Visiting Ephesus in Turkey: Day Trip to Ephesus from Izmir

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Visiting Ephesus was towards the end of our 10-day Turkey itinerary. We started with cultural sightseeing in Istanbul, then went to explore the surreal landscape in Cappadocia and managed a day trip to Ephesus before spending a few more days in Istanbul. There are Ephesus tours arranged as day trips from Istanbul or Izmir, but we decided to stay overnight near Izmir and do the Ephesus walking tour by ourselves.

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Is it worth visiting Ephesus?

You would think this was quite a detour for a historical site. The ruins of Ephesus are a major tourist attraction and a famous Turkish landmark. Rightly so! This ancient city has seen successive settlements both in the Greek and the Roman era. Ephesus is considered Europe’s most complete ancient city, making it one of the best ancient ruins to see.

Ephesus walking tour, Ephesus day trip — Strolling through the main routes takes you back to what life would have been in this thriving ancient city.

The city was considered one of the most important trading centers in the Mediterranean region.

Ephesus is worth visiting for sure. The highlights can be seen in a couple of hours. You can plan for 1/2 hours more for additional sites like the Terrace Houses, St. John’s Basilica etc.

Best time to visit Ephesus

Spring (April, May) and autumn (September, October) is the best season to visit Ephesus. We visited Ephesus in September on our Turkey trip and it was warm during the day. Summer months are very warm and if you visit Ephesus in summer time, make sure to visit very early in the morning or early evening. You will avoid mid-day crowds and heat this way.

Ephesus site is open from 8 AM until 7 PM in summer moths (April to October) and from 8 AM until 5 PM in winter months.

How to reach Ephesus

The ruins of Ephesus are located just outside the town of Selçuk. We took a direct flight from Kayseri in Cappadocia to Izmir, the closest airport to Ephesus. There are train and bus options as well to arrive at Selcuk.

Base yourself in Izmir: Stay at a boutique property

Most people who for an Ephesus day trip stay in Kusadasi or Selcuk, but we had hit upon a sweet little hotel in the historical Sirince village – Nisanyan Evleri Hotel. We had prearranged an airport pick-up from the hotel. Although this was an expensive option, our flight was late in the evening and we thought it is prudent to not search for our hotel in the dark. Our chosen hotel was not in the village but right at the top of a small hill.

Despite the pre-arrangement, it felt a bit eerie when we got out of Izmir and started climbing the hill roads in Sirince village towards the hotel. It was really late in the night when we reached the property and there was no one to receive us. The taxi driver, who works only for hotel guests, showed us the keys to the room and we fell in bed exhausted.

The next morning rewarded us with a beautiful view of Sirince valley. And we got introduced to the resident peacock, peahen and the goose while having a leisurely breakfast. My daughter, Kaavya couldn’t have been more delighted.

Nisanyan hotel — You never know what will turn up on the grounds of Nisanyan Hotel!

I must admit the stay at Nisanyan added an unexpected charm to our Ephesus day trip. We were hoping to visit major historical ruins, but also got a fabulous stay, delicious authentic food and a charming village in the bargain.

Visiting Ephesus in Turkey

We planned to visit Ephesus ruins post lunch, and later we postponed our Ephesus walking tour to 4 pm. This was a good decision. The sun wasn’t hot and most of the tourist buses had left. Since the site is open till 7 pm, this gave us enough time to wander around this amazing ruin, take pictures and let our daughter spend leisurely time with the (inevitable) cats!

The site is huge and you may wish to take a group or private guided Ephesus tour or even arrange a Ephesus day trip from Izmir. There are small group to visit Ephesus that are meant for cruise passengers. Or choose a private tour from your cruise location.

Check these guided tours or book a skip-the-line-access to this archaeological site –

We visited Ephesus by ourselves and enjoyed the freedom of spending time at each monument as per our choice and gathering information through written signposts. Unless you are a history student, about 3-4 hours is enough for the site.

The main archeological sites

Ephesus is a veritable treasure trove. Everywhere you turn, there is an impressive and well-preserved monument. Excavation and conservation efforts in the past 150 years – which still continue – have revealed many stunning monuments of the Roman Imperial period. I talk about the 3 that impressed me the most.

Most of the Ephesian ruins seen today such as the Giant amphitheater, the Library of Celsus, and the aqueducts were built during the Roman rule.

Visiting Ephesus: Library of Celsus

The imposing two-story facade of the Library of Celsus is perhaps one of the most photographed monuments in Ephesus. The library itself was originally three stories high and entirely faced with colored marble. Along the rear wall was a series of rectangular niches for holding parchment books and scrolls.

Ephesus-amphitheatre-ruins — We saw this amphitheater in the distance!

Visiting Ephesus : Great Theatre

The theatre’s 3 by 22 tiers of seating, divided into sections by 12 stairways, could accommodate an audience of some 25,000. It is particularly impressive, both for its great size and for the excellent state of preservation

Visiting Ephesus: Terrace houses

A separate ticket needs to be taken to visit the terrace houses, but this is well worth the extra fee. The terrace houses are in a large covered complex where archaeology work is ongoing. There is enough written information on the boards to understand the history and importance of the surroundings. The terrace houses of the erstwhile aristocracy are quite well preserved.

The mosaics and frescoes provide a fascinating insight into the lost world of Ephesus.

Some of the best finds from the ancient city of Ephesus are housed in the Ephesus Museum in Selcuk. We skipped this because of the paucity of time. Ephesus is one of the best ancient ruins in Turkey and we enjoyed our evening here.

The hotel taxi picked us up and we were booked for dinner at the hotel restaurant. This turned out to be one of the best meals that we had in Turkey. Next day was an early afternoon flight back to Istanbul.

What to wear to Ephesus

You need sun protection for your visit to Ephesus: use quality sunscreen and wear a hat. You will also do a lot of walking on slippery, smooth, rocky paths, so it is best to wear sports shoes or proper shoes with a good grip. No flip-flops or heels! Here is a complete packing list for Turkey.

There are no shops inside the Ephesus site, only at the entrance. So brig enough water and some snacks to last your day trip.