutes there. There are a few things to see in this area, including the ruins of the Temple of Artemis which was one of of the Seven Wonders of the World. So if you go make the most of it, go early and see it all.
As you enter the main site there is a large car park which costs less than 10TL for a car. Leaving the car park there are some food stands and gift shops before you reach the ticket entrance. If anyone tells you it will be a 2-3km walk and you should pay for a horse and cart transfer, that isn’t true. If you intend on visiting many museums and attractions during your holiday you may want to look into a multi-ticket, otherwise, a day ticket is fine. It was around 100TL/£10 per person for the main complex and we paid an extra 50TL/£5 to see the Terrace House (definitely worth it). You can also pay at the Terrace House entrance if you change your mind later.
Terrace House
My second recommendation would be to get a guide or extra information in some way. I believe there is an audio guide system however I did not know until later. Once inside you feel like you have gone back in time. The grand architecture, the white paved floors and the layout of the complex all work well in making you feel completely immersed. The place had a power to it that even made me feel emotional at times. That’s why I was a little bit disappointed with the information available on the boards. Luckily we had a friend who’d been with a guide previously and was giving us extra information.
Navigating inside is self-explanatory. You can easily follow the path around and there are signposts to the other areas. If you plan on going in the summer there isn’t much coverage from trees and buildings so you may even want to bring a sun umbrella. There’s also everything you would need inside; drinks, snacks and public bathrooms.
Overall I loved my visit to Ephesus. I could have stayed there for hours longer just sitting and taking everything in. It is sad that its full glory cannot be shown as many of the artefacts are on display in foreign countries such as Germany, Austria and the UK. However, it is definitely worth visiting and it is lovely to see the resources and care that have gone into looking after the site.
