How do you get from Izmir to Ephesus?Going from Izmir to Ephesus Selcuk is the modern name for Ephesus. It is a small town having a population of 35 thousand. Selcuk is 62km south of Izmir. It is an hour drive from Izmir Airport. Havas have shuttles for flights. Selcuk is also accessible by train from Izmir Airport and Izmir downtown (Basmane). Train travel is the most inexpensive way to travel from Izmir to Ephesus. Izmir Train Station is located in downtown Izmir and if you are a good walker Ephesus is within walking distance from Selcuk (Ephesus) Train Station, approximately 6km away. Train travel is not the most luxurious option but it is adventurous and enjoyable. The train rides through fertile farm lands and urban towns. It is an enjoyable way to see Turkish countryside and local life. The same train also go to Denizli where Pamukkale (Hierapolis) is located. The Train schedule between Izmir, Izmir Airport and Selcuk Town (Ephesus) is as follows: Izmir to Ephesus Train Izmir Basmane Train Station >> > Selcuk (Ephesus) Train Schedule  Train Schedule from Izmir to Ephesus Selcuk * For travellers who will be staying at hotels in Basmane district, we recommend them to take the 7.05am train from Basmane train station which will arrive to Selcuk at 8.33am. Our Ephesus tour guide and vehicle can meet you at Selcuk train station. After your private Ephesus tour you will be dropped back to Selcuk train station for your return journey. Return train will leave Selcuk at 15.50 and arrive Izmir Basmane Train station at 17.22.  Ephesus Selcuk to Izmir Basmane Train Schedule Unfortunately, buying the TCDD (Turkish Railways) ticket online is not very convenient and also there is no need to pre purchase the train tickets. Travelers can obtain the train tickets at the train stations. Current cost of the tickets: Izmir Basmane - Selcuk (Ephesus): 32tl per person (1.6 Euro) Izmir to Ephesus with IZBAN Addition to TCDD trains, Izmir Municipality Izban electric trains also connect Izmir downtown and Izmir Adnan Menderes Airport with Selcuk town (Ephesus). There are still no direct Izban trains to Selcuk town. Travellers has to switch trains at Tepekoy station. From Izmir downtown and Izmir Airport to Tepekoy from 6am until 12.00am every 20 minutes there is a Izban train. From Tepekoy to Selcuk is not very frequent, only 10 times a day. Current timetables of Izban trains between Tepekoy and Selcuk is as follows:  Tepekoy-Selcuk Izban Schedules  Selcuk Ephesus Train Station - Meeting point with your Ephesus Tour Guide Going from Izmir to Ephesus by bus is also possible. There are buses between Izmir Otogar to Selcuk Bus Station. The buses run every hour. It would take approximately an hour drive from Izmir to Ephesus (Selcuk). Izmir Otogar is located outside Izmir City Center. Izmir Izban stations and TCDD station is located downtown. Therefore, we recommend taking a train instead of taking a bus. For travelers, who would travel with train from Izmir downtown or Izmir airport, we can meet them at Selcuk Train Station, after a private tour of Ephesus we can take them to their hotel in Kusadasi, Selcuk, Sirince Village or take them back to Selcuk train station. For private Ephesus Tours from selcuk train station, please contact us. * If you do not have a rental car and staying in Selcuk or coming to Selcuk with train. We offer private walking tours of Basilica of St. John, Temple of Artemis, Terrace Houses and the Ancient City of Ephesus. For more information, please contact us.  Hire a tour guide in Ephesus  Ephesus transfer from Izmir Airport
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On his return journey from Corinth, Paul came to the city of Ephesus to fulfill his promise after a short visit, and he came back and Paul stayed in Ephesus about 2.5 years between 53-56AD.
St. Paul frescoe at the Cave of St. Paul
Cave of St. Paul in Ephesus
During the excavations at Ephesus, more than 3,500 inscriptions have been found. Some of the most interesting are in a small cave on the slope of Bülbül Mountain (Nightingale Mountain). According to a local legend, when St. John brought the Virgin Mary to Ephesus from Jerusalem, they had no place to stay. John found this cave and hid Mary there for her safety. It was not until some time later that John located a more suitable home for Mary higher up on the mountain, known as Panaya Capoulu. In more recent years, the cave has been re-named “the Cave of St. Paul” due to the frescoes and inscriptions on the walls which refer to St. Paul.
The cave has been a Christian sacred site since the 1st or 2nd century. The walls were decorated with frescoes and inscriptions and white-washed several times, then re-painted with new images. Discovered under plaster on the walls are important 5th-century frescoes, with inscriptions, depicting the Virgin Mary, St. Paul and St. Thecla (a female disciple of Paul). This is the only known depiction of St. Paul at Ephesus and the earliest known appearance in the world of Paul and Thecla together. The cave was discovered by a group of priests in 1892, while looking for the tomb of the Virgin Mary. Under the layers of plaster on the corridor walls are Greek phrases such as “the hidden of Mother of God” and “Paul help your servant”-written in charcoal and chalk. To protect these delicate and ancient wall frescoes, the cave is not open to the public. Unfortunately this site can not be visited during the tours of Ephesus. What did St Paul do in Ephesus?
