Visiting Ephesus (Efes)

It’s funny how things just work out sometimes. This morning we had planned to take an Uber to the top gate of Ephesus (Efes in Turkish). Access from the top gate would have made the walk mostly downhill and much easier. If Uber actually worked here, we would have had a lesser experience.

Instead, we grabbed a dolmuş that dropped us at the lower gate, so we ended up walking to the top and then back down again. It was longer but much more rewarding in the end. We finished our morning very glad that Uber was a failure.

Ephesus is an ancient Greek and later Roman city in the hills near modern-day Selçuk. Many town signs say “Efes” or “Efes Selçuk.” The ruins lie in scrubland about 3 km from our apartment, but were once directly connected to Selçuk. The city dates back over 2,000 years and was abandoned in the 15th century. Excavations began in 1863. If you’d like more detail about Ephesus, here’s the wiki link:

Ephesus Wiki

Our dolmuş dropped us off just after 8 am, right as the gates opened. We had pre-purchased our tickets online, but the queue was short anyway. A quick ticket scan and we walked straight in—no crowds! Since thousands of people, many from Kuşadası cruise ships, visit daily, we knew crowds would come eventually. The ticket price was €40 plus an extra fee on top for a side trip once inside. With a total cost of $224 NZD this is by far our most expensive attraction visit on this trip.

The site is huge and exactly how you’d imagine Greek or Roman ruins: marble, columns, sculptures, and a massive 24,000-capacity theatre. The Grand Theatre is the first major landmark you encounter. It sits at the end of a marble-lined road called Harbour Street, with Marble Road branching off to the side. The theatre itself is closed for restoration, so you can’t climb it right now, but it’s still impressive from below—even if the cranes aren’t great for photos.

We strolled up Marble Road toward the highlight of the visit: the Library of Celsus. It’s big, beautiful, and incredibly impressive—a perfect place for practicing (and failing) at good selfies. 😜

Leaving the library, we headed up Curetes Road toward the top gate. This is where we started encountering the crowds of tour groups. Along the way we passed ancient toilets, temples, houses, basilicas, gates, and fountains. At one point we paused to look at a guidebook photo—it gave a clearer perspective than words could!

At the top gate we found what we thought was a small theatre, but it was actually the Odeon, used as an assembly hall. We climbed its slightly dodgy steps and found ourselves with a shady spot all to ourselves—perfect for morning tea with cheese and crackers. 😂

On the way back down, we revisited things we’d skipped earlier, either because they were crowded or because there was simply too much to take in. Thanks again to Uber for this detour! One big thing we had missed was the Terraced Houses. At first, we thought the covered structure was closed for renovations, but in fact it protects the site. Luckily, we had bought the extra ticket for them.

The Terraced Houses open at 9 am, which explains why we hadn’t noticed them earlier. Only a small percentage of visitors seem to pay the extra €15, but our research suggested it was worth it—and it was. The houses are completely enclosed under a modern structure with glass walkways and stainless-steel gantries. You wander through partially restored homes with mosaics, frescoes, and surprisingly modern conveniences like heated bathrooms and baths. There’s even a small basilica. The elevated exit gave us a brilliant view back across the Library of Celsus.

Before wrapping up, we took a side path out to the Church of Mary, which opens at 10 am. It’s only a 300 m walk from the main site, but far enough that few people seem to bother. We had the whole ruin to ourselves—apart from a couple of sleepy dogs and a cat. Totally worth the extra stroll.

Back at the lower gate, we waited about 30 minutes for our return dolmuş. Thankfully there was plenty of shade and benches. From there we watched the traffic jam of cars and buses lined up at least a kilometre along the access road.

After a short rest at the apartment, we grabbed lunch at the bakery. The afternoon was spent recovering from the walk—blogging, reading, and relaxing. By 4:30 pm we were in town again for a beer and a game of chess. Neither of us is very good, but we know enough to make a decent match. The café had a great atmosphere: groups of friends with drinks, kids playing football in the street, just a relaxed Saturday vibe. After losing enough pieces on both sides, we called it a draw.

Dinner was simple nachos back at the apartment—an easy end to another memorable day.