Things to Do in Ephesus

The iconic two-story marble facade is Ephesus's most photographed monument, built in the 2nd century AD as a tomb and library honoring the Roman official Celsus and once holding thousands of scrolls. Its layered columns and statue niches make it the centerpiece of any visit.

This enormous hillside theatre seated roughly 25,000 spectators and hosted plays, concerts, and civic assemblies, and it is traditionally linked to the biblical riot involving Saint Paul. Climb the steep tiers for a sweeping view down Harbour Street toward the vanished port.

These main colonnaded avenues run through the heart of the city, flanked by column fragments, statue bases, fountains, and old shopfronts. Walking their polished stones gives the clearest sense of daily life in a bustling Roman metropolis.

A protected complex of wealthy Roman residences preserving vivid mosaics, wall frescoes, and marble-clad rooms beneath a modern canopy. This separately ticketed area is the best place to see how the city's elite actually lived.

A small but exquisitely decorated temple on Curetes Street, celebrated for its finely carved arch and mythological reliefs. Its delicate detail makes it one of the most rewarding stops along the route.

In the nearby town of Selcuk, this museum gathers many of the finest finds from the site, including the famous statues of Artemis of Ephesus. It provides essential context for the ruins and shelters treasures too fragile to leave outdoors.

Just outside Selcuk lie the sparse remains of one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, once a colossal marble sanctuary to the goddess Artemis. Today a single re-erected column marks the site where the legendary temple once stood.

Built on Ayasuluk Hill in Selcuk over the reputed tomb of Saint John the Apostle, this 6th-century Byzantine church survives as evocative ruins with fine views over the plain. It remains a significant Christian pilgrimage destination.

Set in wooded hills on Mount Koressos above Ephesus, this small stone chapel is venerated as the final home of the Virgin Mary and draws pilgrims of many faiths. The quiet setting and its spring add to the site's serene atmosphere.

A picturesque hillside village near Selcuk known for its old stone-and-plaster houses, homemade fruit wines, olive oil, and regional produce. It is a lovely place to taste local flavors and browse handmade goods after touring the ruins.

An impressive 14th-century mosque below the Basilica of St. John in Selcuk, built in the transitional style between Seljuk and Ottoman architecture. Its calm courtyard and columns reused from ancient Ephesus reward a short visit.

The commercial agora and the grand, once-illuminated Harbour Street linked the city to its now silted-up port on the Aegean. Strolling here helps you picture Ephesus at its height as a thriving maritime trade hub.