Private Ephesus Tours from Selcuk Hotels and Selcuk Train Station

Is Selcuk the same as Ephesus?

Selcuk is the nearest town to the ancient city of Ephesus. Selcuk is the modern name of Ephesus. A small agricultural town, having a population of 35000 people. Due to the proximity to the ancient city of Ephesus, some travelers prefer to stay in Selcuk town. Selcuk has many small hotels. For travelers who will stay overnight in Selcuk town, we recommend visiting the farmers market on Saturdays.

During our Ephesus Tours from Selcuk, our guests tour among the well-preserved ruins. They visit this ancient metropolis that was once full of theatres, agoras, shops, wide marble streets and temples. They marvel at the world-famous Library of Celsus, an architectural masterpiece that still  impress visitors today. 

Ephesus Ancient City is the highlight of the area. Ephesus is an incredible place and worth visiting, an Ancient Greco-Roman city. A person can easily spend half a day here just wandering around the ancient streets. Ephesus is a remarkably preserved UNESCO world heritage site.

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Izmir to Selcuk and Izmir Airport to Selcuk is accessible by trains. There are trains from Izmir or Denizli (Pamukkale). Modern trains are operating between İzmir – Izmir Airport – Selcuk – Denizli. It is a comfortable and cheap way to travel on this route. Train Izmir to Selcuk takes approximately 1 hour 20 minutes. For more information about the trains schedules to Selcuk, please visit the following link: 

Izmir, Izmir Airport - Selcuk Town (Ephesus) Train Schedules

How do you get from Selcuk to Ephesus?

Ephesus is 4 km walking distance from Selcuk. It takes approximately 30 minutes to walk from Selcuk to Ephesus Ancient City. We recommend entering from the North gate and exit from the south gate. Walking back would be tough therefore the best is to take a taxi back to Selcuk town. For the travelers who are interested we offer private Selcuk Ephesus Walking Tours.

Can I tour Ephesus on my own?

Yes, you can tour Ephesus on your own. Kindly note that there is very little information in Ephesus describing what you are looking at. If you want to know more about what you see, you really need a tour guide or an audio guide.

Is Selcuk worth visiting?

​Selcuk is one of the most beautiful, perhaps world-renowned towns of Izmir. Of course, the fact that it is home to the Ancient City of Ephesus has a big share in this. But not only that, Selcuk is the place to visit and its beauties. Many historical attractions nearby can be visited in day tours from Selcuk,

For travelers who stay in Selcuk town or travel to Selcuk by train, we offer private airport transfers from Izmir airport and private Ephesus tours and private Selcuk Ephesus walking tours. For travelers who travel with rent a car, we also provide tour guide only services where our tour guide meets you in your hotel in Selcuk or in front of Basilica of St. John or Selcuk Bus Station or Selcuk Train Station. 

​For Ephesus tour guide only services, please visit: Ephesus Tour Guide Only

On certain dates we offer %20 discount. To see these dates please visit: Discounted Ephesus Tours

* If you do not have a rental car and staying in Selcuk or coming to Selcuk with train. We offer private walking tours of Ephesus, including visits to Basilica of St. John, Temple of Artemis, Ancient City of Ephesus, Terrace Houses and Ephesus Experience Museum. For more information, please visit Ephesus Walking Tours and contact us.

Suggested Ephesus Day Trips from Selcuk

SELCUK - No:1

Half Day Ephesus Walking Tour​ (4-5 hours)

Visit: Basilica of St. John, Temple of Artemis, Ephesus Ancient City, Terrace Houses (Optional), Ephesus Experience Museum

Meet with your Ephesus local guide in front of the Basilica of St. John or at your hotel in Selcuk town or Selcuk train station. Start your journey with the Basilica of St. John, where the tomb of John the Apostle rests solemnly. Immerse yourself in over 5000 years of history as you explore the earlier settlement sites and gaze upon the magnificent Isa Bey Mosque. View the remains of the Temple of Artemis, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Delve deeper into the past by strolling through old Greek homes and pausing at a local art gallery to appreciate the unique talents of local artists while indulging in authentic Turkish Coffee or Tea. Venture to a 14th-century Turkish Bath. Afterwards board on a taxi for a short ride to Ephesus upper gate, commence a downhill exploration of Ephesus, beholding architectural marvels like the Library of Celsus and the Grand Theater. Delight in the opulence of the Terrace Houses (Optional), before a audiovisual experience at the Ephesus Experience Museum. After your visit to the Ancient City of Ephesus, board a public shared minibus for a short ride back to to the serene town of Selcuk. For more information, please visit: Ephesus Walking Tour

