Africa
Americas
Asia
Europe
Oceania
Book your trip
Get expert advice and book your trip with ease.
Book with an expert:
+44 20 76 60 34 10
Need assistance with your trip?
Visit our Help Center
What to see in Turkey
Ephesus
Tourist attractions Ephesus
A dream come true for any classical history buffs, a trip to Ephesus reveals centuries of history, from classical Greece to the Roman Empire, and beyond. Situated in Turkey’s Central Aegean region, close to the modern-day city of Selcuk and easily reached from Kusadasi or Izmir, Ephesus is an open-air museum showcasing some of the most important and best-preserved ruins in the Mediterranean. Nestled in the old estuary of the River Kaystros, a tour of Ephesus is a journey through Hellenistic and Roman cultures, with its grand monuments which once attracted pilgrims from across the Aegean and Mediterranean. Thought to have been founded as far back as 6000 BC, Ephesus was both the capital of Hellenic Greece and, later, the capital of the Roman Empire’s Asian province. Ephesus’ most famous monument is the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, although only fragments of its original ruins remain in Ephesus today.
Theologians and archaeologists have always been enamoured by Ephesus as not only was it constructed in honour of the ancient Greek god, Artemis, it later became an important place of pilgrimage for early Christians. The apostles Paul and John both had ties to the city, and it’s thought that the Virgin Mary lived her final years near the city.
As one of the largest archaeological sites in the eastern Mediterranean, walking through the extensive complex of buildings and ruins it’s easy to imagine the former splendour of magnificent Ephesus.
What to see in Ephesus
The ancient city of Ephesus is sure to leave you captivated by its immense historical significance and magnificent structures. The whole site works together as a whole to reveal its complex story, but there are a few top things to see in Ephesus that cannot be missed!
The Library of Celsus is the most important structure to explore if you travel to Ephesus. An ancient Roman construction, it is strikingly impressive, both in its size and well-preserved state. It was the third largest library in the world during the Roman-era, home to thousands of scrolls, and this marvel of Roman architecture lay in ruins until the 1970s, when archaeologists reconstructed the library from its ruins, returning it to its former glory.
Any tour of Ephesus will include the magnificent Great Theatre. Constructed in the 3rd-century BC and enlarged in Roman times, it would have been used to host concerts, plays, political discussion and gladiator shows and seated up to 25,000 spectators! In recent times, the theatre has hosted concerts by huge international artists, but now it is reserved for more intimate performances in order to help preserve the delicate structures.
Having uncovered the public spaces of this ancient city, be sure to visit the Roman House in Ephesus, which gives visitors an extraordinary insight into the lives of upper-class Romans. Located in the heart of the city under a protective roof, the admission fee is more than worthwhile for the unique opportunity to examine an authentic two-storey Roman villa for yourself.
Finally, if you travel to Ephesus to uncover its spiritual past, be sure to visit the Basilica of St. John, located just 3 kilometres from the main city of Ephesus. Constructed in the 6th-century by the Eastern Roman Emperor Justinian, it is thought to have been built on the original burial site of John the Apostle himself. The ruins of this impressive basilica still hold great importance to Christian pilgrims today.
OUR BEST TRIPS TO EPHESUS
YOU ALSO LIKE
Armenia
Notify me when available
Bahrein
Notify me when available
Israel
Notify me when available
Jordan
7 Trips
Kazakhstan
Notify me when available
Kyrgyzstan
Notify me when available
Lebanon
Notify me when available
Oman
1 Trips
Qatar
Notify me when available
Turkey
9 Trips
Uzbekistan
1 Trips
Cambodia
4 Trips
Thailand
11 Trips
Vietnam
8 Trips
Myanmar
Notify me when available
Indonesia
6 Trips
Malaysia
3 Trips
Philippines
5 Trips
Singapore
3 Trips
Laos
Notify me when available
India
15 Trips
Bhutan
2 Trips
Nepal
5 Trips
Sri Lanka
5 Trips
Maldives
6 Trips
United Arab Emirates
6 Trips
Saudi Arabia
1 Trips
China
5 Trips
Japan
9 Trips
Hong Kong
5 Trips
South Korea
4 Trips
Tibet
Notify me when available
Mongolia
Notify me when available
Taiwan
Notify me when available
Tourist attractions turkey
Points of interests
- Trips to Ankara
- Trips to Antalya
- Trips to Bodrum
- Trips to Çanakkale
- Trips to Cappadocia
- Trips to Ephesus
- Trips to Istanbul
- Trips to Izmir
- Trips to Kaymakli Underground City
- Trips to Konya
- Trips to Kusadasi
- Trips to Pamukkale
- Trips to Troy
Other Points of interests
- Trips to Ajloun Castle
- Trips to Almaty
- Trips to Amman
- Trips to Aqaba
- Trips to Ashdod
- Trips to Beirut
- Trips to Beit She'an
- Trips to Bishkek
- Trips to Bukhara
- Trips to Caesarea
- Trips to Capernaum
- Trips to Dana Nature Reserve
- Trips to Dead Sea
- Trips to Dead Sea
- Trips to Galilee
- Trips to Garni
- Trips to Haifa
- Trips to Jerash
- Trips to Jericho
- Trips to Jerusalem
- Trips to Karakol
- Trips to Khiva
- Trips to Khor-Virap
- Trips to Lake Sevan
- Trips to Little Petra
- Trips to Mount Nebo
- Trips to Muscat
- Trips to Nizwa
- Trips to Noravank
- Trips to Nur-Sultan
- Trips to Pasargada
- Trips to Persepolis
- Trips to Petra
- Trips to Ras al Hadd
- Trips to Red Sea
- Trips to Safed
- Trips to Samarkand
- Trips to Shiraz
- Trips to Tashkent
- Trips to Tehran
- Trips to Tel Aviv
- Trips to Temple Mount
- Trips to Vagharshapat
- Trips to Wadi Rum
- Trips to Wahiba Sands
- Trips to Yadz
- Trips to Yerevan
Countries Nearby
- Armenia Trips
- Bahrein Trips
- Bhutan Trips
- Cambodia Trips
- China Trips
- Hong Kong Trips
- India Trips
- Indonesia Trips
- Israel Trips
- Japan Trips
- Jordan Trips
- Kazakhstan Trips
- Kyrgyzstan Trips
- Laos Trips
- Lebanon Trips
- Malaysia Trips
- Maldives Trips
- Mongolia Trips
- Myanmar Trips
- Nepal Trips
- Oman Trips
- Philippines Trips
- Qatar Trips
- Saudi Arabia Trips
- Singapore Trips
- South Korea Trips
- Sri Lanka Trips
- Taiwan Trips
- Thailand Trips
- Tibet Trips
- Turkey Trips
- United Arab Emirates Trips
- Uzbekistan Trips
- Vietnam Trips
Trip Styles
- Indian Subcontinent Tours for Couples Trips
- Indian Subcontinent Nature Tours Trips
- Adventure in India's Natural Beauty Trips
- Indian Ocean Nature Holidays Trips
- India Couples Tours - Exoticca Trips
- Family India Trips
- Indonesia Nature Travel Packages Trips
- Family Japan Trips
- Romantic Getaways with Exoticca Trips
- Nepal Nature Holiday Packages Trips
- Philippines Nature Tours Trips
- Family Thailand Trips
- Thailand Nature Holiday Packages Trips
- Turkey Tours for Couples Trips
- Vietnam Nature Holiday Packages Trips
Subscribe to our newsletter and join Exoticca GO
The best travel deals
Exclusive promotions
Expert travel tips