The ancient city of Ephesus Turkey was alive. Curetes way teemed with the footsteps of thousands, drowned out only by the cacophony of countless voices. The crowds pervaded every corner, leaving not a single alley or stone undiscovered. But where once the hustle was the call of merchants hawking wares, or prophets divining from pulpits, the streets of Ephesus was now replaced by the clamoring and jostling of those looking for the perfect photograph; Togas replaced by T-shirts, and sandals…well, that remains the same.

It’s no wonder that ancient Ephesus, like ancient times, still remains so popular. Like the metropolis that once stood there, Ephesus Turkey is once again the darling of the Aegean.   Albeit for different reasons.

Located along the Aegean, and a stones throw from Selcuk, Ephesus was once an epicenter for commercial Roman and Greek Asia. Now, it enjoys fame as one of the best preserved ruins in all the Mediterranean- and in Turkey, this is no easy task. The caretakers have painstakingly restored Ephesus to allow an immersion unlike many ruins that exist in the Mediterranean, and possibly all of Europe. In Hierapolis Pammukale where sections seem compartmentalize, Ephesus draws you in as you walk the stone streets, making it easy to envision what it must have been like as a citizen of the Roman Empire in 129 BC.

Ephesus even boasts as the location for one of the great seven wonders of the ancient world – the Temple of Artemis. Although this has since fallen into disrepair, Ephesus is a stop that many, especially first time visitors to Turkey, must visit.

Yep, this is all that remains of the Temple of Artemis

And visit they do. It’s popularity, and just the overall quality of this site, will invariably be a huge draw for crowds. Although few opportunities exist for the perfect photo-op (You could always try our photography trick that eliminates tourist), don’t let this dissuade you from including Ephesus on your itinerary. Ephesus, isn’t an exercise for the imagination; it’s a full immersion into the life and times of the Greco-Roman periods.

I’m not an expert of the region by any stretch of the imagination, having visited only once.  For more detail on the area and Turkey in general, I highly recommend reading the Turkishtravelblog.com. Natalie is an expert in all things Turkish and has written and put together some amazing information.

Ephesus Turkey Things to Do and See:

Even though a search online will result in a plethora of websites listing all the popular attractions, I still need to add my voice to the masses! And honestly, you can never have enough photos or suggestions.  This list can literally go on forever, as Ephesus is a potpourri of ancient treasures to the point where it’s almost unfair to the rest of Turkey:

Library of Celsus – the most familiar of all Ephesus structures and the poster child for Turkey tourism, all that remains is the façade. Impressive nonetheless.

Great Theatre – With a capacity to seat 25,000 spectators,  the theatre was the main venue for plays, concerts, gladiator battles and even animal fights.

Public Latrines – yes,  toilets from ancient Ephesus!

Baths of Varius – Still in a state of excavation,  the bathhouses was the place of bathing for citizens, and possibly even used as a gymnasium later on.

Fountain of Pollio – A vanity project built by the rich Pollio family of Ephesus,  it served as a free public water source to residents and visitors of the city.

Temple of Hadrian – Built somewhere around 138 AD as a dedication to the Emperor Hadrian,  what remains is an amazing structure with incredibly intricate friezes. 

Bouleuterion or Odeon - A miniature version of the Great Theatre,  the Odeon was used as a smaller venue for concerts and performances as well as a meeting place for the Senate or Boulea, hence its other name Bouleuterion.

Gate of Mazeus and Mythridates – Adjacent to the impressive Library of Celsus, the gates were built by the slaves Mazeus and Mythridates in homage to their Emperor Augustus.   You’ll see both names carved into the stone above the vaulted passages.

State Agora – An assembly area where the movers and shakers of Ephesus gathered to conduct business and government affairs.

Fountain of Trajan – Built in 104 AD in Honor of Emperor Trajan, it was once the most impressive structure in Ephesus with a fountain surrounded by columns and statues of Dionysus, Satyr, and Aphrodite.

There’s also the Roman Terrace Houses, which during our visit wasn’t open to the public.  From all accounts though, it’s not to be missed.  Read Natalie’s post on the Roman Terrace Houses of Ephesus for more information along with some awesome photos.

How to visit Ephesus

With buses and dolmuses crisscrossing all across Turkey, no destination is unreachable no matter where you might be.   For those coming from Istanbul, Ephesus can be reached directly by 10 hours on bus, giving you a chance to put some entertaining road trip activities to use.   If you do decide to come direct from Istanbul, take the opportunity to stop in Izmir, which will break up the road trip a bit.

The other option, which we took, is by way of Cappadocia. Take a night bus from Istanbul to Cappadocia first, and come back to Selcuk through Pamukkale or Denizli.