The first Christian congregation in Ephesus was founded by St John the Apostle and expanded by St Paul. On his return journey from Corinth, Paul came to the city of Ephesus to fulfill his promise after a short visit, and he came back and stayed for about two and a half years between 53-56AD. Most likely St. Paul wrote the Corinthians No.1 letter in Ephesus at this time period. When Paul came to Ephesus, he preached the gospel in the synagogue of Ephesus and the hall of Tyrannus. Tyrannus was an owner of a lecture hall at Ephesus. All this information is mentioned in the New Testament, in the book of Acts of the Apostles (19:9). The Ephesus Church, leaded the Seven Churches in the Asia Minor (Western Turkey today).
What happened to Paul at Ephesus?
By St. Paul’s efforts, in a short time, Ephesus became the third important city of Christianity after Jerusalem and Antioch. Christianity quickly gained popularity in Ephesus. The popularity of this new religion concerned some people in Ephesus. The silversmith Demetrius and others, who made a living by selling and making silver statues of Mother Goddess Artemis, were very upset. Demetrius and his colleagues provoked thousands of people and met them at the Ephesus theater and started a big riot in 56AD. The crowd was shouting "The Great Artemis of Ephesians". St Paul wanted to face the crowd, but the disciples didn't let him. Finally, the city clerk calmed down the crowd. Probably St. Paul was jailed in Ephesus for a while before he departed to North. It is obvious that Ephesus had an important role in Christianity. Both St. John and St. Paul was in Ephesus but neither of them were in Ephesus at the same time. In the New Testament, there are 13 letters of St. Paul. During his house arrest in Rome in 61 AD, St. Paul mailed 3 letters to the city of Ephesus: Timothy No.1, Timothy No. 2 and Ephesians. Paul's letters tended to be written in response to certain crises. Ephesus Church, most probably was facing major difficulties and St. Paul was aware of these. Timothy was one of the disciples of St. Paul. St. Paul met with Timothy during his missionary journeys in Lystra. Afterwards Timothy joined Paul and Silas, and they travelled together to the city of Ephesus. After Paul had to leave the city of Ephesus. Timothy became the head of the Christian Community in Ephesus. He is considered to be the first bishop of Ephesus. Although not stated in the bible, according to some apocryphal gospels, Timothy was martyred in Ephesus in 97AD when he was 80 years old. Probably Timothy met with St. John the Apostle , although there is no mention of this in the New Testament. The Companions of Paul who lived in Ephesus
We offer private biblical tours of Ephesus, focused on St. Paul and conducted by expert Ephesus tour guides. For more information, please contact us.
Documentary of Cave of St. Paul in Ephesus: History of Ancient Miletus and Didyma - Private Miletus Didyma ToursMiletus, in the archaic period known as the ruler of the Aegean, birthplace of science and philosophy. Owed its importance to its position on trade routes and developed seamanship. According to Homer Miletus was the exceptional Ionian city that fought against the Greeks with the Trojans. Miletus is one of the 12 ionian cities located in Western Turkey. Visited by St. Paul and mentioned in Acts Chapter 20. Miletus was located by the river Meandros where English word meandering also originated from. The length of the Meandros River is 550 km. Sourced from Denizli Province and has been silting up the bay where Miletus and Priene cities are located. First settlement dates back to 1600 BC by Minoans and Mycenaeans. According to the legend, the city was founded by Neleus, son of King Codrus of Athens. The residents were Carians and Cretans who moved here from a city having the same name. Neleus came to settle with his men and killed the resident males, forcing the women to marry the newcomers. After this took place the women swore not to sit at the same table with their husbands and also not to call them by their names and this became a tradition for the next generations. The city is also mentioned in the Hittite inscriptions as Milawanda. In the 11th century BC Ionians came to Miletus, and by 7th century BC Miletus was at its peak which was to last for more than two centuries. Miletus colonized over 90 cities such as Sinope, Amissos, Trapezos... located at the Black Sea shores of Anatolia. With other cities of Ionia in 499 BC, Miletus rebelled against the Persians, who had captured, burned it to the ground and enslaved its surviving population. This last battle was that of Lade (Island of Lade) in 494 BC, just outside the harbor of Miletus where the Persian fleet of 600 warships defeated the Ionian force. The role of Miletus was significant in the defeat of the Persians at the Mycale battle in 479 BC. Shortly after the battle, Miletus joined the Delian Confederacy with a contribution larger than that of Ephesus. Miletus joined this alliance with 80 ships while Priene was joined with 12 ships. Upon an agreement between the Persian Satrap and Athens, Miletus and other Ionian cities of Anatolia came under the rule of the Persians again. At the end of the 5the century BC Miletus, was ruled by the Carian satraps. Captured by Alexander the Great after a siege in 334 BC. Miletus were among the cities who fought with Persians against Alexander's Army and defended their land. After being ruled by the Seleucid Dynasty in the following years, Miletus remained an important trade center in Roman times. In the Hellenistic period, Miletus was one of the largest cities in Anatolia with a population of between 80,000 and 100,000. Highly prosperous, it founded many colonies and was the home of the 6th century BC philosophers Anaximander, Anaximenes, and Thales, the town planner Hippodamus and architect Isidorus. Miletus seems to have produced geniuses the way Aphrodisias produced sculptors. Anaximander known as the father of geography by drawing the first map of the world. Thales was the most important among them. He was considered to be one of the 7 geniuses of the Ancient World as well as Bias of Priene and Solon of Athens. In 585 BC