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Selcuk (Ephesus)
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Selcuk (Ephesus)

The Roman City of Ephesus on Your Doorstep

Plan this trip
2 daysIdeal stay₹3,600From / night₹1,400Food / day₹4,260Entry

A small, friendly town (Selçuk) 3 km from Ephesus (Efes), the best-preserved Roman city in the eastern Mediterranean: the Library of Celsus, the Great Theatre, Marble Street and the Terrace Houses with their mosaics. Also here: the one remaining column of the Temple of Artemis, the Basilica of St John, the Ephesus Museum and the House of the Virgin Mary on the hill. Trains run to Izmir and its airport, and to Denizli for Pamukkale.

Highlights

  • Library of Celsus
  • Great Theatre of Ephesus
  • Terrace Houses mosaics
  • Temple of Artemis column
  • Basilica of St John
  • House of the Virgin Mary
  • Şirince hill village and fruit wines
  • Saturday market in Selçuk

Things to do

  • Ephesus at opening time, top gate to bottomMorning · 3h 30m
  • Terrace HousesMorning · 1h
  • Basilica of St John & Ephesus MuseumAfternoon · 2h
  • House of the Virgin MaryAfternoon · 1h 30m
  • Şirince village & wine tastingEvening · 3h

Tours & tickets

Tours & tickets in Selcuk (Ephesus)via GetYourGuideTours & tickets in Selcuk (Ephesus)via Klook

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When to go

Best time: April – June, September – November

Worth knowing

Summer Heat: 35-40 °C

July and August reach 35-40 °C inland, and the ruins and travertines have no shade. Visit at opening time or in the last two hours before closing, carry water and a hat, and rest at midday.

Worth knowing

Bayram Holiday: Buses and Flights Sell Out

Ramazan Bayramı (about 9-12 March 2027) and Kurban Bayramı (about 16-19 May 2027, often stretched to nine days off) send millions of Turks travelling. Intercity buses and domestic flights sell out and prices jump, coastal hotels fill, and some museums close on the first morning. Book transport and rooms early, and avoid travelling on the first and last days of the holiday.

  • Ramadan (Ramazan) — The fasting month, expected from about 8 February to 9 March 2027. Life for visitors carries on: restaurants, cafes and sights stay open, and alcohol is still sold in tourist areas. In conservative cities (Konya, Mardin) eat discreetly in daylight. At sunset the iftar meal fills restaurants and Sultanahmet's square becomes a night market; drummers wake the neighbourhoods before dawn.
  • Ramazan Bayramı (Eid al-Fitr) — The holiday ending Ramadan (expected about 9-12 March 2027). Millions of Turks travel home: intercity buses and domestic flights sell out and prices jump, so book a few weeks ahead. Some museums close on the first morning; Istanbul's bridges and public transport are often free.
  • Kurban Bayramı (Eid al-Adha) — The four-day feast of the sacrifice (expected about 16-19 May 2027), often stretched to nine days off. The biggest travel rush of the year: buses, flights and coastal hotels book out and fares double, and the Aegean and Mediterranean resorts fill with Turkish families. Avoid moving between cities on the first and last days.

Part of a longer route

Selcuk (Ephesus) is a stop on a curated circuit through Türkiye.

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Cappadocia to Istanbul

Stop 3 of 4 · 10 days · moderate