Where to Stay in Ephesus:

Selcuk is probably the best place to set up your base hub, and, as I mentioned earlier, is just a stones throw away. You also have the option of staying in Kusadasi, which is a little further south. Personally I suggest Selcuk as a great preamble to the main course as you can visit the Ephesus Museum, the Basilica of St. John, Isa Bey Camii and the less impressive Temple of Artemis (pictured above). Selcuk also has some pretty spot on Food and hostel options.

From Selcuk, taxis to Ephesus run about TL 15, and from Kusadasi just hop on a minibus for about TL 4 and walk about 20 minutes to the ticket office from where they drop you off.

Best time to visit Ephesus

Naturally the summer will be the busiest and most crowded. But Turkey is pretty much always busy since it is a hot spot for travelers after all. However, even during the height of summer, there are times in the day that are more conducive to visiting Ephesus. The general consensus is either early morning right when they open to avoid the large cruise ship tours coming in from Kusadasi, or after 4pm when the tours are leaving.

There is no wrong way to approach Ephesus Turkey, and however you decide to visit, you will not be disappointed.  The only real down side is the never-ending sea of tourists, but if anything, it’s indicative of how awesome this ancient city is – it really is worth it!

Visiting Turkey?  Find out more here:

The Trouble With Visiting Istanbul

Hierapolis – A Worthy Day

How to Find Adventure in Cappadocia

One day is all you need for Pamukkale

The Road To Nowhere – Cappadocia to Pamukkale

The post Ancient Ephesus Turkey, Still Alive and Thriving! appeared first on Blaze Your Adventure.

If you haven’t been to Pamukkale, you’re missing out. Located in western Anatolia in the Denizli region, it’s easily one of the most popular and visited places in Turkey. And for good reason too. The white “cotton castle” of hot springs is a stunning series of terraced travertine pools, created by eons of flowing water and is in stark contrast to the regions brown hills that it sits upon. The Travertine pools are also a gateway to the incredible ancient Greco Roman and Byzantine city of Hierapolis. From the pristine Roman Theatre, to the Martyrium of St Philip the Apostle, you’ll conjure images of a time long past. You can’t go to Turkey without going to Pamukkale. For most, going to Pamukkale is a simple bus ride.

Related Posts: Read about our misadventures trying to get to Pamukkale: The Road to Nowhere

But, one day is all you really need.

The Travertine pools and Hierapolis are downright mind-blowing and are awesome in every sense of the word for the adventurer. And beyond the ruins of the city, you can also take a swim in the ancient pools or meander through the archaeological museum. You would also be hard pressed to find an ancient city so conveniently located to town. But the truth is, after one full day wandering through ancient relics and colonnades, there isn’t really much else to do.

For us, this lesson was learned the hard way. Most guides and tour groups will have this figured out, and will allot no more than a day before they move on providing plenty of time to see the Travertines, the ruins, get some swimming in, and of course the quintessential photo op.  We made the mistake of staying three days in Pamukkale, against the advice of one of our companions who left that same day. Even the town of Pamukkale is remarkably unremarkable. Evidently, even with its proximity to two prime attractions, the town of Pamukkale has very little in terms of offerings. Dominated by a disproportionate amount of Pensions serving both food and accommodations, restaurants have given way to the competition and have done little in creating their own memorable dishes, choosing instead to cater more towards group travel. There’s very little in the town worthy of additional time; the town is efficient but short on quality.

The best way to tackle Pamukkale is on the way back from Cappadocia. Either way you’ll have to spend some time on the bus, but going from Istanbul to Cappadocia first will break up the return trip making it more enjoyable. Plus Pamukkale is geographically located in the center of most destinations you’ll end up visiting next. From Istanbul, you can get a ticket at any of the tour offices in Sultanahmet, and from Cappadocia, you can arrange your tickets at any of the shops around the Goreme bus station. Just be certain that your ticket specifies Denizli. Spend no more than a day visiting the ruins and try to get a bus ticket leaving the same day. During high season, buses from Pamukkale will go directly to destinations like Selçuk, but throughout most of the year you’ll have to get a shuttle to Denizli’s otogar (bus station) and then onwards from there. Denizli’s bus station services popular destinations like Selçuk, Izmir, Fethiye and Antalya.

In retrospect, the town wasn’t all bad. We did manage to get some much needed rest,recuperate from the sunburns and blisters, take in the local narghile bars and get ourselves an Efes! But for those with limited time and who plan on seeing as much of Turkey as possible, one day is all you need in Pamukkale.

Related posts: How to Find Adventure in Cappadocia Turkey

Related Posts: The Trouble With Istanbul – 3 Days is Not Enough

Related Posts: The Road to Nowhere: Cappadocia to Pamukkale

The post One Day is All You Need For Pamukkale appeared first on Blaze Your Adventure.