by calculating the solar eclipse, he became very famous. He believed that the source of life and living creations is out of water. He also calculated the height of the pyramids. Furthermore, he managed this by checking up with help of the length of a person's shadow. In the day time when a person's shadow was equal to his height, he made the calculations with the Pyramids. How far is Miletus from Ephesus?Miletus is 50 miles away from Ephesus. After the riot took place in the theater of Ephesus. St, Paul was kicked out from the city of Ephesus. He traveled north to Troas, Assos, Mitylene. Chios. Samos, St. Paul stopped in Miletus in 57 AD on his way back to Jerusalem at the end of his third missionary journey. In Miletus Paul sent a message to the leaders of the church in Ephesus to join him in Miletus, and after speaking with them for the last time he bade them an emotional farewell. Paul warned them that he faces persecution and imprisonment when he returns to Jerusalem. Paul boarded his ship in Miletus and sailed off via Cos, Rhodes, Patara to Jerusalem. The Roman period was followed by Byzantine and Turkish periods. Miletus was a major port city located on a peninsula with four harbors. With the silting of the Meander River the ruins of the ancient city today are a few kilometers away from the sea. The city had a grid plan which was developed by Hippodamus when it was rebuilt in the 3rd century BC after the Persians had sacked it. The Theater was a small Hellenistic theater with a seating capacity of 5,300, but in the beginning of the 2nd century AD it was modified to a Roman theater and held about 15,000 people. The lower section was built onto a natural hillside, and the upper is supported by vaulted substructures up to a height of 131 ft. The facade facing the harbor was 460 ft long. During the Roman period the stage building had three stories and was 111 ft wide. In front of the stage building it is still possible to see pieces depicting gladiators fighting against wild animals. From the 3rd row till the 6th, carvings show that some seats were reserved for some persons and groups. The 5th row was reserved for the Jews and Theosebes (God-fearers) who are afraid of God and the 3rd row for the Jewelers. The Theosebes were Jewish sympathizing pagans with beliefs and rituals of their own. The Theosebes were one of the key groups that received the attention of St. Paul and his mission.  Reserved seat inscription for for the Jews and Theosebes at the Miletus Theater At the top of the theater hill was a Byzantine fortress which is thought to have been built mostly with the stones of the theater in the 7th century AD but restored later by a Turkish tribe called Mentese Ogullari. Harbor monuments stood in front of the Lions’ Harbor. There were two of them; different in size but similar in style. The large piece was 25 ft high, mounted on a three-cornered base built on a round foundation with a diameter of 36 ft. The smaller one was only 17.5 ft. The Delphinium was a Hellenistic open air shrine surrounded by stoas on four sides with a 6th century BC altar in the center. Together with Apollo, the dolphin was sacred for the Milesians as they believed that when the first settlers sailed they were guided by Apollo in the form of a dolphin. The annual festival and celebrations of Didyma were started here. An Ionic Stoa lay parallel to the processional road on the south of the Delphinium. It is a 1st century AD structure which had 35 Ionic columns and 19 shops behind the columns. Delphinios name meaning Dolphin in Greek is also correlated with Delphoi of Greece. According to the legend, Apollo, who needed priests for his temple, saw a Cretan ship at the horizon. He turned himself into a dolphin and led the seamen where the temple was located. The Bouleterion was a 2nd century BC building which consisted of a pro pylon, a courtyard and an auditorium. The pro pylon had three Corinthian columns and friezes depicting war scenes. It opened into a courtyard with a monumental tomb in the middle. There were four gates that opened into the main hall. The auditorium seated 1,500 people and had a wooden roof. The Nymphaeum was first built in the 2nd century AD and rebuilt in the following century. It faced the bouleuterion across the processional road and had three stories with statues of gods placed in niches and water spouting from the mouths of bronze fish. The South Agora lay behind the bouleuterion. It was a Hellenistic structure which was later remodeled in the Roman period. Today the North Gate is unfortunately another of the gems from Anatolia currently housed in the Pergamon Museum in Berlin. The South Gate was destroyed during the construction of Ilyas Bey mosque. The Temple of Serapis lay between the south Agora and the Faustina baths. It consisted of a pronaos and a naos with Corinthian columns and a relief of Serapis on the pediment. The temple was a 3rd century BC building which was rebuilt in the 3rd century AD with a donation by Emperor Marcus Aurelius. The Baths of Faustina were 2nd century AD Roman baths which were built by Faustina, Marcus Aurelius’ wife, daughter of Antonius Pius who usually accompanied her husband on his journeys through the Empire. Faustina was famous for wasting the Roman treasury. The frigidarium had a reclining statue of the river god probably personifying the Meander River. The baths are a complex structure with Gymnasium and Stadium located next to it. Caldarium was heated by hypocaust system underground heating was practiced. Ground was over 2 feet high legs. The hot air was going through which was gathered by boiling water in the furnaces. The Ilyas Bey Mosque was part of a complex which consisted of a mosque, medrese, cemetery and an imaret. It was built in the early 15th century by Ilyas Bey, the regional Ottoman military commander. The dome of the mosque was made of bricks. At the entrance are three arched partitions separated by two columns. The entrance is through the center arch. The mosque was destroyed in 1955. The Caravansary is a 15th century building built by the Mentese Principality which had a lower floor for animals and an upper for people. The Apollo Temple in DidymaThe