SELCUK - No:2

Full day Ephesus Tour from Selcuk - Christian Ephesus (6 hours)

Visit: Basilica of St. John, Temple of Artemis, Ephesus Ancient City, Ephesus Experience Museum, House of Virgin Mary

Meet with your tour guide at your hotel in Selcuk. Embark on a captivating journey through historical riches. Begin your tour with the Basilica of St. John. See earlier settlement locations of Ephesus, the remains of  Temple of Artemis and the tomb of John the Apostle. Drive to the Ancient City of Ephesus. Meander through the Agoras, Curetes Street, the remarkable Celsus Library, and the monumental Great Theater where a riot took place against St. Paul in 56AD. Immerse yourself at the Ephesus Experience Museum with an audio visual show of 18 minutes. The next destination on your itinerary will take you to the house where Mother Mary is traditionally believed to have spent her final years. This site holds significant spiritual importance, especially for devoted Catholics who revere Mother Mary as a central figure in their faith. Enjoy a traditional Turkish lunch in the serene surroundings of a charming country house, enhancing your cultural experience. Subsequently, at the same location, you will have the opportunity to witness the skills of local artisans as they demonstrate various local handicrafts, providing insight into the region's rich heritage and traditions. 

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SELCUK - No:3

Day Tour from Selcuk

Ephesus and Sirince Village (7 hours) 

Visit: Temple of Artemis, Ephesus Ancient City, Ephesus Experience Museum, Sirince Village

Meet with your guide in Selcuk. Drive to one of the 7 wonders of the ancient world: Temple of Artemis. After seeing the Temple of Artemis drive to the magnificent ancient site of  Ephesus. Ephesus is the best preserved of the Greek/Roman cities in Anatolia  and  while you are visiting the ancient ruins of this magnificent site, your tour guide  will bring them alive. You will see the beautiful Celsus Library, restored and reconstructed according to its original form by the architect Friedmund Hueber  in the 1970's. The most spectacular building of Ephesus is the Grand Theater,  built during the Hellenistic age to hold 25,000 spectators. It is there that St. Paul preached. Opposite the Temple of Hadrian are the Terrace Houses, homes of  Ephesus' wealthy citizens. The city was also the hometown of great philosopher  Heraclitus. After a visit to Ephesus Antique Site, you will arrive at Sirince Village. This old Orthodox Village, 10 km from Selcuk, was once "Cirkince"(ugly). Indeed its inhabitants gave this name on the purpose as they  did not want to be bothered by foreigners nor to share the beauty of their village. Still after years, visitors understood that the village was not ugly and called it "Sirince" (pretty). Today the village is a perfect synthesis of Turkish-Greek culture as of the 1920's; after the Turkish Independence War, people exchange between Greek and Turks has occurred and all those typical Greek  houses, though they kept their original outside characteristics, have received  the local layout inside. At Sirince Village you will have a chance to see the  local life at a village and purchase some small local souvenirs and  handicrafts. The village is also famous for its local grape and other fruit wines. 

For more information and private Ephesus tour costs and availability please contact us.

Train travel to Ephesus (Selcuk)

* For travellers who will be staying at hotels in Basmane district in Izmir, we recommend them to take the 7.10am train from Basmane train station which will arrive to Selcuk at 8.34am. Our tour guide and vehicle can meet you at Selcuk train startion. After the tour you will be dropped back to Selcuk train station for your return journey. Return train will leave Selcuk at 4.04pm and arrive Izmir Basmane Train station at 5.30pm. For train schedule between Izmir and Selcuk, please visit: 

Izmir, Izmir Airport - Selcuk Town (Ephesus) Train Schedules