word Didyma meant "twins' ' and was associated by some as being the meeting place of Zeus and Leto to have their twins Apollo and Artemis. Didyma was famed as a prophecy center dedicated to Apollo which served a similar purpose as the Delphi of Anatolia. It was not a city but a sanctuary linked to Miletus by Milesians with a 12 miles sacred road. However, this road was constructed at the end of the 1st century AD during the reign of Trajan. Before his reign citizens of Miletus used to sail to Panormos and then walk to the temple. In addition to pilgrimages made by sea, some festivals of drama, music and sports were held there every four years. Even though it is thought that there was a shrine there before the Ionians came in the 10th century BC, a temple at the same site was built in the 6th century BC. According to the legend, it was founded and ruled many years by a noble family called Brankhidai who migrated here from Delphoi. Later destroyed by the Persians in 494 BC. In the 4the century BC Milesians started to rebuild the temple but could not complete it because of financial difficulties. When Alexander was in Didyma, it is prophesied that Alexander is the son of Zeus and will have a victory in Gaugamela. In the 1st and 4th centuries AD Roman emperors tried but could not complete the construction either. Later in the Byzantine period Theodosius II had a church built in the open air courtyard which was destroyed by an earthquake in the 15C AD. Jesus' identity whether he is a god or a human was also consulted at Apollon temple. The answer was "he was a human when he was alive''. Among the people who were consulting there were villagers as well as kings and commanders. Even in its unfinished state the Apollo Temple was regarded as one of the largest temples of the Hellenistic world, comparable to the Artemis Temple in Ephesus or the Heraion at Samos. The temple was 360 ft long and 167 ft wide with a height of 78 ft. It is a dipteros in Ionic order with 120 columns 108 of them surrounding the building by a double row and 12 in the pronaos. Because of its gigantic size, it never had a roof. As George Bean points out in Aegean Turkey, the Apollo Temple "serves as a reminder that vastness in architecture was not purely a monopoly of the Romans''. It was an unusual temple, not only because of its huge size but also for its antechamber with two Corinthian columns and two tunnels that led into the cellar. The antechamber which was also termed as Cresmographeion probably served as an oracle office where prophecies were written out and delivered to people. In the middle of the temple there is an open air courtyard (adyton) with another Ionic shrine which housed the cult statue of Apollo. There were a few hot springs where the priestess of Didyma immersed her feet or inhaled the water’s vapors for inspiration before prophesying. The huge Medusa relief standing next to the temple is a 2nd century AD piece which has fallen off the frieze. A little further stand the remains of an altar and a well. Before asking for a prophecy from the priests in the pronaos, people purified themselves with water from the well and gave votive offerings in the altar. They were not allowed to go near the head nun Phytia. Priests called Hexametron were putting the verbal explanations of Phytia into words. The sacred water and the vapor was the source of prophecy. Hexametrons were considered to be the highest rank officers in the city of Miletus. They were elected and had to live in Didyma during their service period. Next to Apollon temple there was a temple dedicated to Artemis and a stadium. The steps of the temple were used as seats to the stadium. Names for the reserved seats can still be noted. We offer private tours of Miletus and Didyma. In these private tours, besides Miletus we also stop at Ancient City of Priene or Domatia (Doganbey) Village. For more information, please contact us.
Sirince once was a Greek Orthodox village,
Sirince once was a Greek Orthodox village, 7 Miles away from Ancient city of Ephesus (current Selcuk town) and 20 miles away from Kusadasi. Sirince was once called Cirkince (ugly). The name is especially chosen to distract people from moving to the village.
How old is Sirince?
First foundation of the village dates back to the 1st century. Early christians of Ephesus escaped to the village to be protected from prosecutors. The village stayed as a Greek Orthodox Village until the exchange agreement between Republic of Turkey and Greece in 1924. During this exchange Greeks living in Turkey were exchanged with Turks living in Greece. This was a forced migration of both sides at the post war period of WW1. Turkish families mainly from Kavala region moved to the area. Greek families who moved from the village founded a new town named as "Nea Efesos'' (Νέα Έφεσος) The official name change of the village was in the early years of the Republic of Turkey. Name of the village changed from Cirkince to Sirince. Until 20 years ago, the main industry of the village was agriculture. Because of its unique historical background, beauty. Since the village name was mentioned many times in novels and travel shows and documentaries, Sirince Village today is a very touristy site. What is Sirince famous for? Today the main industry is tourism. A lot of village homeowners converted their homes into restaurants, hotels and shops. Sirince Village, today is known with olives and peaches grown in july and fruit wines. Fruit wines are sweet wines, more like dessert wine. The most popular fruit wine from Sirince is black mulberry. Visitors can also find lots of herbal products such as lavender teas, sage, bay leaves, olive oil soap bars, olive oil lotions. Today the village is a perfect synthesis of Turkish-Greek culture. Visitors may enjoy taking pictures of old Greek homes. Most of them today are being restored and turned into small hotels. There are two abandoned Greek Orthodox Churches from the 19th century. On the weekends, Sirince becomes so crowded with Turkish visitors from big cities like Izmir and Aydin. Our recommendation is to visit this village during the weekdays. For the visitors there are many restaurants and small hotels. 
Sirince Village
Is Sirince worth visiting?
For travelers, traveling to Kusadasi, Selcuk and Izmir, we recommend to visit Sirince Village. A visit to Sirince is highly recommended after visiting Ephesus on a day trip. But it is best to spend the night in Sirince. This hidden gem in Turkey really comes alive when the sun goes down. For travelers who are overnighting in Sirince Village, we provide private Ephesus Tours from Sirince and also we offer private tours of Ephesus including visit to Sirince Village. If requested private airport transfers from Izmir Airport to Sirince Village. For more information, contact us.
Admission Fees / Entry Ticket Costs for Ephesus and the nearby Attractions
Enjoy the best of Ephesus with a Licensed Tour Guide Kusadasi taxi to Ephesus - How much is a taxi from Kusadasi to Ephesus?There are taxis available outside the Port of Kusadasi. It takes 25 minutes drive to go to the Ancient City of Ephesus and House of Virgin Mary from Kusadasi Port. There is no set fare for taxis. The prices are negotiable. The approximate cost is 80 Euro. it depends on whether you want the taxi to wait for you while you tour the site or not. It is almost as cheap to do a private guided tour of Ephesus. We offer reasonably priced private tours of Ephesus from Kusadasi Port and Kusadasi Hotels. The prices would be little more than a taxi, but you will be transported with a recent model AC Mercedes Vehicle and a fluent English speaking licensed private tour guide. You can maximize your limited time with a professional Ephesus tour guide. Our team of expert Ephesus tour guides are specially selected, monitored and trained to maximize our clients experiences. There are lots of advantages of a private tours. You decide when and where you want to stop, what you want to see, and how long you want to visit the different sites. Also, you can time your visits to the key attractions, to avoid the massive crowds from the cruise ships. A private tour will give you more flexibility in choosing your itinerary which is useful if you want to explore the ancient city of Ephesus. Private Ephesus tours are also usually custom tours, where the guests decide where they wish to visit. We believe that your Ephesus tour guide will be one of the most important parts of your cruise. That is why we only use local experts who have a history of working with our clients and whom we know personally. They speak perfect English and are experts on Ephesus. We are extremely demanding in choosing our Ephesus tour guides and are confident that your Ephesus tour guide will be one of the most memorable aspects of your cruise. We believe that the private tour will be the safest way to travel as your Ephesus tour guide will accompany you all the time. They will take care of everything about your Ephesus tour. For more information, please contact us. 2023 entrance fee and opening hours for House of Virgin Mary in Ephesus, Turkey House of Virgin Mary in Ephesus The House of the Virgin Mary is located 9 kilometers from Selcuk on Mount Bülbül. It is believed that 4 or 6 years after Jesus' crucifixion, St. John brought Virgin Mary to Ephesus. In 1891 the Lazarist priests discovered that this is the house where Virgin Mary spent her last days, after the dream of the German nun Katherina Emerich. This cross and dome-shaped structure was later restored. After the visit of Pope Paul VI in 1967 to the house, the site is considered sacred by Christians and Muslims. Every year on August 15th. The Assumption ceremonies are held on this day and attract many devoted visitors. 2023 entrance fee for House of Virgin Mary is 200 Turkish Liras per person. 200 Turkish Liras is approximately 10.5 US$ or 10 Euros. Credit Card (Visa and Mastercard payments are accepted. ) Opening Hours for House of Virgin Mary: November-February: 08.00-17.00 March-October: 08.00-18.00 Holy Mass is held every day, from Monday to Saturday at 5:15 pm (November to March) and 6:15 pm (April to October). The Sunday Mass is held at 10:30 am (in English). We provide private tours of House of Virgin Mary and Ephesus. For more information please visit the following link: Private Tours of Ephesus or contact us 2022 Entrance Fees and Opening HoursEphesus, House of Virgin Mary and the nearby attracionsHow much is the entrance fee for Ephesus ?
Except Terrace Houses, there is no admission fee for children under 8 years old. For the proof of age, please bring passport copies with you. For Terrace Houses under 6 year old is free of charge. * If you are going to visit other sites besides Ephesus in Western Turkey. There is a Museum Pass which provides multi visits to many sites without waiting in lines and you can make great savings. Valid for Ancient city of Ephesus, Basilica of St. John, Terrace Houses in Ephesus, Archaelogical Museum of Ephesus, Ancient city of Aphrodisias, Temple of Didyma, Ancient city of Smyrna, Ancient City of Miletus, Ancient City of Priene, Ancient City of Sardis, Ancient City of Pergamon, Asklepion of Pergamon and many others. For more information visit the following link: Museum Pass the Aegean - Multi visit pass for West Turkey Is Ephesus open every day? Ephesus is open to visitors every day of the week, and visiting hours may vary depending on the summer and winter seasons. It is closed until noon on the first day of religious holidays. What time Ephesus open? Ephesus Ancient City - Basilica of St. John - Archaeogical Museum of Ephesus
Terrace Houses
House of Virgin Mary
The best way to visit Ephesus is to hire a Ephesus Tour Guide that is reliable and professional.  How much does it cost to go to Ephesus?
Izmir to Pamukkale by trainPamukkale by Train from/to Izmir Airport, Izmir City Center and Selcuk (Ephesus). Izmir to Pamukkale via Ephesus.  Pamukkale Train from Izmir Train is the cheapest way to travel from Izmir Airport and Izmir City Center and Selcuk (Ephesus) to Pamukkale though not the fastest way to travel. Trains run between İzmir (Basmane station), İzmir’s Adnan Menderes Airport (ADB), Selçuk (Ephesus), and Denizli (Pamukkale). Turkish Railways (TCDD) operates a train from Izmir Basmane Train Station and Izmir Airport (ADB) and Selcuk (Ephesus) to Pamukkale 6 times a day. Tickets cost approximately 5 Euros. The journey takes approximately 3.5 hours from Selcuk, 4.5 hours from Izmir Airport and 5 Hours from Izmir City Center. Visit Ephesus on the way from Izmir to PamukkaleTravelers who would like to go to Pamukkale by train from Izmir Airport and Izmir City Center on the way can visit Ephesus Ancient City, Temple of Artemis, House of Virgin Mary and Basilica of St. John. We do operate private tours starting and ending at Selcuk Train Station. For travelers who will be staying at Izmir City Center hotels, we recommend them to take the 7.10am train from Basmane train station and for those arriving to Izmir AIrport, can take this train at 7.32am. This train will arrive at Selcuk (Ephesus) at 8.34am. Our tour guide and vehicle can meet you at Selcuk train station. After the tour you will be dropped back to Selcuk train station for your journey to Pamukkale which leaves Selcuk Train Station at 1.55pm. The train will arrive at Pamukkale (Denizli) at 5.30pm. After reaching Denizli Train Station, you can board a shared minibus or a taxi to Pamukkale. Similar program can be made for travelers who stay in Pamukkale. Travelers can take the 8.25am train from Denizli Train Station which will arrive at Selcuk (Ephesus) at 11.50. Our tour guide and vehicle can meet you at Selcuk train station. After the tour you will be dropped back to Selcuk train station for your journey to Izmir Airport or Izmir City Center which leaves Selcuk Train Station at 7.49pm. The train will arrive at Izmir AIrport at 8.46pm and Izmir Basmane Train Station at 9.09pm.  Ephesus Tour from Selcuk Train Station For more information about our tours starting and ending at Selcuk (Ephesus) Train Station, please visit the following link: Private Ephesus Tours from Selcuk Hotels and Selcuk Train Station Izmir - Izmir Airport - Ephesus - Pamukkale (Denizli) Train Schedule Pamukkale - Ephesus - Izmir Airport - Izmir Train Schedule Pamukkale to Ephesus Train Schedule Frequently Asked QuestionsQ1 - I wish to ask about the tour from Izmir city Centre to Pamukkale via Ephesus. When the guide picks you up at Selcuk, does he take our suitcases as well, and keep them until we go back to the station? How much is this tour please? We wish to travel in April 2022. Thank you. > As I understand, you would like to take the train from Izmir Train Station to Selcuk (Ephesus) Train Station. After the tour of Ephesus. We will drop you back to Selcuk (Ephesus) Train Station for your journey to Denizli (Pamukkale) The tour will be conducted with a MPV. Your luggages will be kept in the vehicle during your private tour of Ephesus. There will be a separate driver and a tour guide. While you will be touring with the tour guide, our driver will keep an eye on your belongings. Cost of private tour of Ephesus starting and ending at Selcuk Train Station: 100 Euro (Total to be paid for your party of 2) * Above rate is NOT a per person rate. It is total to be paid for your group. Rates Cover:
Rates Do Not Cover:
Multi visit pass for Western TurkeyValid for Ancient city of Ephesus, Basilica of St. John, Terrace Houses in Ephesus, Archaelogical Museum of Ephesus, Ancient city of Aphrodisias, Temple of Didyma, Ancient city of Smyrna, Ancient City of Miletus, Ancient City of Priene, Ancient City of Sardis, Ancient City of Pergamon, Asklepion of Pergamon, Hierapolis (Pamukkale), Ancient city of Laodicea and many others.  Museum Pass The Aegean The Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism issued multi visit passes for the museums and sites located at the Aegean Region (Western Part) of Turkey. Museum Pass Aegean is available to foreign visitors and residents at museum and archeological site ticket offices. All you need is your passport and 360 Turkish Liras. Payment can be made in cash and with visa or mastercard. Museum Pass the Aegean will save travellers time and money. Travellers will not be waiting in lines to purchase tickets at the museums. Travellers can visit multiple museums and sites within a week time. Museum Pass the Aegean is valid for 7 days. Travellers can make great savings with good itinerary planing. Museum Pass Aegean costs 360 Turkish Liras. Museum Pass the Aegean will allow you free entrance to all museums and archeological sites operated by the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism in the provinces of İzmir, Aydın and Muğla, which cover Ancient city of Ephesus, Basilica of St. John, Terrace Houses in Ephesus, Archaelogical Museum of Ephesus, Ancient city of Aphrodisias, Temple of Didyma, Ancient city of Smyrna, Ancient City of Miletus, Ancient City of Priene, Ancient City of Pergamon, Asklepion of Pergamon, Hierapolis (Pamukkale), Ancient city of Laodicea and many others. * Note that House of Virgin Mary in Ephesus and Ancient City of Sardis, are not covered by Museum Pass Aegean. Hire a tour guide in Ephesus History of Ancient SmyrnaSmyrna is the ancient name of Izmir which the third largest city of Modern Turkey. Located 600km south of Istanbul, the largest city of Modern Turkey. The ancient name Smyrna was believed to be the name of an Amazon woman warrior like many other cities in the Aegean coastline.  Remains of Ancient Smyrna, the basement of the Agora. For some historians, Phyrigian King Tantalos and his family were the legendary founders of the city. The daughter of Tantalos; Niobe had 7 sons and 7 daughters. Leto who had only 2 children got embarrassed by Niobe. The twins of Leto; Artemis and Apollo killed 14 children of Niobe. Niobe was so upset that she want over to Mt. Spylos and turned into a stone. Tantalos was very much liked by the gods. One day he invited them to a feast. To check their power he had his son Pelops cooked and served to the gods. Demeter who was upset with loss of her daughter; Persephone was the only one who ate. After this event the gods punished Tantalos and sent him to Hades. His punishment was to be thirsty in the middle of a lake. While he tried to drink water, the lake became dry. Gods gave Pelops his life back. After a while Pelops sacked from Spylos and founded Pelopenessos. First settlement of the area goes back to 3rd millennium BC in Bayrakli today. It was an Aiolian settlement during the 10th century BC migrations from Greece. Later it became an Ionian city. The Ionian refugees took the control while the Ailoian inhabitants were away for celebrations of a feast. Aiolians of Smyrna were welcomed by other Aiolian cities. The city was attacked and ruined by Alyattes of Lydia and was under the Lydian rule till the Persians came to the area in 546 BC. In 334 BC Alexander defeated the Persians in the Battle of Granikos near today's Canakkale. Alexander stayed in the city for a few days. While he was hunting in Mt. Pagos, he fell a sleep and in his dream, saw 2 goddesses saying him to move the city to where he is now. Like before the founders of the all ancient cities, inhabitants consulted to an Apollo Temple. They went to Claros for approval. According to Strabon the new city was built by Antigonos and Lysimachos following him. Lysimachos named the city of his daughter "Eurydike". However, this name did not last long. Strabon also mentioned that Smyrna was the most beautiful among the cities. Homer, the author of the earliest and finest epic poems, the Iliad and the Odyssey lived in Smyrna in the 8th century BC. He made his living as a court singer and storyteller.. According to Strabon there was a temple constructed after the death of Homeros, named as "Homerion". Today from the remains of Ancient Smyrna, travelers can only see the remains of the Roman Agora. Agora was built after the earthquake in 178AD by the Roman Emperror Marcus Aerelius and was dedicated to his wife Faustina. It was one of the largest agoras of the Roman World. Romans named Agora as Forum. The basement of the Agora is quite impressive. The basement was used as shops and their storages. There is also a cistern which was able to provide water for 7.000 people. Grafittis in Ancient Greek can be seen by the travelers. Church of SmyrnaSmyrna is among the 7 churches of Asia Minor mentioned in the book of Revelations. It is the second church mentioned in the Book of Revelation after Ephesus. Among the 7 churches, Like Philadelphia Smyrna was among the two churches which was not criticized of their faith. In the letter to Smyrna. The message speaks of false Jews and impending persecution, but encourages perseverance which will be rewarded. The strong allegiance to Rome plus a large Jewish population which was actively hostile to the Christians made it exceptionally difficult to live as a Christian in Smyrna. The most famous martyrdom of the early church fathers was of the elderly Polycarp, the 'twelfth martyr in Smyrna', St. Polycarp was one of the diciples of John the Apostle. He is considered to be the first bishop of S,yrna. In 155AD St. Polycarp refused to acknowledge Caesar as Lord, was placed upon a pyre to be burned at the ancient theater of Smyrna by the Romans. First he was thrown to the lions. But since the lions were full, they did not eat him. Afterwards the Roman prosecutors tried to burn St. Polycarp, but that did not work out too. Last he was killed by a Roman soldier. Smyrna, the physically persecuted church. The Christian community in Smyrna was considered as a poor community and without prestige and political power. While in contrast richly adorned temples to the pagan deities. There is no Christian commonwealth; they were a tiny minority in the community devoted to a multitude of gods. The Contrast between the city and the church is marked. The Church in Smyrna had suffered but had been faithful. Physically the church in Smyrna suffered from persecution from the Jews, and they were poor, they had few luxuries and possessions, yet spiritually they were rich in the sight of Christ. Jesus sees their affliction, he knows about it, this must be of comfort to this persecuted church. The Jewish community outside the church spoke of evil of the Christian community. John promised the Christians as a result of faithfulness even unto death, they would receive a crown of life. In the ancient times Smyrna was famous with its wine called "Pramnos". This wine was mixed with cheese, flour and honey. They used honey to sweeten the wine and added water before drinking. Drinking wine without adding water considered as a barbaric behavior. Pramnos wine of Smyrna was mentioned by Homer. The name Smyrna may also have been taken from the ancient Greek word for myrrh, which was the chief export of the city in ancient times. Myrrh is a gum-resin extracted from a tree. Myrrh resin was used as a perfume, incense, medicine and embalming body. Myrrh is mentioned in the New Testament as one of the three gifts that the Wise Men "from the East" presented to the Christ Child. Myrrh was also present at Jesus' death and burial. Jesus was offered wine and myrrh at his crucifixion. According to John's Gospel, Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea brought a 100-pound mixture of myrrh and aloes to wrap Jesus' body The Gospel of Matthew relates that as Jesus went to the cross, he was given vinegar to drink mingled with myrrh. The Romans often added the myrrh to wine to prevent it from vinegarizing (turning sour), which also provided a narcotic to deaden pain. We offer private biblical tours of the 7 Churches of Asia Minor including a visit to Ancient Smyrna. For more information, contact us.
Kusadasi Cruise Port - Gateway to Ephesus Ancient City and the sacred sites of Christianity Kusadasi Cruise Port Hundreds of thousands of voyagers pass through the Kusadasi Cruise Port terminal, the most popular cruise port in Turkey serving tourists travelling on Mediterranean cruises. It is also the leader in receiving tourists on board luxury liners arriving in Turkey from all over the world. The Terminal has undergone an extensive renovation in the past years. It has cafeterias, shops, taxis and public transport, and all the services necessary to make your arrival and departure from Turkey pleasant. The terminal is directly linked with downtown Kusadasi and is within a 20 minutes minutes’ drive away from the ancient city of Ephesus. Kusadasi Cruise Port’s passenger terminal serves tens of thousands of tourists every year. All the world’s leading cruise ship companies choose Kusadasi Cruise Port as a port of call. We are convinced it is also the most beautiful port of entry. At the moment, the Kusadasi Cruise Port passenger terminal is able to handle ships of up to 3500 passengers on an ongoing basis, quickly and efficiently. Kusadasi Cruise Port is the most popular cruise port in Turkey in terms of servicing passenger and tourist ships. The Cruise Ships that will be calling to Kusadasi Cruise Port in 2020:
We offer private tours of Ephesus and surrounding area from Kusadasi Cruise Port, for more information, please contact us. A former Greek village, used to be known as Domatia.This weekend we had a day trip to Ancient City of Priene and Doganbey Village with my wife, Doganbey village takes approximately 1 hour drive from Kusadasi. Doganbey is a former Greek village located by the ancient Mykale Mountains across the Greek Island of Samos, the birth place of famous mathematician Phytogoras. In 1924 there was an exchange of populations between Greece and Turkey. Turks living in Greece were exchanged with the Greeks living in Turkey. This is one of the rare exchange villages. Former Greek name was 'Domatia''. Approximately 300 houses were located in this village. After this exchange in 1924 the village was hit by an earthquake in 1959 and abondoned. The villagers founded a new settlement and named as ''Yeni Doganbey" meaning the ''New Doganbey''. Today the villages stone homes are restored by their new owners from big Turkish cities who can afford to restore the ruined homes. Visitors can enjoy seeing typical Greek homes from 19th century and can walk on the cobble stone streets. The streets and majority of the homes are restored and in very good condition. A picturesque town. We were impressed with beauty of the homes and cleanliness of the streets and great views of the Aegean sea and fresh air. There are no shops or anywhere to stay or eat. The village today is like an open air museum. The village is so quite in the winter, it was like visiting a ghost town. Majority of the home owners come to the village to spend their summers. The visit to the village of Doganbey can be combined with Ancient City of Priene and you may lunch at a fish restaurant located at the coastal village of Karina. For custom private tours feel free to contact us. Pictures of Doganbey Village Tire is 60 kilometers away from Kusadasi
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Ephesus Travel Guideby TransBalkan Tours is a fully licenced tour operator since 1963 and a member of TURSAB. 
for Private Ephesus Tour bookings with English speaking tour guides on certain dates. To see these dates, please click.
Kusadasi Ephesus Tours
Izmir Ephesus Tours Selcuk Ephesus Tours Ephesus Tour Guide Kusadasi Airport Transfer Kusadasi Pamukkale Tour Ephesus Biblical Tour Istanbul Ephesus Tour Ephesus Guided Tour Ephesus Shore Excursions Efes Tur Rehberi Ephesus Walking Tour 
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